Annual Report 2008 - 2009

AIAA Patrons

AIAA would like to thank and acknowledge Mr Sudaryomo the Consul General for the Republic of Indonesia Sydney for accepting the position of Patron of AIAA. Many thanks also to Byron Shire Mayor Cr Jan Barham for accepting the role of AIAA Patron.

Asep Suhenda Artist-in-Residence Project

With financial assistance from the Australia Indonesia Institute ($4,000), AIAA’s 6th Artist-in-Residence Project took place in Nov 2008 – March 2009. This project was a joint project coordinated by Chris Wetherall and was very valuable for both the visiting artist and for the Australian cultural communities in NSW and Queensland. The project has been 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 Sundanese Wayang Golek – Shadow puppetry and Sundanese traditional and contemporary music.

While resident in the NSW North Coast area Asep Suhenda worked intensively in the following areas: - teaching and performing at local primary and high schools, instructing individual musicians, performing with Australian and Indonesian musicians and gamelan groups, recording with local musicians, presenting performances of Shadow Puppets and Sundanese music in Sydney, Brisbane and the NSW Nth Coast Region.

In Regional NSW: weekly workshops with Langen Sari Gamelan Orchestra, Salendro Gamelan, Byron Multicultural Drop In, Indonesian Community members, Suara Indonesia Radio Show on BAY FM- Byron Bay, Byron Harmony Day 2009, Rice Restaurant-Brunswick Heads, Taste of Harmony Concert as well as school performances and workshops.

A major finale concert and Wayang Golek puppet show called “Hanoman meets the Swagman” was held in Bangalow in March 2009 to showcase Asep’s talents and work and the work of all his students in the Nth Coast Region. The concert also involved visiting artists from Armidale and Brisbane and was recorded on video and audio.

In Sydney: Asep also visited Sydney where he performed Sundanese music with his new performing group Shadow Sunda ; Asep Suhenda, Hendri Budiman and Chris Wetherall, at the Australia Indonesia Institute Anniversary Dinner held at the NSW Art Gallery in February 2009. Another major event involved performances at Peats Ridge Festival in Sydney. This is the major Annual World Music Festival in the Sydney Region. Asep also presented a workshop program at St Kevin’s School in Sydney.

In QLD: Major performance of Wayang Golek Shadow puppets and Sundanese music presented by BEMAC - Brisbane Ethnic Music and Arts Centre at Brisbane City Hall Lunchtime series

Byron Harmony Day 2009

Byron Harmony Day 2009 presented by the AIAA subcommittee Byron Harmony Team was held on 21 March 2009 and was a huge success for AIAA and the Nth Coast community. Supported by Byron Shire Council ($2,500) 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 Indonesian cultural groups and artists such as Tommee, Shadow Sunda, Asep Suhenda (Bandung), Kym Hall (Armidale), Jaemmy Basirudin playing kecapi as well as Indonesian cuisine by the Indonesian Arisan Group and Tjintana Matahari as MC.

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 2000, including children, families and elderly people who enjoyed interactive activities such as Circle dances, kids activities and canvas mural painting.

Byron Harmony Day 2009 involved people from over 20 CALD groups including Indigenous, Latin American, Chinese, Japanese, French, Brazilian, Islander, Indonesian, Indian, Irish, Middle Eastern, Thai, Celtic, Turkish, African and Spanish.
Many thanks to coordinators Dharma Bradridge and Judy Shelley for all their hard work and to DoCs, Byron Shire Council, Byron Echo, Bay FM radio and other sponsors. Go to Byron Harmony Day website www.myspace.com/byronharmonyday
Byron Harmony Project

AIAA was successful in attracting a grant for $20,000 for the Byron Harmony Project which was successfully coordinated by Dharma Bradridge assisted by Judy Shelley and the Byron Harmony sub-committee. The one year project provided on-going community development and support for ethnic groups in Byron Shire including coordinating the weekly Multicultural drop in at Byron Community Centre encouraging for cultural sharing, concerts such as the Love Culture Concert, Peace Day Market and screening of the Burning Season Film and Climate Change Forum, creation of the multicultural website www.byronmulticultural.org.au, coordination of ethnic radio course etc

