The Paper Project ladies are currently in Adelaide setting up for Womad which opens on Friday. This is a very exciting event.

We have assistance from Indigenous Community Volunteers. The ICV supported an art worker (Jacqui from Margaret River) to assist Jodie, the paper project officer, while in Adelaide. The project has engendered considerable excitement from ICV, the regional manager is coming down to WOMAD Adelaide 2008 from Canberra with a journalist, they intend to do an article in their magazine and a photo journal for the Koori Mail.

This should be gorgeous because we have wonderful papulankutja miniatures and cards in Adelaide, Jacqui is working on the paper mache jewellery with the artists and they are making some stunning things. The Artists will be working at their craft for the weekend. This great experience for them an exposure for our product.

Participation in this project is quite widely considered an exciting activity. We are certainly thrilled to be at Womad Adelaide 2008.

Too bad our funding body, the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, our sector icc, does not consider it an exciting activity, too bad icc could not accommodate any assistance in getting this group to Adelaide. Too bad icc is so caught up with its big stick policy and not in to productive assistance in problem solving.

Lucky, I have been able to get some travel assistance through the CDEP program at Blackstone. Lucky, I have a house in Adelaide where the group can stay so there are minimal accommodation expenses. Lucky, I have a car in Adelaide for the artists to use, reducing cost and travel difficulties.

Too bad there will be no positive press for icc!