Dear members
The AIAA National Board elections have been completed. The following are the AIAA Board members for 2011-12:
President : Malia Ritaningsih
Secretary : Cynthia Webb
Treasurer : Yvonne Jessup
Public Officer : Judith Shelley
Member : Vera Kos
Member : John Lewis
Many thanks to all Board members for all their hard work supporting Indonesian arts in Australia.
AA would like to thank and acknowledge the Consul General for the Republic of Indonesia Sydney for holding the position of Patron of AIAA. Many thanks also to Byron Shire Mayor Cr Jan Barham for continuing in the role of AIAA Patron, and attending AIAA events such as opening the Byron Harmony Festival every year.
I Made Denis Artist-in-Residence Project 2010-11
During May 2010 – July 2011 AIAA was very fortunate to host the 7th Artist-in-Residence Project with visiting Balinese musician I Made Denis from Tianyar, East Bali. Fortunately, this project was funded by the Australia Indonesia Institute for 6 months from January – July 2011. This project has been AIAA’s most successful Residency to date with I Made Denis visiting over 30 schools across Australia including visits to Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as well as many regional centers such as Mungindi, Toowoomba etc The project has been highly valuable for both the visiting artist and for the Australian community. The project has been very successful in creating participation and collaboration with people of all ages across a broad spectrum of the Australian community and across a wide geographical area. The project involved direct participation and experience of Balinese Kecak Dance and Balinese traditional gamelan and contemporary music, as well as Sundanese Angklung, Balinese, Javanese and Sumatran Dance workshops and performances.
While resident in the NSW North Coast/Southern Qld area Mr I Made Denis worked intensively in the following areas:
Teaching and performing at primary and high schools across Australia
Leading Balinese Gamelan Groups in Byron Bay and Southport
Collaborating and performing with Australian and Indonesian musicians
Presenting performances of Balinese Gamelan Music and Dance at festivals and music venues such as Murwillumbah Unity Festival, Byron Bay Harmony Festival, Lismore Lantern Festival, Gold Coast Balinese Events and Woodford Folk Festival Qld.
In NSW: Made Denis successfully created new Balinese Gamelan groups in Byron Bay and Southport holding weekly, often bi-weekly workshops as well as free classes in Gamelan and Angklung at Byron Multicultural Drop In and Railway Park, visits to Suara Indonesia Radio Show on Bay FM, Byron Bay, performances at Byron Harmony Day 2011 and the Unity Festival Murwillumbah, Lismore Lantern Festival as well as school performances and workshops. Participating schools included Shearwater Steiner School, Coorabell PS, Durrumbul PS, Wilsons Creek PS, Mullumbimby HS, Ballina Pre-School, Main Arm PS, Macksville HS, Sth Grafton HS, Chrysalis Steiner School Bellingen, Taree PS, Scotts Head PS, Eltham PS, Blakebrook PS, Cooper Nook PS, The Risk PS, Ruchenvale PS and Collins Creek PS, Sydney schools included St Mary’s Star of the Sea Picton and The John Colet School, Belrose. The program was presented by Made Denis supported by Judy Shelley and Yvonne Jessup as well as dancers Bpk Agung Pindha, Ibu Vera Kos, Alfira O’Sullivan and Murtala and Warga Rukun Bali. Made Denis also supported community fundraising events such as the Bali Kids Concert at Ballina RSL and Japan Benefit Concert at Durrumbul.
In QLD: School performances included Ferny Grove HS, Aquinas College, Browns Plains SHS, QAHS and Harristown HS involving Made Denis, supported by Bpk Agung Pindha and Judy Shelley, as well as community workshops and performances in Southport organized by Ibu Vera Kos, Indonesia Dance Group Gold Coast such as visits to Tricare Nursing Home and festival performances and Indonesian Independence Day at Broadbeach. Major performances of Balinese Kecak and workshop series were a spectacular major feature at Woodford Folk Festival.
In WA: Made Denis and Agung Pindha’s first visit to WA was supported by the Indonesian Consulate in Perth, where they were provided accommodation, transport and musical instruments and by John Septimus Roe College which provided a loan of gamelan instruments. Made Denis was accompanied on this trip by Gold Coast Balinese dancer Mr Agung Pindha and supported locally by Perth dancers Ibu Hermine Astuti, Ibu Yayih, Ibu Dewi and Ibu Endang Partington. Participating Schools included Tranby College, John Septimus Roe College, Quintillian School and La Salle College. The 2nd trip to Perth involved performances and workshops at Albany HS, Albany PS, Nyabing PS, Scotts College and Kalamunda SH.
In SA: The first SA visit was supported by Murdoch University and Dodik Darmadi through the loan of instruments. Made Denis and Judy Shelley visited St Monica’s Pariah School and Crafers School, Crafers supported by dancers Ade Suharto and Ibu Dewi. Made Denis also participated in a Javanese gamelan class and met students and lecturers at the Murdoch University pendopo. The second SA visit involved Made Denis and Agung Pindha visiting St Micheal’s College, Lutheran School, Lobethal, Pembroke School and Le Fevre HS supported by dancers Ade Suharto, Madryn Silverlake and Ibu Putu.
