Museum Victoria is offering a $5,000 award for up to 2 young emerging new media artists

Museum Victoria are looking for innovative proposals for digital projects that can be exhibited online as part of a 3 year project called Talking Difference.

The aim is to inspire conversations between and within cultures about difference and commonality.

Your project could utilise any form of digital media. It could be a short film, interactive game, online interactive artwork, digital public art project, mobile phone application… the possibilities are endless.

 For more information and application form go to:
 http://museumvictoria.com.au/talkingdifference

Duck Season – stop these lame shooters from killing our waterbirds #fb

DUCK SEASON

Despite much opposition to Victoria’s recreational duck shooting season it is still going ahead opening on the weekend of March 20th/21st (2010) across Victoria.

You still have time to write to John Brumby and let him know how you feel about it.

Please write, email or phone
Premier John Brumby
john.brumby@parliament.vic.gov.au
Level 1, 1 Treasury Pl, Melbourne 3002
Tel: 9651 5000

Primarily politicians need to hear from Victorians (provide your address) saying that this brutal activity must be stopped.  Interstate and overseas supporters could say that Victoria should follow the other Labor states which have banned duck-shooting and that the issue is now one of national environmental significance.

Thank you from the Coalition Against Duck Shooting CADS

Entheogenesis Australis is just around the bend

6-9 November 2009
Swanpool, Victoria
http://www.entheo.net/

Bear Owsley will be speaking:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owsley_Stanley

The Entheogenesis Australis 2009 Conference aims to address the issues relating to drug use/misuse from social, cultural and
historical/traditional perspectives. EGA speakers will draw on the backgrounds of physiology, biology, pharmacology, psychology,
neuroscience, anthropology, botany and more to provide a more realistic context to the role drugs and altered states play in the modern world.

If you’ve ever asked yourself “has the ‘War on Drugs’ created more problems than it tried to solve?” or “is MDMA really a more dangerous drug than alcohol?” – then EGA is for you.

Entheogenesis Australis is a collection of thinkers from all walks of life, we come together to share knowledge about sacred plants, chemical alchemy and states of consciousness.

Future shots, sustainability film challenge for young Victorians

Future Shots is a short film challenge to all young people living in Victoria.

Tackling one of the most important issues affecting the world today: SUSTAINABLITY

The challenge is to make a film of three minutes or less, of any type or genre that addresses the key question:

Sustainability: What’s it all about?

Future Shots is looking for creativity, inspiration, discussions and solutions.

You are encouraged to explore, interpret, and then commit to film your personal ideas about sustainability, what it means to you and your community and how you think it can be achieved.

Films entered into Future Shots by the 21 September, 2009 will be placed in the draw to win either a Sony HandyCam or an Ipod Touch.

If you have already completed a short film under three minutes on sustainability don’t miss this opportunity to be in the draw for another great prize.

Read the Future Shots guidelines to make sure your film meets the requirements, and enter.

More info at Future Shots. And yeah you should be under 21 years of age…;)

Naked in the Woods

Naked In The Woods, the third annual compilation released as part of the Victoria Rocks FReeZACentral initiative, heralds an exciting partnership of established and emerging Victorian women songwriters.

Special guest Katy Steele (Little Birdy), 2009 mentor Jen Cloher (solo) and 2009 performance mentees Sophia Katos, Arowe and Rezzalp will embark on a three date launch tour to promote the FReeZACentral 2009 album Naked In The Woods . Entry to all shows entitles ticket holders to receive a FREE copy of the Naked In The Woods compilation.

Friday 31 July – The Palais
111 Main Rd, Hepburn Springs (18+)
Featuring Katy Steele, Jen Cloher (solo) and Arowe
Tickets from the venue 03) 5348 4849, http://www.thepalais.com.au
Missing Link, Polyester, The Espy or The National Hotel Geelong

Saturday 1 August – the Arts Centre, Playhouse
St Kilda Rd, Melbourne (All Ages)
Featuring Katy Steele, Jen Cloher (solo) and Sophia Katos
Tickets from the venue, www.theartscentre.com.au

Saturday 8 August – Meeniyan Town Hall
South Gippsland Highway, Meeniyan (All Ages)
Featuring Katy Steele, Jen Cloher (solo) and Rezzalp
Tickets from the venue, 03) 5664 9239, www.lyrebirdartscouncil.com.au, Bair Music Leongatha, Main Street Revelation Foster or Gecko Studio Gallery Fish Creek

All Shows 8pm
Tickets $15 + bf, $20 on the door

presented by FReeZACentral, The Push and Triple J Home & Hosed present

Call out for Environmental Shorts Melbourne

Want to make Shorts about Environmental Education? Seven S Productions are looking for supporting video materials for an innovative, potentially global, environmental education project inspired by the US evolutionary biologist E.O.Wilson. It involves filming experts and participants in various parts of Victoria implementing the project. Finished projects are around 6-10 minutes long.

For more information contact Eugene Schlusser of Seven S Productions at eugenesc@netspace.net.au

Animal Remembrance Day – Sunday April 26th.

Remembering the animals lost in the recent devastating Victorian bushfires.

RSPCA, in conjunction with Rochford Winery are holding an Animal Remembrance Day – Sunday 26 April 2009.

The Black Saturday bush fires devastated many areas of Victoria and many animals including pets and native wild life lost their homes, habitats and their lives.

The Animal Remembrance Day is an opportunity for the community to come together to remember the beloved pets that were lost or injured in the fires. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the devastating and unprecedented loss of over 1 million animals and native wildlife on Black Saturday.

Organised by the RSPCA, the Animal Remembrance Day will be held at Rochford Winery on the outskirts of the Yarra Valley. This free outdoor event will bring together Victoria’s fire affected communities, emergency services, animal aid organisations and the general public for a morning of reflection and contemplation.

Through music, readings and visual presentations, the Animal Remembrance Day will be an opportunity for the community to acknowledge the animals affected by the bush fires. This event will acknowledge the emergency services, animal aid organisations, volunteers and the public who rescued and cared for countless animals affected by the fires.

When: Sunday April 26, 2009
Where: Rochford Winery
Cnr Maroondah Hwy & Hill Road, Coldstream, Victoria, Australia

Click here to secure your FREE tickets to this special event

If you are from bushfire affected regions please call 03 9224 2222 to secure your FREE ticket and to arrange transport if needed.

Pets are welcome!
Dogs on leads and other animals in pet carriers please.

Making a Difference – The Chillout Festival

Get Ready for Disco Stampede!

This year’s Chill Out rounds up everything shiny, stretchy, clingy, glittery, daggy and fun to grab you by the glitterballs and drag you back to a time when John Travolta was slim and cool (okay, he’s still pretty cool)  and Mamma Mia was number one in the charts.

This is no city disco – it’s a Disco Stampede! Blending the best of city and bush – our 12th annual festival in Daylesford (Victoria) and surrounding towns set for 6 – 9 March, 2009 - will mix country and disco like no one has done since Dolly Parton first thrust her way into the spotlight.

Looks very cool – Leo Sayer and the Topp twins performing; and this year ChillOut has committed to raising awareness and funds for an important community cause in Hepburn Shire. Supporting Buddies for Wildlife in 2009  – a project of Wildlife Victoria and The Alannah and Madeline Foundation .

Chillout Festival website: http://chilloutfestival.com.au/