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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-04-02 Daily Xml
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ARTS, REGIONAL CENTRES

Ms BREUER (Giles) (15:18): My question is to the Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts. How is the government promoting the arts in country South Australia?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (15:18): I thank the member for this very important question. During the parliamentary recess, along with about 3,000 Port Augusta locals, I attended the opening of the Adelaide Fringe at the crossroads in Port Augusta. The show, Smoke on the Water, featured a light installation and music performances on the old bridge. The Fringe performances of comedy, theatre and cabaret presented over the following two days were all sell-outs. I hope the member for Stuart was able to attend part of that.

Earlier in February, the Adelaide Festival of Arts also held numerous successful events in Port Augusta. These Fringe and Adelaide Festival of Arts programs were only the beginning of what will be a very big year for the arts in Port Augusta. Port Augusta is the inaugural South Australian Regional Centre of Culture.

The South Australian Regional Centre of Culture Initiative targets one regional centre biennially for major investments in cultural infrastructure and a year-long program of cultural activities. The program is a partnership between state and local governments with support from the private sector. Port Augusta is becoming the cultural crossroads of South Australia through its year of celebration, entertainment and cultural exchange presented under the broad banner 'Port Augusta Re-imagines!'

The state government, through Country Arts SA and the Office of Regional Affairs, has been working with the Port Augusta City Council to establish a cultural precinct in the centre of Port Augusta with buildings and an open space being transformed into a community and cultural area. The total cost of this capital development is $1.55 million. The state government has contributed $950,000 and $600,000 has come from the Port Augusta City Council. Work on the development of the cultural precinct is nearing completion, and it will be officially opened on 10 May this year.

In addition, approximately $850,000 is being spent on delivering Port Augusta's year-long program of cultural activities. This includes a state government contribution of $550,000 as well as funds received from principal sponsor Flinders Power and other arts grants funding agencies. The exciting year-long program is immense, and comprises:

15 exhibitions with associated events and workshops;

over 50 performances of at least 30 productions;

19 exhibitions and performances with schools components, including professional development of teachers;

nine individual festivals and celebrations; and

many workshops for all age groups in art, drama, circus, dance, music and history.

Port Augusta 2008 is just the beginning of the government's Regional Centre of Culture program. Twelve expressions of interest were received from other regional communities wishing to become the 2010 Regional Centre of Culture. Arts SA has set up an independent panel of people with broad arts and regional perspectives to consider all the applications. I am advised by Arts SA that four regional communities have been shortlisted by this selection panel, and I am pleased to announce here today, for the very first time, that those shortlisted are Mount Gambier, Coffin Bay, Goolwa and Murray Bridge.

I anticipate that the state's 2010 Regional Centre of Culture will be officially announced on 10 May this year. That announcement will coincide with both the eagerly anticipated opening of Port Augusta's new cultural precinct and with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra's Symphony Under the Stars concert, which will be held on the No. 1 fairway of the Port Augusta Golf Club.

I would like to draw the attention of the house to a letter to the Editor of The Advertiser today that was written by Barbara Rasmus of Port Augusta. I will not go through the opening sentence (which heaps some praise on me) but she goes on to say that the concert:

...by State Opera South Australia was an absolutely beautiful night. The acoustics were perfect and it was a full house. The singing was wonderful. Port Augusta is proud to have such a unique setting.

Hear, hear to that.

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