Andrew Miller

CAN YOU HELP US ESTABLISH A YOUTH ARTS SPACE IN AINARO (TIMOR LESTE)?

BACKGROUND…..
Ballarat in Australia has had a long ‘community to community’ relationship with the Ainaro District of Timor Leste, sharing many projects in education, health, sport, midwifery, traditional music, community development and a youth theatre group.

Over the past two years Ballarat has been interested in youth art activity in Timor Leste. In 2011 Ballarat noticed the wonderful work being produced by Afalyca, a youth arts group in Baucau.

Prints from a Ballarat run print-making workshop at Afalyca were exhibited at a show ‘Send Me More Lino’ , in Ballarat in 2012. All funds raised have supported Afalyca and their training of four young fellas (Erik, Joao, Adriano and Zelino) from Ainaro in painting, printmaking, sculpture and music.

NOW AINARO WOULD LOVE A YOUTH ARTS SPACE OF THEIR OWN……...
The Ainaro community are now very enthusiastic about setting up their own youth arts space.
Andrew and Karin Miller and Michael Nichols from Ballarat will be present as mentors to Erik, Joao and two Afalyca representatives when they lead the first phase of the Ainaro youth arts project in July 2014.

Artwork produced during this first phase will be presented at an exhibition (‘Nine By Five More or Less’) in Ballarat in November 2014. All monies raised will support the artists and the ongoing development of the  Ainaro youth arts space.

GOALS OF THE PROJECT………
1. Mentor the development of a youth arts space in Ainaro, Timor Leste.
2. Share our knowledge in a sustainable environment for youth arts.
3. Encourage the benefits that can accrue from a youth arts space (ie a space for communication, skill development, expression of feelings/emotions/culture, potential for commercial opportunities, arts leadership).

Why an arts space?…………...

The BALLARAT PROJECT PARTICIPANTS visiting Ainaro in July 2014 ARE TOTALLY SELF FUNDED.

The funds raised via Pozible will be used as follows:
1. ART MATERIALS (paint, brushes, printmaking materials, paper, canvas, pencils, crayons, personal diaries for participants etc).
2. FURNITURE (storage cupboards, chairs, tables, easels). We will seek in-country manufacturers wherever possible. 
3.TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATION, TRAINERS PAYMENTS to Ainaro and Afalyca leaders who will support the development of the Ainaro Youth Arts.
4. ANY FUNDS RAISED IN EXCESS OF $3,500 will be directed to musical instruments for the Ainaro Youth Arts space and periodic artist-in-residence programs involving artists and musicians from Arte Moris (Dili) and Afalyca (Baucau). We are keen also to support an Ainaro Youth Arts representative to attend the opening of the exhibition in Ballarat in November.

If we do not achieve $3500 minimum funds it will be very difficult to resource the Ainaro Youth Arts project.
We foresee no other obstacles, having gained the support of the Ainaro community and organised a suitable venue to use as a base for the development of the youth arts group
The project has the support of the Ballarat Ainaro Community Development Organisation Inc and Australia East Timor Association (Ballarat).