ACTIVATE! DARWIN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRIP
darwin
August 2024
In August 2024, eight South Australian First Nation artists participated in the Ku Arts Activate Program. The group travelled to Larrakia Country to attend the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, The National Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, satellite exhibitions and events, including Country to Couture and Salon De Refuses.
The Activate program is a key part of the Ku Arts calendar, supporting independent South Australian artists. It has gained popularity and recognition, with positive feedback from artists and arts organisations locally and in other states and territories since its inception in 2018. The Activate Program is for artists who have demonstrated a commitment to their creative and cultural practice and are seeking further industry engagement and advice on the professionalisation of their work. Eight artists from across South Australia were successful and supported by 2 Ku Arts staff members, one Ku Arts director and one artist support worker. The 2024 Activate artists are Donna Coulthard, supported by Dwayne Coulthard, Melanie Koolmatrie, Raquel Larkins, Belinda Wilson, Nathan Katthagen, Elizabeth Blomberg, Rebecca Gough and Sonya Rankine.
Participants who attended the 2024 Activate Program provided overwhelmingly positive feedback about their experience and the opportunities this program provided them. Significant highlights included the meeting with Rebecca Raymond, Curator at MAGNT, who gave artists a tour of this year’s Telstra NATSIAA exhibition and answered questions artists had, creating access and confidence in artists to access awards and exhibitions like the NATSIAA or Salon de Refuses. Another highlight was the opportunity to connect with arts organisations present at DAAF, which provided an entry point for many artists who were unaware of the industry support they could seek, and a presentation by Milingimbi Art and Culture Art Centre manager Mandi King and arts workers on how they prepare for a large art fair and answered many questions that the group had.
“This was such an amazing experience for me personally, it took me out of my comfort zone, I met so many talented and inspiring artists, I got to see first-hand how much work goes on behind the scenes at the Art fair, also very grateful to have had access to the information booths, it left me feeling inspired, empowered and with a renewed sense of motivation”.
Ku Arts supported two 2024 NATSIAA Finalists to travel and attend the exhibition and awards: Donna Coulthard and Mardawi Lakun (Sister Weavers), Aunty Ellen Trevorrow, Temeika Campbell, Bessie Rigney, Elizabeth Rankine and Margaret Sumner.
To view previous programs: