Resources-arts partnerships scoop AbaF awards

A PARTNERSHIP between Woodside and national arts organisation Big hART, which delivered an arts program to youth in Roebourne, was among the winners at this year’s Australia Business Arts Foundation’s WA chapter awards.

The Woodside/Big hART partnership was awarded the Toyota Community Award this week for its Yijala Yala project, which gave Roebourne-based youth a chance to express their cultural heritage by developing films, music and other art works, leading to skills building and engagement of young people in the Pilbara town.

Yijala Yala is a long-term project that aims to help diversify the economy of the Pilbara through tourism and community development. 

It aims to encourage cross-cultural understanding among employees in the resources and government sectors and ultimately to develop innovative theatrical work, which would tour nationally and internationally. 

Other resources-based company partnerships, which were winners in the AbaF awards, included Chevron Australia’s partnership with the WA Symphony Orchestra that won the partnering award for its music education program.

The WASO On The Road Pilbara Tour takes its  musicians to Karratha, Dampier and Onslow to perform and engage with school children through interactive workshops.

A partnership between Fremantle-based Kulcha Multicultural Arts of WA and CITIC Pacific Mining was recognised with the regional award for its development of the Pilbara Samba Band. Samba workshops were held in Karratha and run by Perth-based Beleza Samba School, which left behind 30 samba drums for the Pilbara Multicultural Association to start a samba band.

Perth International Arts Festival won the giving award for its Annual Giving Program, which had supporters of the festival commit money to the program each year.

Property group Mirvac co-founder Adrian Fini’s long-standing involvement with the Art Gallery of WA was honoured with the Woodside Better Business Award.

Mr Fini has been involved with the art gallery for 13 years, providing advice and financial support to the organisation.  He is heavily involved in the arts, as a director on the gallery’s board and as a committee member for the AbaF WA chapter.

The WA Opera’s partnership with Wesfarmers, established 15 years ago, was awarded the Australia Council young and emerging artist award for fostering the talents of its young artists.

The City of Melbourne SME award went to contemporary dance partnership The Helix Project and HARTAC Sales and Distribution.