Music in Communities Awards 2011
Entries for the 2011 Music in Communities Awards Now Open!
Theme: Local Links - Community Music Connects the Dots
$10,000 prize pool
The Awards salute, celebrate and reward Australia’s most effective
and well-connected community music organisations.
ENTRIES HAVE NOW CLOSED
Entries are now closed for the 2011 Music in Communities Awards and judging has begun. We have received some truely inspirational entries and we can't wait to tell you all about them. The shortlist will be announced soon.
We set this year’s theme in recognition that the best community music making does not happen in isolation. It depends on effective networking, collaboration and cooperation.
This year we are celebrating and rewarding creative and inspiring connections, partnerships and relationships that music groups have nurtured in and beyond their local community.
The Awards are open to all forms of music groups including choirs, bands, orchestras, ukulele groups and drum circles; as well as community and volunteer organisations delivering and supporting music programs in communities; local Councils; schools and individuals.
- Does your music group collaborate with a local organisation to do things you couldn’t have done on your own?
- Have you formed a partnership with your local council?
- Have you negotiated funding or support through a non-arts related government agency to develop projects with social outcomes?
- Has your group shown some ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking when seeking to form partnerships and build relationships?
- Does your group have a mutually beneficial relationship with a local school?
If you can answer ‘yes’ to any one of those questions we’d love to hear about it! You’ll be in with a chance to take your share of $10,000.
Our judges will be looking to showcase organisations that have developed exemplary relationships in one or both of the following areas:
Innovative partnerships – ‘out-of-the box’ thinking that leads to thriving partnership/s.
Case Study: The Dandenong Ranges Music Council (DRMC) and the Country Fire Authority
In 1997, the Dandenong Ranges were hit by bush fires and again in 2003. To help convey fire preparedness messages, DRMC worked with the Country Fire Authority (CFA) on songwriting workshops involving the firies. From one song, We are not Heroes, word spread and more and more community groups and agencies became interested, involved and then passionate about what was to become “The Fire Cycle”. The final performances saw many songs, acts and a simulated fire scenario performed by 200 community members and government agencies!
Mutual benefit – What’s in the partnership for you? What’s in it for your partner?
Case Study: The Leichhardt Espresso Chorus and the Leichhardt Municipal Council
For six years the choir had presented the very popular and high profile Carols on Norton event but each year was a struggle to renew sponsorship and support. A 'big picture' way of thinking changed things:“We argued that we provide more than a concert at Christmas time every year - we provide financial and social benefits and we have a deep and positive reach into the community which we believed the council should support," says leader, Michelle Leonard. "First we looked at Council’s Cultural and Community Plans to see where we fitted in, then at the NSW State Government's Cultural and Community Plans to see where we fitted into that bigger picture. And then we met with council to talk it through. In the end, they agreed to support us in a longer term partnership.”
General condition of entry
To be eligible, your group or activity must have been around for 3 years or more.
You may enter this year’s awards if you are from:
- any form of music group including choir, band, orchestra, uke group, drum circle, etc
- a community or volunteer organisation delivering and supporting music programs in communities
- a Local Council
- a school-based music program which has strong links into the community
How to Enter
There are two sections to the entry form.
Section 1 is an online form for you to enter your contact information and the name of your group.
Section 2 consists of three parts
- Describe your group or program (200 words)
- Tell us about your partnership and what it has enabled you to achieve (500 words)
- Provide two testimonials in support of your application (300 words).
Due to the length of answers required to complete Section 2 you will need to download and complete a Word Document and attach it to this form. Do not begin to fill in Section 1 until you have completed Section 2 and saved your Word document ready for upload.
If you have any difficulty comleting your application or if you have any questions regarding the Awards or the application process please do not hesitate to call Tony Breese, MiCN Project Officer on 0416 201 771or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
