Jennifer Pittorino
The Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC) has received two separate grants which will be used for two First Nations projects.
The first grant is for $179,670, delivered from the Department of Education’s Strategic Partnerships Program (SPP).
The grant will be used by FCAC in 2024-25, to deliver its ’Telling Our Stories: Learning First Nations Perspectives’ program.
The second grant is from the West Gate Tunnel Project for $90,000, which will be used for Tarnuk-ut Baany, a program which helps emerging Victorian Aboriginal artists through creative development, mentorship and intergenerational learning.
Executive eirector and co-chief executive Bec Cole said First Nations content is critical to the work of Footscray Community Arts Centre.
“We have a number of communities that we prioritise, and First Nations communities are certainly one of those,” she said.
“We prioritise these communities because they are historically underrepresented in mainstream arts and culture.”
The Telling Our Stories program will benefit 1400 students at several schools which FCAC partners with.
“This is a program we have invested in over a long period of time. This funding is often for kids who might not have access to these things as part of their school,” she said.
“With this particular lot of funding, we will teach creative and cultural experiences with a First Nations learning approach.
“The idea is to introduce kids to a First Nations perspective, where they start to generate a bit of an understanding on how culture relates to that. And then they take that experience into the rest of their schoolwork and their lives.”
The schools which participated in the program this year were St Johns Primary School, Maribyrnong Secondary College, Princes Hill Primary School, Footscray City Primary School, West Footscray Primary School and Hester Hornbrook Academy.
Ms Cole said Tarnuk-ut Baany is a developmental program for Aboriginal First Nations artists.
“It supports people who are emerging in their practice, to develop projects and be exposed to professional development by creating industry opportunities for them.”
These opportunities can include exhibitions, residency programs , performances and more.
“We really wrap a lot of support around the individual artists to follow through on what’s interesting to them.”
