PORTER’S BRUSH WITH TALENTED YOUNG ARTISTS

Today, Ms Mary Porter MLA, Member for Ginninderra, welcomed students participating in the 2010 Australian Talented Youth Project.

The Project is a 10-day mentoring program held in Canberra for twenty young and creatively talented young people from all over Australia, including Canberra and its surrounding region.

“Canberra is a creative city, brimming with artistic people and world-class cultural institutions,” Ms Porter said. “As patron of the Canberra and Area Theatre Awards I am well aware of the importance of fostering our young talent.”

Participants selected for the program are mentored by leading artists from the ACT in visual arts, music, dance, film, creative writing, and theatre. Mentors this year include renowned pianist, Geoffrey Lancaster AM, and award-winning Canberra author, John Clanchy.

“The journey through the mentorship program this week is one of inspiration, challenge, and artistic endeavour, and I commend each participant for pursuing theirr dreams and making them a reality,” Ms Porter said.

The program includes activities on the eve of and on Australia Day and aims to:

• symbolise a coming together in a "meeting place" of all Australians, including those from the remotest communities;
• foster the sense of national identity of young Australians, visiting perhaps for the first time the nation's capital and the icons of Australian history and culture; and
• nurture the talent of gifted, young people, whose inventiveness, creativity and leadership will shape their communities and the cultural future of Australia.

The ACT Government supported the 2010 Australian Talented Youth Project through the
ACT Arts Fund.

The Project runs from 16 January to 26 January 2010.

Statement Ends
Media Contact: Andrew Hunter 02 6205 0428 bh 0431 739 775
Andrew.hunter@parliament.act.gov.au
Mary Porter 0414 480 440