July 2005 – ongoing

$51,476 + GST

The Regional Indigenous Cultural Strategy was commissioned in 2005 to look at Indigenous programs in the region and how further development and support could be coordinated regionally in a strategic manner

In July 2005 Outback Arts commissioned Participatory Corporate Development Pty Ltd (trading as Jalay) to develop a Regional Indigenous Cultural Strategy (RICS).  The strategy was designed to identify priorities in the region and to develop an approach around which the need for a Regional Indigenous Cultural Development Officer (or similar) would be demonstrated and reinforced. The Jaylay group included consultants Richard Kelloway (Team Leader), Joe Craigie, Alison Page, Toby McGilvray, Andrew Parker, Bea Ballangarry, and Margaret Bruggisser.

The Strategy was formally launched at the 2005 Annual General Meeting in Warren in March 2006.

In summary the RICS was designed to:

- Provide the governing principles upon which the Outback Arts will act upon Indigenous Arts and Cultural issues.

- Provide a more focused direction for Outback Arts to address Indigenous Arts and Cultural issues at a regional level.

- Assist communities to implement Community Working Party Action Plans - with a view to maintaining, preserving and creating new arts and cultural activity at a local level.

- Build capacity in the region to provide skills to communities so they can implement their own arts activities.

- Give a voice to Aboriginal Arts and Cultural practices at a Local, State and Federal level through identified partners.

- Represent a best practice model for possible modification/duplication across the state.

The total cost of the RICS strategy project was $51,476.

At present due to the allocated funding the Regional Indigenous Cultural Officer position is part time operating one day per week. Our aim is to increase the hours of the Murdi Paaki Regional Indigenous Officer to full time. Outback Arts also sees there is need for more than one Regional Indigenous Officer due to the high Indigenous population throughout the Outback Arts region.

Outback Arts has made positive steps in the last year to make the position fulltime and ongoing. Our solutions in the Outback Arts Indigenous Strategy 'Our Living Arts and Culture' are on a parallel to the Community Working Party Action Plans of July 2006. The Strategy that Outback Arts has  developed has the  strong commitment from the Murdi Paaki Regional Assembly. Murdi Paaki and Outback Arts will work together in partnership to implement the project.

In the last 12 months Outback Arts has:

l      Developed the Regional Indigenous Strategy 'OUR LIVING ARTS AND CULTURE'  at great expense and presented it to  the public in March 2006. Outback Arts need, for developing the document was to find out what the needs of the indigenous community were and how we can go about solving those problems. Outback Arts is extremely proud of the document as it offers guidelines and solutions to problems in the Indigenous communities of the Outback Arts region. The need for more than one full time RICO in the region is certainly there. The Outback Arts Indigenous Cultural Strategy includes unique and, possibly, difficult solutions to the needs of the indigenous Communities. The 'needs' are not going to be solved in one year of the project, it needs to be a ongoing project to achieve the outcomes to improve the indigenous communities in our region.

l      In June 2006 Outback Arts applied for funding through Ministry for the Arts - Annual Operations program. Unfortunately our application was unsuccessful.

l      In June 2006 Outback Arts held meetings with Murdi Paaki Regional Assembly and Murdi Paaki Regional Enterprises in Bourke to finalise roles relating to the Strategy. It was at that meeting Sam Jefferies of Murdi Paaki Regional Assembly, suggested we arrange a meeting in Dubbo with the key stake holders. DCITA, DEST, DET and Arts NSW were invited to the meeting in July 2006. Arts NSW representative Peter White was unable to attend. Margaret Brooks (DCITA), Mark Deweerd (DEST), Louise Bye (DET), James McCormack (ICC) Outback Arts staff member Margie Pye (EO), board members Pauline Serdity (Chair)Joan Treweeke(Vic Chair) and  Pip Brown(Treasurer) were present. At the meeting all stake holders present were positive about the Strategy and suggested the next process for Outback Arts was to go to the COAG Sub Group Culture and Heritage Committee. Outback Arts made a presentation to the Committee in October at Cobar, where they gained the support of other committee members. Outback Arts is at present waiting for the next meeting date to be finalised for them to attend.

l     In July 2006. Arts NSW representative Peter White was unable to attend. Margaret Brooks(DCITA), Mark Deweerd (DEST), Louise Bye (DET), James McCormack (ICC) Outback Arts staff member Margie Pye (EO), board members Pauline Serdity (Chair)Joan Treweeke(Vic Chair) and  Pip Brown(Treasurer) were present. At the meeting  all stake holders present were positive about the Strategy and suggested the next process for Outback Arts was to go to the COAG Sub Group Culture and Heritage Committee. Outback Arts made a presentation to the Committee in October at Cobar, where they gained the support of other committee members. Outback Arts is at present waiting for the next meeting date to be finalised for them to attend.

Outback Arts continues to work on this project that is so important to communities in our region.