Sunday, November 26, 2006
National Centre a Major Boost for Australian Poetry
Australia is set to get its first national poetry centre thanks to the support of Australian copyright management company, Copyright Agency Limited (CAL).
CAL is providing an initial sum of $140,800 to assist the Poetry Australia Foundation in establishing the Australian Poetry Centre at historic Glenfern, East St Kilda.
CAL is a not-for-profit, member-based organisation, whose role is to provide a bridge between creators and users of copyright material.
"For the first time, poetry will have a fully professional organisation, enabling it to take its rightful place among the major art forms," said Ron Pretty AM, Director, Poetry Australia Foundation.
"You only need to look at the popularity of poetry readings, writing courses and competitions to see just how big poetry is in Australia."
"The interest and energy in Australian poetry is there. What the Australian Poetry Centre will do is focus and co-ordinate that energy to further stimulate the growth of, and interest in, Australian poetry here and overseas."
The centre will coordinate a series of programs including organising tours, workshops and promotional activities for Australian poetry, and forging links with overseas poetry organisations and other writing organisations within Australia. The centre will also work to improve the teaching of poetry in schools and tertiary institutions and assist in the publication of Australian poetry by developing a national system of distribution.
CAL Chair Brian Johns says the centre will pay particular attention to the needs of poetry organisations in regional areas throughout Australia.
"This will be a national centre, built to serve the interests of all established and budding Australian poets - from the bush to the urban poet," said Brian Johns.
A Director will be appointed to run the centre with the assistance of a Board of Management headed by leading Australian poet Chris Wallace-Crabbe in early 2007.
Courtesy of the Poetry Australia Foundation website <http://www.poetryaustraliafoundation.org.au/index.html>.
CAL is providing an initial sum of $140,800 to assist the Poetry Australia Foundation in establishing the Australian Poetry Centre at historic Glenfern, East St Kilda.
CAL is a not-for-profit, member-based organisation, whose role is to provide a bridge between creators and users of copyright material.
"For the first time, poetry will have a fully professional organisation, enabling it to take its rightful place among the major art forms," said Ron Pretty AM, Director, Poetry Australia Foundation.
"You only need to look at the popularity of poetry readings, writing courses and competitions to see just how big poetry is in Australia."
"The interest and energy in Australian poetry is there. What the Australian Poetry Centre will do is focus and co-ordinate that energy to further stimulate the growth of, and interest in, Australian poetry here and overseas."
The centre will coordinate a series of programs including organising tours, workshops and promotional activities for Australian poetry, and forging links with overseas poetry organisations and other writing organisations within Australia. The centre will also work to improve the teaching of poetry in schools and tertiary institutions and assist in the publication of Australian poetry by developing a national system of distribution.
CAL Chair Brian Johns says the centre will pay particular attention to the needs of poetry organisations in regional areas throughout Australia.
"This will be a national centre, built to serve the interests of all established and budding Australian poets - from the bush to the urban poet," said Brian Johns.
A Director will be appointed to run the centre with the assistance of a Board of Management headed by leading Australian poet Chris Wallace-Crabbe in early 2007.
Courtesy of the Poetry Australia Foundation website <http://www.poetryaustraliafoundation.org.au/index.html>.
# posted by Phillip A. Ellis @ 9:29 PM 
