Barkly Arts

Barkly Arts provides a snapshot of the modern and traditional community culture practiced across the region by working with contemporary aboriginal and non-aboriginal artists, writers, musicians and dancers of the Barkly Region.

Barkly Arts works extensively in townships and communities including Tennant Creek, Borroloola , Elliott , Ali Curung , Canteen Creek and Epenarra.

Writers working with Barkly Arts include:  

• Rosemary Plummer who was the winner of the 2000 NT Writers Award in the Aboriginal Islander and Torres Strait Islander section with Napanangkka Has Gone Digging For Sandfrogs; and
• Bush poet/gold prospector, Jimmy Hooker, who won the Larrikin Award at the 2000 Qantas Waltzing Matilda competition with The Toothache.

Both writers perform their work regularly at community festivals and events in Tennant Creek and have been the driving force behind the development of the 'message stick' poetry and yarn competition held annually in Tennant Creek.

Dancers working with Barkly Arts include 

• Warumungu Pujjali - a traditional mens dance troupe who perform dances thousands of years old and have travelled extensively throughout Australia.
• Arid Zone Dance Youth Theatre - who perform raw innovative physical dance theatre based on contemporary interpretations of traditional dance and have performed in Darwin and NSW.

Barkly Arts organises regular free concerts in Peko Park featuring bands from the region including High Tide from Borroloola .

Click here to visit the Barkly Arts website.