ArtsACTION: Empowering Regional Creative Communities
When creatives receive the support and professional development they wish for, creative communities prosper and enrich broader communities in turn. An innovative partnership between Jumpleads NFP, Pop Up Art and Deakin University strives to achieve just this. The ArtsACTION project is free for creatives to access and is already making significant inroads to regenerating creative communities in regional Victoria.
Working towards regeneration of regional creative communities
Jumpleads NFP is a social enterprise with a focus on changing cultures and invigorating communities to enable a better future. They do this by “jump-starting” arts and community initiatives Australia wide, which has included working to build creative communities in Central Victoria for over seven years.
Pop Up Art, a division of Jumpleads NFP supports professional and emerging artists through education, training and advocacy. In 2018, Pop Up Art’s exhibition, ‘small works from a BIG PLACE’ showcased works from a collective of Central Victorian artists at six locations along the historical railway line from Melbourne to Bendigo. The project enabled artists to engage with new audiences and markets in the region and beyond through the development of a professional arts marketing cooperative. It also allowed the broader community to discover and engage with local art.
What is ArtsACTION?
Initiated by JumpLeads NFP and Pop Up Art in partnership with Deakin University, ArtsACTION has been funded by the Australian Government’s Building Our Future Fund with additional support provided by the City of Greater Bendigo, Hepburn Shire Council, Macedon Ranges Shire Council, Mount Alexander Shire Council and V/Line.
ArtsACTION seeks to extend on existing partnership models such as Pop Up Art by inviting artists in regional communities to take part in opportunities for free upskilling and professional development. These will support creatives to ‘get into action’, collaborate, refine innovative methods and develop arts enterprise models for economic viability.
The program consists of three separate opportunities:
- Opportunity 1: A free 6-part ArtsACTION Email Course
- Opportunity 2: Three free half-day facilitated ArtsACTION
- Opportunity 3: Free representation within Regional Arts Park
Creatives can sign-up for the ArtsACTION email course here.
The ArtsACTION Workshops are three free half-day facilitated sessions designed to connect and strengthen artists’ networks, encourage market readiness, provide opportunities to broaden reach and gain new skills, working collectively to expand impact.
The first workshop titled ‘Being Market Ready’ was held in Castlemaine on November 21st last year. Facilitated by Karen Corr (Make a Change), Sharon Seyd (Jumpleads NFP) and Karen Le Rossignol (Deakin University), Being Market Ready provided creatives with practical information and inspiration for career progression, marketing, harnessing creative identity, building opportunities and collaborating with others. Feedback on the day was overwhelmingly positive, revealing that creatives were appreciative of the depth and breadth of information, while being eager to learn even more at future sessions. Those who attended appreciated the opportunity to network with others and clarify goals, gaining inspiration and motivation for artistic growth at the same time.
The second workshop titled ‘Working Together Effectively’ will be held in Bendigo on Thursday, February 27th and the third workshop on ‘Digital Communities’ will be hosted in Kyneton on Thursday, March 19th.
ArtsACTION will run until April 2020, culminating in the launch of the Regional Arts Park (RAP), an innovative, interactive, digital platform to display and promote the work of established artists online.
Community awareness and engagement with the ArtsACTION program
In November last year, Karen Le Rossignol from Deakin University and Sharon Seyd from Jumpleads NFP presented their perspective on ArtsACTION at the creative symposium, ‘REFLEX – The Future of Our Creative Community’ in Geelong. They presented the ArtsACTION program as an effective way to tell artists’ stories, fostering economic and social links to local and global communities.
For information and to register for these opportunities, visit www.popupart.com.au/artsaction
*Featured Image (Cover) by Lucas Sankey on Unsplash