The major finale event of the Made Denis Residency in 2010 was his participation along with 40 other musicians, dancers and chanters for a season of kecak workshops and performances at Australia’s largest music festival – Woodford Folk Festival, Qld. The project united performers from NSW Nth Coast and Gold Coast and Brisbane with the lead dancers being from Rukun Warga Bali, Gold Coast. Made Denis was also enlisted by Woodford Festival to work in the pre-festival team creating 50 Balinese Penjor street decoration to create a Balinese atmosphere throughout the festival.
Byron Harmony Festival 2011
Byron Harmony Day 2011 coordinated by the AIAA subcommittee Byron Harmony Team and was a huge success for AIAA and the Nth Coast community. Supported by Byron Shire Council ($1,500) and NRCF ($1000) the one day festival involved a very wide representation of the many multicultural communities that live in the North Coast and incorporated a variety of performances by local cultural groups and artists such as Made Denis and the Byron gamelan orchestra.
People who attended and participated were overwhelming in their praise and appreciation for the holding of the Byron Harmony Day event. The Festival attracted the participation of about 200 performers, volunteers and workshop leaders and attracted an audience of approx 1000.
Byron Harmony Day 2011 involved people from many CALD groups including Indigenous, Latin American, French, Brazilian, Indonesian, Indian, Middle Eastern, Thai, African and Spanish.
Many thanks to coordinators Yvonne Jessup, Corrinne Sinclair, Prue Regan, Ayesha Salazar, Judy Shelley and the Harmony Team for all their hard work and to Byron Shire Council, NRCF, Byron Echo, Bay FM radio and other sponsors. Many congratulations to Yvonne Jessup for being awarded the Byron Echo Award for Multiculturalism as a result of all her hard work on the Festival.
Byron Harmony Project
Besides presenting Byron Harmony Day, the Harmony Team also continued the Harmony Program during 2011 including the weekly Multicultural Drop In at Byron Community Centre encouraging cultural sharing by presenting free cultural workshops in Indonesian gamelan, angklung and dance, African dance, Latin American cooking, music and dance, Japanese cooking, Chinese painting, drawing etc,
AIAA Website
The AIAA website www.aiaa.org.au continues to be an excellent information base on Indonesian culture in Australia. Many thanks to Carole Chapman on her continuing support for our website.
School Activities
During 2010-11 AIAA provided a number of excellent Indonesian school activities as part of the Made Denis Residency including performances and workshops at schools in Sydney, NSW North Coast, Adelaide, Perth, Toowoomba and Brisbane. AIAA also presented a major Indonesian Extravaganza combined schools concert at Mullumbimby High School during 2010. Many thanks to Made Denis, Judy Shelley, Bpk Nyoman Suma and Ibu Sri for presenting a wonderful concert and workshop program including Balinese Dance, Balinese Gamelan and Sundanese Angklung. After undertaking one hour workshops in gamelan music a number of the students involved in the project were able to present their own gamelan music performances to the rest of the students.
Suara Indonesia Radio Show
During 2010-11 Suara Indonesia Radio Show was presented by Francesca Von Reinhaart and Kirana Talip supported by Yana Sutiana, John Lewis and Judy Shelley. Suara Indonesia continues to present many hours of interesting live interviews, music, CD reviews, news and Indonesian community events for the community of the NSW North Coast and beyond. The program is streaming live every Wednesday 12-1pm at www.bayfm.org
If you are inrterested in joining the radio team – please let me know judybyronbay@yahoo.com
AIAA Support for Members and Cultural Organisations
The AIAA Board and National Coodinator support many other Australian and Indonesian organizations and individual artists with performances, information, support letters and guidance for their projects as well as undertaking community action and fundraising.
Deep appreciation to AIAA National President Malia Ritaningsih for her great dedication and energetic involvement in all Indonesian cultural activities and fundraising in Brisbane, representing AIAA at major events and being a popular MC for the Brisbane community. Malia has initiated many important projects such as the Pesta Rakyat and as well SBKM (Salam Budaya Kawula Muda) among many others. This year Malia invited and introduced Made Denis to the Indonesian Society of QLD (PIQ Inc. to perform for the Indonesian Multicultural Night on 16th July 2011; a collaborative work with other well-known musician, Efiq Zulfikar from Caboolture. Soon after Efiq and Denis were invited by Brisbane Powerhouse to perform there. This was a combined effort between BEMAC and Brisbane Powerhouse. The latter is a great supporter for the Indonesian community/performances and we have been working together since 2007, the initial Festival Nusantara. Malia also organized Made Denis to have two Gamelan and Kecak dance lessons at Woodridge SHS.
