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Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance National Annual Report 2003 – 2004
Australia Indonesia Poetry Exchange 2003
Continuing on from the Australia Indonesia Poetry Exchange 2001 and 2002, during 2003, AIAA President and Poetry Co-ordinator Ibu Malia Ritaningsih organised an Indonesian delegation to attend the Sydney Writers Festival. Included in the Delegation were Indonesian poet Fatin Hamamah, Indonesian writer La Rose and Education expert Ibu Faiqoh. Fatin presented a number of inspiring poetry readings at the Festival, La Rose presented a paper entitled Literature, Cultural and Philosophical Approach for a Better World, and Ibu Faiqoh presented a paper entitled An Overview of Indonesian Education.
The delegation also visited Canberra and made school visits in Sydney. Many thanks also to Bpk Yudhi, Cultural and Education Attache at the Indonesian Embassy for supporting the Delegation’s stay in Canberra.
AIAA members were very sad to hear of the death of Ibu La Rose late in 2003, after her return from Australia.
AIAA Work for Dole Project 2003-2004
The AIAA Work For the Dole Project has been a wonderful support for the work of AIAA since 2001, providing training and work experience for unemployed people while at the same time supporting cultural exchange between Australia and Indonesia. AIAA WFD 2003 took place from February to August 2003 and was a fruitful and exciting project for the AIAA Team supervised by Kristen Forster, Gert Gast and Dan Summerfield. With the help of WFD Supervisor Kellie Norman WFD 2004 saw the project move to new and brighter premises at Bayshore Drive, Byron Industrial Estate. The next project then took place from February to July 2004. WFD participants played an enormous role in the many projects undertaken by AIAA including : Inspirasi Magazine, Suara Indonesia Radio Show, Wahyu Roche Musician in Residence Project, maintenance of the AIAA website, Anything But Roy Tour, Umbul Umbul Festival in Bali, Balinese Extravaganza Show etc.
Inspirasi Magazine
The WFD Team were responsible for the production of Inspirasi Magazine - covering reportage of Australia Indonesia cultural events taking place throughout Australia and Indonesia. Some notable contributions were : many articles by Cynthia Webb such as Heri Dono at the Triennial, Art is a Mirror – Nurkolis, Sapto Raharjo and the Jogja Gamelan Festival etc., Interview with Nicola Frost, Reports on music residencies by Efiq Zulfiqar and Wahyu Roche, Shakuntala by Kerensa, reports on cultural activities in Darwin, Sidoardjo, Brisbane, Sydney, Children’s Radio in Jakarta, Jenggala Art Week, Buah Batu Festival, Geoff Todd Exhibition, poetry from Indonesia, Wayang in Tasmania, Bundhovi and Pranoto in Bali, New film festivals and performance club in Jogja, Polosseni in Borobodur, Adi Jumaadi in Sydney, performing artists in Bandung, Gun Gun and Umbul Umbul Festival in Bali, Kuta Karnival, The South Project in Melbourne, Reading the Kebaya – Victoria Cattoni, book and CD reviews, opportunities for artists – as well as AIAA activities.
Wahyu Roche Musician in Residence
Master musician Wahyu Roche returned to Australia on a musician's residency with Swara Naga Gamelan, Armidale, NSW undertaking some fantastic recording and composing with David Goldsworthy and the Swara Naga crew. During June the AIAA WFD team supported and promoted Wahyu’s visit to the North Coast, spending time with Gamelan Langen Sari and the Byron Community, after which he travelled to Melbourne for a residency at Monah University.
Salendro Gamelan
The WFD Team also supported the AIAA NSW Nth Coast Branch by fundraising to assist with costs of the Salendro Gamelan - organizing a Charity of the Day Collection at Byron Markets and also assisting with fundraising garage sales. When the gamelan arrived in Australia the WFD Team installed it at St Finbarr’s Primary School and coordinated the commencement of childrens’ gamelan classes. The AIAA Branch was able to purchase the gamelan with the financial support of the Community Relations Commission NSW Government, Garuda Airlines, Artist Andrew Jack and a lot of fundraising activities and concerts.
Schools Promotion
The Work for the Dole Team 2003 put together a promotion to let schools know about AIAA activities such as Byron Loves Bali Mask Dance performance, visiting musician Wahyu Roche and Balinese dancer Kerensa Dewantoro. As a result of this promotion, three dance drama performances and two Balinese dance workshops were held involving Southern Cross School, Ballina, Emmanuel Anglican College, Ballina, Lennox Heads PS and Crabbes Creek PS. Bookings for Wahyu to provide Indonesian music workshops at Brunswick Heads and Evans River were also received.
