In 2012 the country towns and coastal villages of the Alexandrina region will light up with a blaze of cultural explosions, artistic endeavours and spontaneous acts of creativity.

Two big programs the Regional Arts Australia National Conference and Just Add Water, a year long celebration of arts and culture, will bring you shows, exhibitions and concerts to make you chuckle, sigh and think.

There will be many opportunities to let your own creativity shine so be informed and be involved, but don’t be sorry you missed out!

At first Just Add Water sounds a bit like fast food, so let’s be clear. Just Add Water is about adding a little bit of yourself; getting involved in art and nourishing our creative selves.

Just Add Water is the name for the year-long Regional Centre of Culture program in the picturesque coastal town of Goolwa.

It will infuse the best arts and cultural experiences our state has to offer with local ingenuity and participation, building a creative momentum over the year and laying the foundations for future prosperity.

Imagine what could happen if everyone just added a little something? That’s what Just Add Water is all about.

Highlight

I, Bunyip Saturday 11 August

Presented by Erth Visual and Physical Inc.

Creatures of mystery reveal the magic of the land

Do you know what a Bunyip is? What about a Yawk Yawk or the other fascinating creatures that live in Australia?

Would you like to meet them?

Developed in consultation with five different Aboriginal communities,I,Bunyip portrays the mystical world of creatures from our indigenous folklore.

Don’t miss the rare chance to meet I, Bunyip’s spirit creatures and embrace the stories that have been told since time began.

Goolwa

Land and waters of the Ngarrindjeri nations

"Goolwa" means "elbow" in Ngarrindjeri

Population 7,500

Located at the mouth of the Murray River, one hour’s drive from Adelaide

A map showing Goolwa's position, in south-west South Australia

ALEXANDRINA

Land and waters of the Ngarrindjeri nation

1,800 square kilometres, four times the size of the Adelaide CBD

Population 24,000

Major townships: Goolwa, Langhorne Creek, Milang, Port Elliot, Strathalbyn and the Aboriginal township of Raukkun

Industries: viticulture, dairy farming, fruit growing, boat building and tourism

A map showing Alexandrina's position, in south-west South Australia

Recommended Reading

Over the course of the next 12 months we will be posting up links to readings and blogs we find interesting and that are helping our understandings around the conference framework.

Please feel free to explore, read and use for debate.

A Cultural Leadership Reader

Edited by Sue Kay and Katie Venner, with Susanne Burns and Mary Schwarz
www.culturalleadership.org.uk

reallybigroadtrip

A project by Fee Plumley, aiming to dispel the myth that digital culture is a niche practice.
www.reallybigroadtrip.com

Resilient Places. Character and Community in Everyday Heritage

by Samuel Jones and Melissa Mean.
www.demos.co.uk

Democratic Culture. Opening up the arts to everyone

by John Holden
www.demos.co.uk

Concepts of Resilience at the Torrens Resilience Institute website

www.torrensresilience.org

Making Adaptive Resilience Real

by Mark Robinson
www.artscouncil.org.uk

Arts, Culture and Resilience

edited by Lisa Philip-Harbutt
www.cansa.net.au