Canberra’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists are to be given the chance to work in Canberra’s New Zealand Sister City, Wellington under an exchange program unveiled by the Minister for the Arts and Community Events, Gordon Ramsay.
Mr. Ramsay said the Canberra Wellington Indigenous Artist Exchange will enable an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander artist from the Canberra region to work with Maori artists in the Wellington region to share, learn about and celebrate their different cultures.
“Working internationally enables artists to immerse themselves in a new arts context and community culture, which can help them create a new and vibrant range of work to share back home,” Mr Ramsay said.
“The ACT Government understands the vital contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and cultures make to the identity and vibrancy of our city.”
He said he was looking forward to working with his counterparts in New Zealand to further explore Maori arts and culture through the Sister City Agreement.
“The pilot program will expand on the ACT Government’s successful exchange between the Canberra Glassworks and Toyama Glass Studio in Japan, which began in 2016,” Mr Ramsay said.
“Local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists across all art forms and at all stages of their careers are encouraged to apply.”
Expressions of interest must be lodged with Arts ACT by 13 June.
