2016: Titjikala Project

Subject: Final Appeal for Unwanted Musical Instruments for Remote Indigenous Community !!From: Nick Shimmin <nshimmin@dodo.com.au>Reply-To: Nick Shimmin <nshimmin@dodo.com.au>To: <frankmckone2@optusnet.com.au>Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2016

An urgent plea from the People's Republic, if you have any unwanted (even damaged) musical instruments, especially saxophones, keyboards or anything else, please reply to this email letting me know where to collect them.  We especially encourage anyone connected with schools, who often have surplus or old instruments taking up space. These will get a new lease of life with an important new long term project to support the community of Titjikala, about 100 km from Alice Springs.  Patricia and Sid, below, are two leading community figures who will help implement the project. For more information about the Titjikala Project, see below the photos. Gabriella Smart, one of Australia's most acclaimed concert pianists and festival organisers, has initiated the Titjikala Project, and she writes " The Titjikala Community project will address crucial concerns and key future aspirations of this remote Aboriginal community by implementing the principles of arts for health, with a special focus on music: Participatory learning, cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary music making and subsequent touring. The Project’s vision is to develop a culture of self-determination and dignity through artistic engagement and enrichment with the Titjikala community. It is a leading Central Australian community seeking to overcome social and cultural difficulties such as chronic ill health, poor education outcomes, and high unemployment. The Community endorses this Project, seeing in it opportunities for its young people to gain experience and confidence, and for the wider community to participate in cultural exchange. Titjikala Community has recently been awarded 4 star tourism status by the NT government, a vital first building block in creating community sustainability through the benefits of tourism: Vocational training, employment, and support of local business (bush tours, the Art Centre and local store) I envisage empowerment of the Titjikala Community, spanning a generation or more, through engagement with the arts that reflects the spiritual beliefs and aspirations of the community. This transformation is not limited to the education, creation, performance and touring of music. It will develop the infrastructure of the community to create employment opportunities through tourism and audience development. It will allow members of the community to engage with the outside world on their own terms, with the confidence that comes of education and practical advocacy; to have cultural engagement with others that places their own culture at the centre; and to put Titjikala on the map. The outside world will know the community through their rich culture, creativity, success and strength. Copyright © 2016 People's Republic of Australasia, All rights reserved. Thanks for supporting new music in Australia Our mailing address is: People's Republic of Australasia A Home Address Camperdown, Nsw 2050 Australia Posted by Frank McKone