QPAC Announces Upcoming CLANCESTRY, A CELEBRATION OF COUNTRY, 2015

Clancestry, A Celebration of Country, produced and presented by QPAC, has cemented its place on Queensland's arts and cultural calendar and encouraged people from all over Australia to connect with and take pride in the arts and culture of First Nations peoples.

Successfully building on the inaugural festival, Clancestry 2014 saw 17 562 people attending and participating in the festival which ran from 18 to 23 February, featuring markets, workshops, free concerts and a conversations series.

Arts Minister Ian Walker congratulated QPAC on a successful festival.

"Clancestry was the setting for Queensland's first Super Star presentation when internationally-acclaimed musician Bernard Fanningtook to the stage in a free concert alongside up-and-coming Indigenous artists," Mr Walker said.

"Behind the scenes, Bernard Fanning served as mentor to 13 performers and broadcasting interns for an unforgettable and intensive week of training and skills development.

"The Super Star Fund is a key Queensland Government election commitment of $3 million over four years, to make Queensland an arts and cultural hub and cultivate local talent."

The Minister said the government also supported Clancestry through the Arts Queensland Backing Indigenous Arts initiative.

The Clancestry Pathways project was the first delivered outcome of the Super Star Fund culminating in a concert on the Clancestry main stage, the Pathways Concert, which was attended by 2500 people.

QPAC Chief Executive, Mr John Kotzas said the aims of Clancestry were to preserve culture, build capacity among artists and craftspeople and to build pride amongst all Australians for the arts and culture of First Nations peoples.

"The team here at QPAC worked on creating various platforms to enable audiences to engage with the program even if they could not make it to the event.

"Clancestry Conversations were podcast both online and via Radio National's Awaye!, the closing event Yawar was streamed live to audiences across Australia and internationally and the Pathways Concert was broadcast via 98.9FM on 8 March 2014".

"Working with six guest curators was also something new for the festival this year, and was not only highly successful but also very rewarding," said Mr Kotzas.

"The festivals guest curators, Nancy Bamaga, Dr Chelsea Bond, Ruth Ghee, Fred Leone, Nadine McDonald Dowd, and Rhoda Roberts all contributed to ensuring Clancestry built a deeper connection with the community and encouraged communication and a high level of engagement with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Australians."

"It is our hope that by continuing to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and working with guest curators on the festival that Clancestry will grow stronger in the years to come", concluded Mr Kotzas.

Clancestry, A Celebration of Country 2015 dates are yet to be announced. To stay up to date connect via Clancestry's Facebook page -https://www.facebook.com/Clancestry.

Clancestry celebrates the arts and cultures of the world's First Nations Peoples.

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