Game Changing Federal RISE Funding for NT Dance Company
In a major boost to the recovery and sustainability of the arts sector, the Morrison Government has announced that $60 million in grants will begin to flow immediately under the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund.
The RISE Fund provides targeted funding assistance for sector organisations seeking to restart, re-imagine and create new activities.
Northern Territory Dance Company (NTDC) welcomed the news of its successful RISE funding, with the grant earmarked for the development of two new Australian works for presentation in 2021 and 2022, with Artists from both NAISDA Dance College(NAISDA) and NTDC providing employment and professional development pathways for dancers in the Northern Territory.
General Manager Erica McCallum says:
‘This vital strategic investment is a gamechanger for NTDC and will strengthen our strategic relationships with NAISDA in NSW and West Australian Ballet (WAB) in Perth, with long term opportunities for employment and development of dancers within the Northern Territory. The funding will also serve as a capacity-building tool for the future of our company as we strive toward our vision of becoming the Nation’s second Professional Indigenous Dance Company.’
‘The Indigenous owned NTDC’s vision is to become the principal dance company of the Northern Territory and Australia’s second professional Indigenous dance company. The Company reflects the multicultural essence of Darwin and gives NT based aspiring dancers the opportunity to develop their talent and be part of the highest quality dance productions and performances delivered in the NT and beyond.’
For Artistic Director Gary Lang ‘this project sees the beginning of his Darwin-born, Darwin-based dance company, begin itsjourney towards being recognised as a professional company, able to attract and keep, trained dancers in the NT.
NAISDA CEO Kim Walker says: ‘NAISDA is incredibly proud to be part of this unique relationship and contribute to the ongoing development of NT Dance. This wonderful opportunity will also give or Practicing Artist in the new NAISDA Advanced Diploma such a wonderful experience in development of work in a company situation as well as experience cultural and creative opportunities in Darwin.’
Project details
The Project is called Dancing Across Country and is a unique collaborative project, NT Dance Company (NTDC), NAISDA and WAB come together in an innovative cross border dance and employment development project with NTDC taking the lead.
Whilst COVID-19 has impacted a range of projects for each company, restrictions have enabled the partners to utilise ‘down time’ to further develop concepts, to readiness, such as this successful RISE application between high calibre organisations who share the same passion for delivering First Nations stories in powerful, contemporary ways.
Extraordinarily our success securing RISE funding as a consortium with NAISDA and WAB, has addressed NTDC’s biggest impediment; an inability to remunerate and entice professionally trained dancers to remain in Northern Territory.
Leveraging this funding will enable a radical, fundamental change to provide First Nations artists with a live-in wage, sufficient to negate the need for employment elsewhere and enable NTDC to initiate our ‘Core Four’ strategic plan, leading the company on its continued growth trajectory to fully realise our vision of becoming the Nations second only Indigenous Dance Company.
This 2-year project offers a unique opportunity for Gary to participate in a 3-week residency at NAISDA, and NAISDA trained dancers travel to NT for 12 weeks, each year to gain further experience, both in dance and culture, culminating in a new work‘Forbidden’ being performed at the Darwin Entertainment Centre, where NTDC are company in residence, in August 2021 and a second production in 2022.
Due to their existing mentoring and support arrangements with NTDC, West Australian Ballet’s Principal Rehearsal Director will travel to Darwin for the final stages of rehearsals to provide further choreographic support to Gary Lang and the team of dancers. The Practicing Artists while in Darwin will have support through NAISDA as well as a cultural mentor in Darwin.
NTDC has so far secured funding from Arts NT and the Australia Council for Arts for the creative development and production of ‘Forbidden’ and Darwin Entertainment Centre (DEC) has committed as an in-kind partner to provide a performance fee, underwrite the box office and provide production, programming and rehearsal space.
Media contact:
Erica McCallum
0426 706 002
garylangntdance@gmail.com