Merriwa Main Street Letterbox project will be a public art project comprising of individually designed letterboxes made from recycled materials, to be erected in Merriwa’s main street. Upper Hunter Shire Council is seeking expressions of interest from artist/s who have experience consulting with small  communities and businesses and working with recycled materials such as wood & metal. This project will proceed in 2009 and is subject to grant funding.

For details, call Tess Hynes at Upper Hunter Shire Council, Merriwa Offi ce on (02) 6548 2109 or thynes@upperhunter.nsw.gov.au.

David Elliott is seeking a volunteer presenter for a 2 or 3 minute arts review segment mentioned below. He is doing a Diploma in Screen (a filmmaking course) at Hunter St TAFE.  One of his subjects requires him to carry out planning and producing a TV show. They have decided on a half hour variety show format that will be done as a pilot. As part of this David is producing a 2 or 3 minute Newcastle arts review segment.

The director would like a presenter who is known to the Newcastle Arts Community and is aged under 35, or thereabouts. The review would not necessarily just cover visual arts but also performing arts, and even any local film news. The focus would be on what can be currently seen and any openings over the following week.

HUNTER AREA CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

2008 PROJECT MANAGEMENT WORKSHOPS

APPLICATIONS  CLOSE 28TH OCTOBER

This is an acquisitive art award open to emerging Australian based visual artists practicing in any media.

Total prize $10,000 (a $5,000 cash and an investiment portfolio to value of $5000).

For details visit www.artworkers.org

The Newcastle Printmakers are running a number of workshops during the remainder of 2008. If you would like to learn more about printmaking, then book yourself into the following workshops and spend the day creatively with other artists.

Create Artists' Books with Pauline Tickner. To book please contact Pauline on 4943 1738. This workshop will be held on Saturday 18 October from 10am - 4pm.

Linocut with Samantha Powell. A good introduction to printmaking. To book please contact Sam on 4969 3095. This workshop will be held on Saturday 25 October from 10am - 4pm.

APPLICATIONS CLOSE OCTOBER 31ST

This grant is to help young people 12-25 to fund an event eg gigs, youth festivals, CD launches etc. Grants of up to $2500 are available. For details visit www.indent.net.au or call Richard Tamplenizza on 9699 9706.

APPLICATIONS CLOSE SEPTEMBER 30TH

The Lock-up invites artists working across all disciplines to take up residency in Newcastle for three to four weeks starting January 2009. The vision of the program is to give artists the opportunity to explore new forms of expression relevant to the Newcastle Region and the unique qualities of the Lock-up. For further info and application guidelines, visit: http:// www.thelockup.info/html/2009Proposals.html

APPLICATIONS CLOSE SEPTEMBER 26TH

These program provides financial assistance to publicly funded galleries, visual arts organisations, craft and design centres and exhibition spaces in NSW enabling them to bring high quality visual arts and craft exhibitions to their community that they might otherwise not be able to due to costs and/or distance.

Minimum is $2000.

For details Cath Fogarty, 1800 114 311, or visit http://mgnsw.org.au/

ENTRIES CLOSE OCTOBER 31ST

Calling all poets, hip-hop artists and other outspoken wordsmiths to polish their rhymes and lyrics for the State Library”s Australian Poetry Slam 08 competition with $10,000 in prizes on offer.

Newcastle Region Library will host the one of 11 heats planned across NSW, with two finalists from each heat battling it at the state final in Sydney in November. For details call 49 74 5300.