Responding to the criteria
Quality
The strength of our program
Our program is tried and tested - the process works well and has been honed over several years. We have enormous experience of running such programs and constantly seek to improve our practice. The qualifications, range of experience and professional outputs of our Learning Exchange and residency partners and artists speaks volumes. We have been doing this work for years and know how to do it well.
Our location is perfectly situated geographically for a residency program that combines the riches of Tasmania, has great access, and wonderful support for artists.
Our track record of demonstrates our commitment to social justice. We have received acknowledgement of or commitment to working to give voice to underrepresented communities across the world.
We have a wide range of local, national international connections. Artists have come from Tasmania as well as from across the world to undertake residencies, and we have simply great connections in the Australian and international arts scene. We bring Tasmania to the world and the world to Tasmania.
The provocateurs for our Learning Exchanges represent some of the best in their field in the world; for example, Eric Booth, (USA) Arnold Aprill (USA), Dr Mary Ann Hunter (TAS), Julie Forrester (Ireland), Lenine Bourke (QLD) and Jade Lillie (Vic)
Why is the proposed activity important?
Crucially we use the Learning Exchange model (off and online) to connect artists across the State (and Australia) - artists who are often living regionally and are feel isolated.
Our residencies and ArTELIER program puts Tasmania on the map.
We are supporting artists in their time of need. The last year of the ArTELIER program put 85% of grant income into the hands of artists in Tasmania. We support artists residencies, connections and research.
We lead new thinking in online program delivery in Australia. We have been able to pivot our practice to embrace and support the importance of home-based creativity in the time of COVID-19.
We are working to support some of those who are and will be most impacted by the COVID-19 virus: children and young people.
We have identified that artist mothers find it hard to create the space they need to develop their practice. Offering residencies for these artists is particularly important in the era of COVID-19 when finding that creative independence is even harder.
Are our team experienced, and how do we develop the potential for growth?
The core team of Simon Spain and Victoria Ryle bring enormous experience to the program and are acknowledged nationally and internally in their field.
Mentoring and coaching younger and emerging artists is integral to our program. We have hosted artists at key points in their careers looking for support to embark on the next chapter of their creative journey. Our ArTELIER linkage program supports less experienced artist to develop a wide range of administrative skills as well as developing their practice.
We envisage that the ArTELIER linkage projects will emerge as an umbrella collective of its own in future years and, in 2021, will seek professional advice to establish the ArTELIER Artists Collective.
“I hope you recognise the gem you have in your community. ArTELIER is a valuable addition to the arts scene in Tasmania providing a vital force in consolidating and energising the sector of artists working with children and young people in the state.”
Planning
Our financially viability
Operating from our personal home we have very low fixed costs. Much of the infrastructure (office, residency spaces, transport) are owned by the Directors. Our risks are low.
Simon Spain recently completed his Diploma in Business Governance giving him ATO ‘responsible person’ status and is Chair of a National arts organisation. Victoria and Simon are a trusted team who have acquitted many government and philanthropic grants since the mid 90s.
We run very lean structure. Our smallness makes it easy for us to maximise the impact for artists and communities by ensuring the maximum funds go to the right places and less is spent on administration.
We have a great track record of leveraging funding external to Tasmania - bringing money into the State. We are regular recipients of grants from The Australia Council for the Arts.
We use the online accounting system, XERO, with a chart of accounts matching the requirements of funding bodies. Its easy to track and report on our spending at any point. We have specialist arts accountants who oversee our annual tax reporting.
Does our 2021 program have a realistic and achievable timeline?
We have demonstrated how in 2020 we have been able to transition and develop the Learning Exchange program online. We have settled with a realistic and manageable 10 month-per-year program.
Our 2021 residency dates are entirely flexible and can be adapted to suit the latest COVID-19 travel restrictions (Feb- Nov 2021).
We have invested considerably in the web presence of both All That We Are and the ArTELIER program, building resources, marketing capacity and promotional opportunities for our alumni and Tasmanian artists.
Our 2021 program needs little new infrastructure and we are ready to roll. All our assets are in place and we have taken the COVID-19 downtime as an opportunity to undertake administrative housekeeping and house maintenance.
Partnerships-r-us!
All the ArTELIER linkage projects have originated from community partnerships and have their own sets of relationships in place. Our community of artists provide an extensive set of creative partnerships for the co-design of future programming.
In the last three years we have build good relations ships with some of the key sector organisations in Tasmania: Salamanca Arts Centre (stART project), CAT (TEX_T project), BRAG (Publishing), Kickstart Arts, The Long House, Second Echo, B4 Early Years, Goodstart early Yearsfor example
We are building links with local councils in Tasmania: for example Huon Valley (ArTELIER) and Clarence City (Container project).
We have a working relationship with key members of the Tasmanian aboriginal community within the ArTELIER program (for example: Ruth Langford, Sinsa Mansell, Dr Sara Jane Moore) and have hosted national First Nations events (Australia Council Signature Works and ArtsFront).
We are a founding member of the Shifting and Stirring national group supporting the online engagement of children and families across Australia (with founding partners Sydney Opera House, ArtPlay, Art Gallery of WA, Carclew Arts Centre.
Our 2021 international partnerships include Tate Modern (UK), International teaching Artist Collaborative (Global)International and membership of Res Artis, the international peak body of residency programs.
We have strong research partnerships in place with RMIT (Vic), the Australia Council and UTAS.
We consider our funders as partners in the programming we run: At the Australia Council for the Arts, Arts Tasmania, and the Copyright Agency Limited Cultural Fund.
“ATWA is moving Tasmania from a previously nationally under-represented position in CACD to one of leadership. ”
Benefit
Who does our activity benefit?
We take a long view of the evolving arts ecology of Tasmania. Our Learning Exchange model enriches the skills, knowledge and experience of all participating artists, locally, nationally and internationally. We value and support the work of:
emerging artists
‘elder’ artists in our community
First Nations artists
cross artform artists
The ArTELIER program strengthens the capacity of Tasmanian community-engaged artists to the benefit of Tasmania children and families through future generations:
children
families
young people
vulnerable communities
Advocating for the value of children and young people’s creative and community connectedness is embedded in all ATWA activity. We undertake partnerships, Learning exchanges and consultancy with:
Local Government policy makers
Departments of Education
Cultural institutions
Our theory of change:
The ArTELIER Theory of Change demonstrates how we believe that an investment in the skills of artists who work with children, families and young people in Tasmania will have real impact on a truly creative Tasmania.
Residencies and Learning Exchanges offer community-engaged artists professional learning opportunities common in other professions but historically lacking with in the sector. Supporting reflective practice improves self awareness, empathy, confidence and practical skills for the co-design and delivery of creative community engagement programs.
“In my opinion, they work at the leading edge of their fields, and are genuine in their efforts to improve children’s lives through, with and in the arts. ”
How is it for you?
“Coming together to share experiences makes us stronger and positively impacts the breadth of my work. ”
In the ArTELIER program we can evidence positive change in the way artists perceive their practice. However we are aware that some ares of practice are harder to effect through professional development than other - we’re working on those (good documentation, collaborative working…)
Visiting artists have told us that we create a very valuable experience for them to be both connected in a creative space but also with time to retreat and reflect on their practice in a very positive way.
Our artists regularly receive positive feedback from the children, families and young people they work with.
“During these unusual and challenging times myself and my two children have enjoyed continuing to build our connection with artist Sheree Martin ... the weekly online meetings have allowed us to continue to explore and be creative in our own home environment in a way that is much less daunting than going it alone. ”