Suara Indonesia Radio Show
The WFD Team participated in the Radio Show by preparing material such as recorded interviews and performances, preparing materials and also training to become presenters on the show – 3 WFD participants became fully trained presenters on the show – Paul Francis, Kellie Norman and Dharma Bradridge, presenting many hours on interesting live interviews, CD reviews, news and community events for the community of the North Coast.
The Balinese Extravaganza
One of the major projects undertaken by the WFD Team 2004 was the The Balinese Extravaganza held at Byron High School on 6 June 2004 which was a new dance drama performance devised by members of the Team and incorporating traditional Balinese dance performed by the Balinese community of the Gold Coast, Grafton dancers and visiting dancer Bpk Adi Witono Waluyo from Denpasar. The show also included Balinese martial arts, singing by Made Coblyn, a temple scene and offerings, bamboo flute performances by Magenta Grace as well as a slide show of Balinese culture by Katrina Folkwell. The performance was attended by about 600 children from 10 local schools including St. Xaviers Catholic College, Main Arm School, Byron High, Emmanuel College, Wilsons Creek, The Channon, P.S. Fernleigh P.S. and Bangalow P.S
Bali Childrens’ Art Competition
The WFD Team also created the Bali Childrens’ Art Competition which was a collection of beautiful artwork drawn by school children from the North Coast region expressing their impressions of Bali. The work was displayed at venues around Byron Shire for two weeks and was then sent to Senwati Gallery Bali and local Ubud schools for display. The prizes included movie passes donated by Byron Cinema, ice cream cakes from In The Pink, ice creams from Baskins and Robbins and prizes from the ANZ Bank. Children from Seniwati Gallery, Bali have now created works about Australia which will be published in Inspirasi Magazine and displayed in Australia.
The Umbul Umbul Festival in Bali
During 2004 The Arti Foundation from Denpasar, Bali requested the support of AIAA in order to create Australian participation in the Umbul Umbul Festival which was held in Denpasar during August. The festival was a celebration of art, honouring the diversity of life on the island, on the Indonesian Archipelago and on Planet Earth. Organised by the Rainbow Project from Switzerland, the festival was a beautiful and spectacular event and a forum for artists and people from different cultures around the world to consciously create new networks and fresh inspiration for planetary peace.
Two WFD participants Radha Koch and Ishta Wilson volunteered to coordinate this project sending email messages to Dept of Education Indonesian consultants in each state of Australia. AIAA then received and forwarded on the Umbul Umbul flags which were painted by schools and artists throughout Australia, Radha and the WFD Team also painted an Umbul Umbul on behalf of AIAA which was also sent to the Festival.
Schools that participated by sending Umbul Umbul to Bali to take part in the festival were: Katherina Popp: Isolated and Distance Ed. Perth WA, Fernleigh Public School NSW, Gawler High School SA, Kerry Street Community School WA, Pinjarra Senior High School WA, Richard Charlwood WA, Kerry Street Community School WA, John Septimus Roe Community School WA, Governor Stirling Senior High School WA.
The creation of the Umbul-Umbul was a way of expressing concerns about the future of life on Earth as well as the creation and exhibition of umbul-umbuls and music concerts from different cultures all around the world. The festival also featured performances and discussions focusing on humanity, art, nature and spirituality.
AIAA National Coordinator visit to Indonesia
AIAA National Coordinator Judy Shelley visited Indonesia from May - October 2003. Judy arrived in Bali, spending time supporting Australian filmmaker Richard Hosking with his film about the Bali Bombing - arranging contacts with local artists and community members who were then interviewed and included in the film. Judy also attended the solo exhibition of the artist M Bundhovi; "Healing the Soul" at Ganesha Gallery, Four Seasons Resort, Jimbaran. She also visited AIAA members and friends in Ubud, Denpasar and Legian.
Judy then flew to Bandung to complete arrangements for the transportation of the Salendro Gamelan purchased by AIAA NSW Nth Coast Branch to Australia. With the help of Oseng, Acep and Gun Gun Permana this task was successfully completed. While in Bandung Judy also encouraged local AIAA members to get together to launch their own Branch of AIAA. This resulted in a wonderful program of Australia-Indonesia collaborative performances and events.
While in Indonesia Judy also recorded a number of interviews and concerts which were either played on Suara Indonesia Radio Show or published in Inspirasi Magazine – such as Budhovi, Gepeng – SE Dewantoro, Laurie from Pondok Pekak Library Ubud, Philip Booth, Gun Gun Permana, Agi, Oseng, Agus Inzuk among others. She also had meetings with Wawan Juanda from the Republic of Entertainment, attended many cultural events such as Gomad Festival, exhibition openings, many rehearsals and performances by groups such as Longser Panca Kaki, Sambasunda, Ozenk Percussion, Zithermania, Neneng Dinar, etc.