Special thanks to AIAA Board Member Ibu Vera Kos founder of Indonesia Dance Group Gold Coast Australia and International Indonesian Group Gold Coast Australia for her tireless commitment and dedication to introduce Indonesian arts and culture in Australia. Ibu Vera has been wroking tirelessly for many years presenting and promoting Indonesian culture and dance to the Gold Coast community and beyond and presents many, many voluntary performances. Since AIAA started, Ibu Vera has assisted AIAA Artist in Residence Projects over many years by organizing events for them in the Gold Coast, providing opportunities to share their arts such as music with the Australian community. Ibu Vera Kos has also supported Made Denis and AIAA projects at schools and in the community and invited AIAA artists for Indonesian cultural shows at Nursing Homes and festivals on the Gold Coast presenting Indonesian culture performances, workshops, dance, costumes, singing and music
Report from Cynthia Webb
AIAA Cultural Networker/Board Member of Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance
During the year I have continued my work of contributing Feature Articles to The Jakarta Post, newspaper. Articles included:
Articles relating to the film industry, Indonesian films featuring in Film events in Australia, and Australian-made films with Indonesia-related subject matter. Interviews with Indonesian film personalities. Interviews with Australian film-makers with special interest in Indonesia. There were four well-known Indonesian film personalities at Gold Coast for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Dec 2nd, 2010: Nurman Hakim, Nan Achnas, Christine Hakim, and Salman Aristo, all of whom I interviewed, and had plenty of time for socializing and friendship.
Three articles on the activities of the Non Government Organisation, Surf Aid International, which works in the Mentawai Islands (off the Sumatra coast), and played a major role in the rescue operations following the October earthquake and tsunami there.
This year I also made some new connections with others, such as writer, Putu Wijaya, reknowned actress, Christine Hakim, and actor Ikranegara, a journalist from ANTARA, Rahmad Nasution. In October, I travelled to Brisbane to meet and interview Indonesia’s leading filmmaker, Nan Achnas, who was in the city acting as a member of the Nominations Council, for the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
In December 2010, I attended a fund-raising event for Surf Aid International at Gold Coast, and hosted the founder of SurfAid International, Dr Dave Jenkins for the afternoon, before delivering him to the train station for his trip to Brisbane, then a flight to Perth. He was visiting Australia, on a fundraising drive, and also doing his own networking, to be able to further assist the Mentawai people in the long term future.
In January 2011, I enjoyed spending time with well known contemporary artist, Heri Dono, and going with him to Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art, and to the Jan Manton Gallery, (his agents in the city).
Quite often, people in both Indonesia and Australia make contact with AIAA, to ask for assistance or information, and recently I have been assisting an editor, Ros Bradley to contact prominent philosophical thinkers in Indonesia, to request contributions to her book.
Early in 2011, Fenti Forsyth of Brisbane, introduced me to Firnandi Gufron, of the Jakarta office of the Indonesian Government’s Tourist and Development section. I informed him of the work of AIAA, and asked him for the contact details and correct procedure to make proposals to the Department for funding support for AIAA projects which promote Indonesia here in Australia. AIAA will make application to them for assistance in the future.Thank you to our Sponsors 2010-11
The National Board of AIAA expresses sincere appreciation for the generous support of Byron Shire Council, Bay FM Community Radio, NRCF, Byron Shire Echo, Australia Indonesia Institute and the Community Broadcasting Foundation.
AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ARTS ALLIANCE
FINANCIAL STATEMENT 1ST JULY 2010 – 30TH JUNE 2011
GENERAL ACCOUNT
Bank Balance as at 1st July 2010 $ 630.09
Income
Performers $13,701.40
Members $ 20.00
Grants/Donations $ 2,587.70
($2,500 Volunteers Grant Facsia)
Other $ 2,830.06
Total $19,139.16
Expenditure
Administration $11,551.71
Venue $ 1,230.25
Project $ 662.00
Promotion $ 814.00
Transport $ 150.00
Performers $ 530.00
Total $14,937.96
Balance $ 4,831.29
Bank Balance as at 30th June 2011 $ 4,831.29
AIAA Public Art Fund
Financial Statement 1st July 2010 – 30th June 2011
Bank Balance as at 1st July 2010 $ 106.25
INCOME
Donations/Grants $3000.00
Byron Shire Council $2000 for Byron Harmony Day
NRCF $1000 for Byron Harmony Day
Bank Interest $ .03
Other Income $ 50.00
TOTAL $3050.05
EXPENDITURE
Artist Fees/Honorarium $ 610.00
Project Costs $ 405.00
Transport $ 70.00
Administration $1500.00
Venue hire $ 470.00
TOTAL $3055.30
BALANCE $ 51.30
Bank balance as at 30th June 2011 $ 51.30
AUSTRALIA INDONESIA ARTS ALLIANCE
Financial Statement 1July 2010 – 30 June 2011
Work for the Dole Account
Bank Balance as at 1 July 2010 $ 5.36
INCOME
Grant for Project $ 7000.00
(Australia Indonesia Institute, DFAT for Made Denis)
Performances, Workshops $41,016.50
Other $ 791.64
Total $48,813.50
EXPENDITURE
Performers’ Fees/Per Diem $21,362.00
Transport $15,454.27
Administration/Equipment $ 1,830.46
Project $ 9,654.77
Total $48,301.50
Balance $ 512.00
Bank Balance as at 30 June 2011 $ 512.00
Judith Shelley
Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance
www.aiaa.org.au