Street Dance Stories from St Marys rocks St Marys Corner

This project also known as Street Krumping and Dancing was led by artist Abaker Athum and was auspiced by The NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS). Workshops in Hip Hop and Krump kicked off in January and ran through to June with approximately 30 young people from African backgrounds attending. An end of project showcase event was held at St Marys Corner with a total of more than 300 people directly involved in the workshops and/ or attending the final event.

STARTTS identified the benefits included:

• A stronger sense of community through bringing together young people and families to undertake a cultural project
• Creating an accessible arts based program for African residents in the Penrith LGA
• Activation of St Marys with dance
• Providing parents with an opportunity to take some time for them selves
• Health benefits associated with the physical activity
• Increased social networks
• Increased self esteem and self confidence in participants.

Wow that is awesome!

Celebrating Magnetic Places 2012- 2013

To celebrate all of the projects in Magnetic Places in 2012 -13 we are going to post a snap shot of each project over the next few weeks. First cab off the rank, the awesome Park Kings project by Information & Cultural Exchange and the young people in Kingswood Park.

Photo (above): Park Kings by Information & Cultural Exchange (ICE) at Kingswood Park

These creative digital and photographic works spanning stories and the hopes and dreams of young people living in Kingswood Park by the young people, we're showcased in a celebration event at North Penrith Neighbourhood Centre. This included live projections, photo's strung up on washing lines and digital works screening in cupboards and doorways transformed into installations ! What an awesome turn out from the young people who participated, their families and the local community too! Not to mention the stunning work by the participants and the artists who worked together in this process.

Below is a great photo by Debbie Haines of Kingswood Park, a participant of Park Kings.

Grant Writing Tip 5

Write a believable budget

With roughly 4 more hours to go until the deadline at 4pm today for applications for the Magnetic Places 2013-14 funding round – we are sharing our final tip – writing a good budget!

The first tip is to make sure the total at the bottom of your expenditure column adds to exactly the same total at the bottom of your income column. 

If your budget does not balance carefully go back over your budget, and check that for every dollar amount in your income column, that you have listed an expense on your project that you are spending it on.

Secondly, if your project needs to purchase any big items such as cameras to carry out the project, it is a good idea to submit 2 competitive quotes on these items as attachments to your submission.

There are more valuable budget tips including the types of expenses to factor in your budget in this article by Susan Myers (2003) available  here

If you would like to talk more about your application before you submit it, call Cali directly on 02 4732 8098.

We wish you the very best with your applications !!!

May the creative force be with you!

Grant Writing Tip 4

With 1 more sleep to go until Magnetic Places applications are due tommorow at 4pm we are going to step it up with an extra Grant Writing Tip today !

GRANT WRITING TIP 4 - focusing on Community Cultural Development (CCD)

If you are submitting a Stream 2 or Stream 3 application one of the essential criteria is that your submission describes the

"involvement of community members as active participants" .

Community Cultural Development practice, commonly referred to as CCD is an approach where there is an exchange of knowledge and skills between artists, communities and residents on creative projects. Often the artist is a facilitator in this process.

To read more about CCD check out this great fact sheet by www.ccd.net here

Grant Writing Tip 3

The countdown is now on, with less than 24 hours until the deadline for Magnetic Places applications for the 2013-14 funding round.

Our grant writing tip today continues to focus on PLACEMAKING because it is so important that all applications meet this essential criteria.

So, what does placemaking mean to you?

We wanted to share one of favorite definitions by Project for Public Spaces (PPS)

“Placemaking is the art of creating public ‘places of the soul,’ that uplift and help us connect to each other.”

another really valuable perspective on placemaking is offered by Staff from PPS at www.resilience.org

"Placemaking is a process, accessible to anyone, that allows peoples’ creativity to emerge."

Keep writing up your awesome submissions!

Grant Writing Tip 2!

PLACEMAKING

One of the key essential criteria in Magnetic Places is that all funding streams need applicants to meet is placemaking.

The Magnetic Places Funding Guidelines highlight " The project must have a focus on place or placemaking".

So our tip of the day is go back over your submission and check, are you clearly explaining how your project is 'activating' or adding 'vibrancy' to community gathering spaces, public spaces or local parks in the Neighbourhood Renewal Areas?

If you want to know more about placemaking there is some great material available online including this gem

Eleven Principles for Creating Great Community Places (Project for Public Spaces)

Happy placemaking!

Grant writing tips!

We had a great turn out with over 25 people attending our highly successful all day workshop with Dr  Paula Abood on the topic On the Money - Grant Writing Intensive held last Monday the 2nd of September at Penrith Library Theatrette! Check out the e-card here

With only 5 more days to go (including today) until the Magnetic Places applications deadline at 4pm this Friday the 13th of September - we are going to post a grant writing tip each day to help you put in an awesome application!

Today's grant writing tip is get good support letters!

Tip - while Stream 1 applicants do not need to submit support letters, if you are applying for Stream 2 or 3 make sure that you attach to your application good quality support letters from your community and cultural partners for your proposed project.

The City of Melton in Victoria offer a great resource online, a Grant Tip Sheet on Letters of Support outlining what it is, why it is important and what it should include. Here is the link to this great resource

Happy grant writing and see you with more tips tommorow!