BHPB a Pilbara player

BHP Billiton’s support of  regional arts initiatives has long been recognised as a valuable investment in Western Australia’s regional communities.

Further recognition came at the recent arts sponsorship awards when BHPB’s Pilbara Community Partnership Program won the out-standing commitment to regional arts and culture award.

BHP Billiton Iron Ore vice-president, external affairs, Stedman Ellis, said the sponsorship had been of significant benefit to the Pilbara community.

“The partnership to bring the UWA Perth International Arts Festival to the Pilbara in 2005 allowed our communities to be exposed to a high calibre of arts events through a diverse regional program” he said.

 “BHP Billiton Iron Ore and the festival were thrilled with the positive reaction of the community and are committed to building on the event in 2006.”

BHP is the world’s largest diversified resources company and its investment in the Pilbara region is vast. And while expansion throughout its iron ore interests continue, part of this expansion involves making valuable and necessary contributions to the surrounding communities.

Hence, the Pilbara Community Partnership Program became an arts sponsorship initiative but one to present something unique and focused on sustainability,  according to BHPB Iron Ore community partnership adviser, Annette Hoskisson.

“With the partnership program, we wanted to focus on capacity building for individuals in the community – to be able to leave skills among the region’s people,” Ms Hoskisson told WA Business News.

The event also attracted major art initiatives to the remote communities, seeing the Pilbara host world-class events during a one-month program that began in February.

Events during the 2005 program included the Lotterywest Film Festival, performances by Deborah Conway, a literary event Words & Ideas by author Helen Garner, an original music production ‘Water Drumming’ by Community Percussion, comedy performances by Eddie Perfect, and chamber music from the Australian String Quartet.

The event attracted about 2,495 people to the festival with post-event evaluation committees receiving overwhelming support for the initiative.

And following community support for the festival to continue in 2006, a program for next year has just been announced. Early next year, BHP’s sponsorship will bring theatre performances to the Pilbara for the first time with the production of ‘White Men with Weapons’. Visiting authors will include Kate Grenville and Duncan Ball with contemporary music performed by Ba Cissoko.

These events will join the Lotterywest Film Festival and the Indigenous Film Season.

“We have committed to the project for the long term,” Ms Hoskisson said, describing the event as a true success.