School Activities

During 2008-2009 AIAA provided a number of excellent Indonesian school activities as part of the Asep Suhenda Residency including performances and workshops at schools in Sydney and the North Coast in 2009 thanks to coordinator Chris Wetherall and Asep Suhenda. AIAA also presented a major Indonesian Extravaganza combined schools concert at Mullumbimby High School during 2008. appreciation to Judy Shelley, Dharma Bradridge, Bpk Nyoman Suma and Ibu Sri for presenting a wonderful concert and workshop program including Balinese Dance, Sundanese Gamelan, Angklung, Balinese dance and crafts. 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.
Inspirasi Magazine

The Inspirasi Team – AIAA National Coordinator Judy Shelley and Web Site Coordinator Carole Chapman were responsible for the production of Inspirasi Magazine during 2008-09 highlighting Indonesian cultural events taking place throughout Australia and Indonesia.

Salendro Gamelan

Many thanks to AIAA Vice President Dharma Bradridge and partner Bunny Calero who have been coordinating AIAA Salendro gamelan group for several years. The AIAA Salendro Gamelan group has performed and supported many community events in Northern NSW and the Qld such as BEMAC, Beggars Banquet, Byron Harmony Day Festival, Splendour in the Grass and many more. Congratulations to the Salendro Gamelan musicians for their success and commitment.

Suara Indonesia Radio Show

During 2008-09 Suara Indonesia Radio Show was coordinated by AIAA National Vice President Dharma Bradridge supported by Kirana Talip and Judy Shelley. Suara Indonesia continues to present many hours of interesting live interviews, CD reviews, news and Indonesian community events for the community of the NSW North Coast and beyond. The program is streaming live every Wednesday 1-2pm at www.bayfm.org

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. Some examples of AIAA support and involvement with cultural organizations and events during 2008-09 included:

Salam Budaya Kawula Muda Brisbane, Indonesian Consulate Sydney, The Burning Season Movie, BEMAC Brisbane, Peat’s Ridge Festival Sydney, Pesta Rakyat Brisbane, Sound Crucible Bangalow, GET UP Team Sydney, Rukun Warga Bali Gold Coast, Byron Writers Festival, Beggars Banquet, Byron Community Centre, Byron Peace Group, Evolve Festival, Gamelan Langen Sari, Shadow Sunda, Cultural Infusion, Deloitte, FEHVA Art Festival, Bay FM Community Radio, Bali in the Bush and the Australia Indonesia Institute Anniversary Dinner. Fundraising events for the Sumatra Earthquake victims were held in conjunction with Indonesian community members.

Many thanks to AIAA Board Member John Lewis for his work in the following areas : Ubud- Byron Sister Town development, Earth Children Global, Bali – fundraising Future sale of 6ft Garuda sculpture in Byron for Ubud Project, Yayasan Widya Guna Orphanage Project Ubud, Byron Artscape Biennual Sculpture Project, support for Heri Dono participation in Artscape, investigating support for sustainable forest edge village agriculture. “I really appreciated all the close cooperation within AIAA and especially the board members. Thank you all. Your work & influence is very obvious to me.

Many thanks to AIAA Board Member Ibu Vera Kos from the Indonesia Dance Group Gold Coast for her tireless commitment and dedication to promoting and sharing Indonesian arts and culture in Australia. Ibu Vera has assisted AIAA Artist in Residence Projects for many years by organizing events for them in the Gold Coast, providing many opportunities for them to share their music, dance and arts with the Gold Coast community. Ibu Vera has also performed and coordinated workshops many, many times on AIAA projects at schools and in the community including dance, costumes and singing. Deep appreciation also to AIAA National President Malia Ritaningsih for her great dedication and energetic involvement in all Indonesian cultural activities in Brisbane, representing AIAA at major events and being a popular MC for the Brisbane community.

Thank you to our Sponsors

The National Board of AIAA expresses sincere appreciation for the generous support of the NSW Dept of Community Services, Byron Shire Council, Crystal Castle, Bay FM Community Radio, Byron Shire Echo, Australia Indonesia Institute and the Community Broadcasting Foundation.