Claire

ANA Barassi
BEMAC, Qld
Ana is developing a pilot research project targeting the Greek and Indian (sub continent including Sri-Lankan and Pakistani communities). The research will include a survey of 100 members from the designated communities and focus groups. The aim is to identify key areas of need and expectation and level of awareness of BEMAC. The pilot research will ultimately influence BEMAC's program in 2004/05.

Ana worked on a strategy and analysis of BEMAC's role and future challenges. She applied MAPD principles of cultural brokerage, research and analysis to her work. She was concerned that many of the more established and some of the larger cultural communities of Queensland were not aware of BEMAC or its role. Through a limited qualitative survey of Indian, Sri Lankan and Greek communities in Brisbane and South East Queensland she established new contacts and networks for BEMAC, while highlighting the need to augment membership and thus income for BEMAC. As important, Ana's work revealed an untapped resource in the areas of future audiences, projects and possibly sponsorship.  

Results of Ana's survey reflected the national demographic trends, particularly in the area of ageing, youth participation in arts events and growth of ethnic small businesses. If used effectively and a strategy is developed by BEMAC to augment support from the Greek, Indian and Sri Lankan communities, there could be a boost to the organisation's position as one of Australia's primary multicultural arts organisations. Ana was involved extensively in all the MAPD forum issues on-line and utilised the skills of many of the consultants on the program in the development of her survey questions and in income-generation.

CLAIRE Naffah, Vic
Claire is Australia's leading Oriental dancer and educators in the form. She has performed in the nation's key festivals and has worked with organizations as diverse as with Sidetrack Theatre (NSW), the Arts Centre (Vic.), Multicultural Arts Victoria, kultour, Cultural Infusion, Moreland City Council, and has featured in films by contemporary artist Fassih Keiso and been involved in national forums, UNESCO conferences and corporate launches. Her career stretches over twenty years in Australia alone not including France and the Middle East. Through MAPD based skills, Claire was able to develop a strategy which would use her profile to reposition her career. This was a complex and difficult process which necessitated significant discussion and analysis, in fact she had to do what is the most difficult and that is assess her professional life and determine a new trajectory. Claire did this well and emerged as genuine leader in the process. She was able to use MAPD as a way of designing a new brand for herself as a way of securing multiple sources of income and developing new programs as dancer, project manager and educator. As part of the new strategy of communications, Claire was assisted in developing a website and new collateral marketing. This was complex and difficult program as many artists find it problematic when facing watersheds in defining a new course of action for their progress.

GROOVII Biscuit developed an amazing program for the Carnivale NSW in the Opera House's Studio space. She exhibited excellent Emotional Intelligence, entrepreneurial skills and cultural brokerage in working with a range of culturally diverse youth to produce a program melding dance club/theatre events fusing live and electronic music. In collaboration with Gemma Yared the DJ for Club Arak, a gay Arabic night in Sydney she produced a new youth focused hybrid dance art /culture project using Middle Eastern live musicians, rappers, dancers and electronic music. She secured philanthropic funding and generated income from the Carnivale festival and door takings. She was able to develop a strategic partnership with the Studio, Carnivale and other organisations. A genuine level of leadership, understanding and complex thinking was exhibited in her ability of integrating gay Middle Eastern culture with mainstream culture providing a creative and genuine voice to people who may not be heard in their communities, while not diluting their cultural background. At the same time Groovii is positioned to secure a significant market among youth segments in the future if she keeps up the work.

IGOR Goya Sefer, SA
Igor is a young emerging artist, photographer and media leader for the South Australian Bosnian community. Through MAPD Igor was assisted to develop national networks with relevant artist and producers and bring together a photographic exhibition titled 730 Days, under the auspice of the South Australian Migrant Resource Centre. 730 Days is a reflection of the two years he has been in Australia as a Bosnian refugee. He is sought support and funding from various quarters and will be using various marketing and promotional techniques to secure maximum media coverage as an artist and for the issue of refugees. While participating in MAPD, Igor was also completing a BA in Politics at Flinders University. The courage and determination of Igor, a young man who fled war, lived as a refugee in Germany then arrived in Australia, is evident not only in successfully completing a MAPD program but in securing support and funding.

LYCIA Danielle Trouton, Vic/NSW
Lycia is based in Wooloongong NSW where she completing a PhD in visual art and is in the process as part of MAPD was completed the 'Irish Silk' project documenting the impact of the civil conflict on Irish women. The project secured critical acclaim and international recognition in Ireland, the USA and Canada. Through MAPD Lycia also secured a position at PanEvents in Victoria where she developed national promotional material for the company's national Cultural Infusion program. She wrote a plethora of published articles on Pan Event, MAPD and other general Australian arts industry issues, in various on-line and other journals. She assisted in the development of a communications strategy for Pan Events targeting secondary and primary schools nationally for their multicultural performance and education program. In many ways, the diversity and density of Lycia's work was a feat in itself as far as MAPD was concerned. She exhibited incredible flexibility, skill variation and high level Emotional Intelligence to successfully maintain her arts practice, complete a PHD and work in a paid capacity in the area of media and communications.

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MARIA Callipari
Brunswick Women's Choir, Vic
Fortunata Maria Callipari is currently working as a Multicultural Resource Officer with the City of Whittlesea (since 2004). Her duties include developing internal staff resources to ensure services to the diverse community are accessible and equitable. She is also involved in developing new projects such as the bi-lingual park guides with Parks Victoria, Merri Creek Management Committee and North Melbourne Institute of TAFE. She is currently working part-time while being a full time parent and loving it!

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MATTHEW Morse
(to be updated)

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MICHAEL Dagostino
Casula Power House, NSW
(to be updated)

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TANIA Doropoulos
Artspace, NSW
Tania designed a pilot program adding value to the Artspace membership through incentives, discounts and special events for members. She is drafting a strategy for members of Artspace making membership an attractive option. Part of the strategy will include an assessment of Artspace as sponsorship property and marketing/communications strategy seeking support from retailers, institutions, key partners and artists.

Artspace is one of Australia's preeminent contemporary and experimental art centers at the same time, as Tania discovered through MAPD, there is much that the organization offers but does not differentiate between paid members and non-financial members, in its audience. Tania was able to develop a strategy which differentiates paid members and the public, thus creating a rationale or value added objectives to people to sign up as members. She also was able to use the local small business community, from book stores, restaurants and retailers, to secure incentives for new members.

Artspace comprises of five large gallery spaces and twelve studios and is internationally recognised for work and text that push the boundaries of experimental art practice and critical theory. For twenty years, Artspace has been building a critical context for national and international artists, curators, and writers, and advancing the theoretical reception of the constantly evolving discourse of contemporary art. Artspace is housed in the historic Gunnery Building and located on the famous Sydney harbor.

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TITIANA Varkopoulos
Backbone Youth Arts '2high' Festival
Titiana displayed high level leadership through MAPD. She joined the program as an independent theatre writer and maker and within a period of two months, she was able to secure the position of Director of Backbone Youth Arts in Brisbane. She left Melbourne where she was based and worked hard to rejuvenate and reposition Backbone as a key youth arts organisation in Queensland. She used MAPD skills to re-brand the Backbone Youth Arts festival '2high', in the and in the process re-branded Backbone Youth Arts.

Titiana was able to develop a highly successful partnership with Queensland Performing Arts Centre a mainstream institution thus increasing the profile and audience of the '2high' and making it more attractive to funding bodies, new members and sponsors.

Titiana work resulted in a new marketing and communication strategy for Backbone Youth Arts which included changes of logo, the marketing and company positioning. Her work is possibly the most evident and concrete application of MAPD principles. Importantly she secured funding from a range of sources using high levels of Emotional Intelligence, cultural brokerage and marketing principles.

Titiana was able to transfer from an independent producer into the director of Backbone Youth Arts which reflects a strong application of leadership skills. She moved from Melbourne and with no networks, took on the position of director in a company which needed re-positioning, new networks and a refreshed vision. She has done that and in the process exhibited great leadership skills.

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