Boomerang’s funding campaign announces exhibition

Last month, Boomerang, the “indigenous arts and cultural festival for all Australians” launched an awareness and fundraising campaign for its survival. These activities will run until April 2017.

Boomerang launched strongly in 2013 only to be hit with cuts to funding for both arts and Indigenous programming for the east coast of Australia, putting it on indefinite hiatus.

It is temporarily held as part of Bluesfest in Byron Bay. That costs a minimum of $200,000 a year. To be a stand-alone event, the Bundjalung country event needs upwards of $800,000.

One of the Boomerang Present series is a Portraits Photography Exhibition hosted by Brisbane photographers Ben Knight and Jo-Anne Driessens. It launches on Wednesday November 9 from 6pm at Photo Fox Den in Lismore and runs until November 20.

It includes photographs taken at Boomerang in April 2016 by award winning Natalie Grono, Bluesfest’s official documenter Tao Jones, Byron-born Kirra Pendergast, Sydney music and fashion visual reproducer Orlando Sydney, and Buesfest, Falls and Groovin’ The Moo official photographer Joseph Mayers.

Knight and Driessens are also taking portraits of some of the local region’s deadliest Indigenous people, all who do great work in their field and contribute positively to the community. These portraits will be on display at the event also.

Driessens, adopted at two weeks old by a white family and who found her blood parents through her photography, says, “Documenting community at such significant events such as the Boomerang Festival provides a valuable visual dialogue that can be understood and shared in an International capacity, and more importantly our immediate communities.

“This type of documenting is second nature to me and I am honoured to be able to provide the power of the image for such an important cause”.

Organisers explain that the Boomerang Presents Series is about creating more opportunities for Aboriginal Access for non- Indigenous people, to give a platform for shared stories and cultural exchange to work as a community to truly close the gap.

While the first event uses the medium of photography, others will use other art forms including stories, food and music.

Knight, who spent six years in the Gulf of Australia working with remote Aboriginal communities and believes his photo art can be used as the the linchpin to positive change, says of the exhibition, “My main aim is to increase a sense of curiosity and get members of the community to find their own journey of discovery through imagery.

“The photographs will give local people an opportunity to demonstrate their connections to country and why it is important.

“The land on which everyone walks is sacred in so many ways and we should all celebrate and respect the men, women and children that were here first.”

The launch includes a silent auction, a live set from triple j Unearthed artist Pat Tierney currently on a national tour behind new single Spirit Of The Land, and drinks from Byron Bay Wild Cider and Stone & Wood Brewery.

A statement points out, “The ultimate goal for Festival Director Rhoda Roberts AO and Boomerang’s principle supporter Peter Noble OAM (Bluesfest) is to make Boomerang Festival the foremost Indigenous arts and culture festival in the world.

“The ambition is huge, but Peter, Rhoda and their teams believe the time is right and Australia is ready to step out on the world stage and become known as the destination for authentic and quality Indigenous cultural exchanges.”

More information atwww.boomerangfestival.com.au