Two Port Macquarie projects secure Create NSW funding

It is part of more than $650,000 in state government funding through Create NSW delivered to 70 independent artists and small to medium arts and cultural organisations across four categories.

Creative communities project coordinator Lisa Hort was successful with a $8,387 grant to deliver a weekly program over 12 weeks designed for people living with dementia.

In a separate project, Port Macquarie Historical Society secured almost $3000 for website capacity development for online storytelling.

Creative community participation is at the heart of Ms Hort's project for people with dementia and their carers.

The project will take the form of an online forum with a weekly Zoom meeting over 12 weeks.

Ms Hort said she was elated to receive Create NSW funding and have the opportunity to deliver a dementia-friendly, creative community project of this calibre.

"For me, this funding will support the delivering of the Treasured Stories, Poetry and Song - Together We Create project to my local community, as well as engaging the services of creative people, locally and internationally," she said.

"The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the creative industries has been huge and I feel privileged to receive the funding and, in the position, employ other creative experts' services to assist me on the project."

Award winning Brooklyn-based Gary Glazner, executive director and founder of Alzheimer's Poetry Project, will be on board to work his poetic magic with his unique and innovative call-and-response technique.

Musician and songwriter Graeme Atkins, who is living with dementia, will convert some of the stories created in the sessions to song and perform them.

Artefacts and historical photos will be used as part of the project.

Ms Hort said these stimuli would involve photos of historical objects and scenes which offered an element of mystery, adding curiosity and intrigue aimed at stimulating cognitive engagement and conversation.

She believes the project will lead to better health and connected communities.

For further information email Lisa Hort at lisa@uniquecollaborations.com.au

Port Macquarie Historical Society's project will develop Port Macquarie Museum's website capacity to engage with new audiences.

The Story Port project will enable the museum website to offer interactive online storytelling and creative activities using digitised collections.

Port Macquarie Museum volunteer curator Debbie Sommers said Port Macquarie Historical Society was really pleased to secure the grant.

"It will give us the flexibility, tools and online capability we need to share our collection documentation and digitisation work, amazing photograph collection and all the stories that go with them, to wider online audiences," she said.

The goal is to expand on its role as a trusted source of information to create not only visual online learning and entertainment opportunities, but also content and activities that connect people with culture, place and identity.

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