Judy also visited Jakarta a number of times meeting with Australian Cultural Counsellor Beverly Mercer at the Australian Embassy, attending the opening of Victoria Cattoni’s exhibition at Hutan Kayu, visiting Fatin Hamamah and Herman Kamra as well as hosting a meeting of AIAA Jakarta members at the home of Kerensa Dewantoro.
Judy’s stay in Indonesia was sponsored by Sambasunda, Bandung.
AIAA Bandung
On 21 September 2003 a major event entitled Malam Persahabatan launched AIAA Bandung at STSI Bandung heralding the beginning of a new initiative where members of AIAA Bandung and Australia worked together to create events reflecting the connection between Australian and Indonesian artists.
The launch was an eclectic night showcasing some of the brightest talents from STSI students and alumni featuring traditional performances such as the exceptional talent of Noer'anani the granddaughter of the late dance master Ibu Sawitri, dancing Topeng Klano from Cirebon, and contemporary performance such as the music group Seratus Percent (100 percent) playing a fusion of Balinese gamelan and Sundanese hip hop, Sambasunda, and Garasi Raxin with a dance piece symbolizing the new marriage between Australia and Indonesia. Kerensa Dewantoro from Australia performed her two pieces, A Clockwork Medea - featuring the music of Margaret Bradley, a composer who has spent many years in Bandung and Shakuntala in collaboration with local musician and performer, Efen.
There was poetry collaboration between Dr Ian Jarvis Brown (theatre director and writer from Australia) and Professor Drs Saini KM, the founder of STSI Bandung. Other performances included Ozenk Percussion, Neima, the Paps and Idea Percussion among others. The event was attended by 300 members of the wider public interested in supporting the work of AIAA. The event was opened by Anis Sujana SST Mhum, chairman of STSI Bandung.
On 18 October 2003 AIAA and STSI also hosted a seminar on cultural exchange and understanding with guest speakers Beverly Mercer, the Cultural Attaché for the Australia Embassy along with Prof. Drs Saini KM the founder of STSI Bandung. The seminar was an information session on the Australia Indonesia Institute, Department for Foreign Affairs, the work that they do and how to apply for funding for projects that strengthen cultural relationships between Australia and Indonesia.
The seminar was followed by two collaborative performances: SKIN a piece exploring misunderstanding and similarities as well as a performance of Kerensa Dewantoro’s The Red Room. Members of the general public were welcome to participate in the devising process and help with the organization of the event with meetings and rehearsals happening every Sunday at the STSI campus.
The Malam Persahabatan, the Seminar and collaborative performances which followed were sponsored by STSI (Sekoloh Tinggi Seni Indonesia University of the Arts), the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, the Australia Indonesia Institute, Canberra and Ibu Pia Alishjahbana from Femina Magazine.
Wawan Jaunda and Anything But Roy Tour
In January, AIAA members Judy Shelley and Kellie Norman created a project which supported the visit to Australia of Wawan Juanda from the Republic of Entertainment, Bandung and also assisted with the East Coast tour of Indonesian Fusion group Anything But Roy.
Festival organiser and music promoter Wawan Juanda visited Australia with the intention of creating cooperation and exchange with Festivals in Australia. For that reason, AIAA arranged for Wawan to visit a number of festivals and music organizations in Australia such as Woodford Folk Festival, Indonesia Dance Group Gold Coast, Australia Indonesia Institute, Indonesian Embassy, Melbourne Jazz Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival among others.
As Anything But Roy were also attending Woodford Folk Festival they invited Wawan to travel with them on their tour. AIAA was able to arrange concerts for ABR in Coffs Harbour, Urunga, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Many thanks and appreciation to all the AIAA volunteers, coordinators, committee members and Work For the Dole participants for their wonderful dedication and for making the year an enormous success in every area of AIAA activities.
AIAA - Work for the Dole Project Profit & Loss Statement
July 2003 - June 2004
INCOME
Surplus funds as at 1 July 03 $2608.95
Grant $20279.32
Fundraising $2628.74
Total Income $25517.01
EXPENSES
Stationery $422.25
Subcontract $10875.5
Rent $4036
Computer Eqpt $3496.8
Computer repairs etc. $1003.5
Phone / Internet $1610.08
Sundries $3104.88
Total Expenses $24549.01
PROFIT $968
General Account
July 2003 - June 2004
INCOME
Fundraising $2471.45
Member fees / donations $81
Sales / bank interest $477.87
Total Income $3030.32
EXPENSES
Postage $49.25
Internet $47.9
Phone / fax $257.89
Stationery / sundries $1464.6
Advertising $84.3
Artist expenses $276
Rent / Venue fees $626
Total Expenses $2805.94
PROFIT $224.38