Eastern Indonesia - Northern Territory Partnership

The first stage of Asialink Arts' pilot Eastern Indonesia - Northern Territory Partnership took place in early 2007, with promising results. Building on the successes of the Northern Territory's Indigenous arts sector, the program brings together arts practitioners currently working with and in remote communities to develop strategies to encourage the transmission of traditional culture to future generations. The program encompasses a variety of culturally significant art forms that inform and complement the broader cultural systems of the two regions.

Through this program we aim to foster the creation of regional, national and international networks and markets that will provide long-term support for the communities involved and promote confidence and pride in their artistic traditions.

The project has been developed in partnership with the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), Charles Darwin University, Nomad Art, Yilila, Red Flag Dancers and Yayasan Kelola in Jakarta and is supported by Arts Northern Territory and the Ford Foundation, Jakarta.

Three projects form the core of this partnership:

Arts Management Internship Program
Visual Arts Project
Performing Arts Project

Please read Engaging Cultures Across the Timor Sea [pdf, 308kb,1 page], a recently published article in the International Institute for Asian Studies (IIAS) Journal for background information on the project.

Performing Arts Project

The second project saw Tony Gray (producer and musician, East Arnhem Land) and Grant Nundhirribala (musician and performer, East Arnhem Land) of Yilila and the Red Flag Dancers fame, working with a group of musicians/weavers in Watublapi, Flores on a collaborative recording and documentary project. Sanggar Bliran Sina, along with Gray and Nundhirribala will present the results of their collaboration at both the Garma and Darwin Festivals and will release a CD in late 2008.

Grant Nundhirribala of Yilila and Red Flag Dancers, and Tony Gray, producer/manager recording Sanggar Bliran Sina in Watublapi, Flores.
Photo: Tony Gray

Sanggar Bliran Sina in the studio, Watublapi, Flores
Photo: Tony Gray

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For further information regarding this program, please contact:

Ms Sarah Robins
Arts Program
Asialink
Level 4, Sidney Myer Asia Centre
The University of Melbourne
Victoria, 3010

Telephone: (03) 8344 3581
Email: s.robins@asialink.unimelb.edu.au

Asialink, The University of Melbourne

Eastern Indonesia - Northern Territory Partnership