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2002: Year of the Outback festivals
The Year of the Outback will showcase many events and activities and, in doing so, demonstrate that the Outback not only reflects our ageless past but is also an important influence on the nation's future.
We have only to look to Australia's legacy of poetry, songs and Indigenous culture dating back 60 000 years to realise that the outback is a vital part of the Australian identity.
Celebrations for the Year of the Outback will encompass more than 500 events and activities across the country, a number of which are staged through Federal, State and Territory funding as well as the support of local councils, communities and individuals.
As always, the arts will play a large role in celebrating the year and the Commonwealth cultural funding programs, Festivals Australia and Playing Australia, will fund a number of cultural activities to be presented across Australia's Outback.
Festivals Australia provides grants to introduce a new arts or cultural project to regional and community festivals, and Playing Australia provides grants to tour the performing arts across the nation.
Events already held under Festivals Australia for the Year of the Outback included the inaugural Shear Outback Induction Festival held in Hay, New South Wales. Part of the program included a choreographed performance of synchronised shearing which marked the opening of the Australian Shearers' Hall of Fame.
In Mukinbudin, Western Australia, a belly dance troupe performed with local children after conducting workshops. The festival, held in February 2002, took place at De-Ranning Rock, 35 km from town.
Still to come this year, is the Nymagee Outback Music Festival in October 2002, which will host two major outdoor concerts, with The Bushwhackers and The Rovers and Drovers Outback Show; and the South East Queensland's Crows Nest Shire, A Taste of the Outback, a one-day bush poetry writing and performing workshop, bush verse presentation and poets breakfast.
Playing Australia will also assist a wide range of performing arts companies to take their productions to many regional areas of Australia.
Bell Shakespeare Company undertakes an extensive tour of The Taming of the Shrew, which commenced in June 2002 with performances in Alice Springs, Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, Mandurah, Echuca and Taree.
Sirocco's Across the Top tour commenced in May and visiting Karratha, Port Hedland, Broome and Kununurra.
Co*Opera will take a tour of Cosi fan tutte to 13 venues in a range of communities including Moree, Lightning Ridge, Bourke, Coonamble, Walgett and Cobar.
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow conducted two tours across all states including venues in Hamilton, Ararat, Horsham, Kyneton, Kalgoorlie, Esperance, Alice Springs, Port Lincoln, Geraldton, Roxby Downs, Carnarvon and many more.