* The next round of 2018 Charles Sturt University Community-University grants for arts and culture activities are open for applications * Previous recipients include Canowindra Arts Inc, Cudal Public School Parents and Citizens Association, and the Rotary Club of Orange Inc * The grants help the community to encourage participation in arts and cultureThe next round of 2018 Charles Sturt University (CSU) Community-University Partnership (CUP) grants for arts and culture activities are open for applications.Individuals and community groups across the University’s regions covered by its campuses in Orange, Bathurst, Albury-Wodonga, Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, and Port Macquarie are invited to apply.Head of Campus at CSU in Orange Dr Heather Robinson said, “The University provides up to $20,000 worth of grants across its regional footprint. I encourage individuals and groups with projects or initiatives that meet the criteria to apply.”Applications close on Friday 24 August, and the CUP grants application form is here:https://about.csu.edu.au/community/grants/arts-and-culturePrevious arts and culture CUP grant recipient the Canowindra Arts Inc reported the CSU CUP grant funding (a) enabled an art course for young artists in Canowindra; (b) allowed students to develop personal skills in specific art mediums and styles; and (c) facilitated the growth of young artists giving them a desire to further their practical knowledge and application of art.‘Over a period of nine teaching sessions, 10 students from the ages of 12 to 15 took part in the Canowindra arts Mentoring Program,’ the report noted. ‘The grant funds were used very specifically to buy resources for the students to sample and experience all different forms of art mediums and styles, from life drawing, water colours, oils, acrylic, and pastels. Then with these resources they were able to choose their own personal projects and put together an exhibition to be shown publicly in the New Year. The CUP grant money has also covered the teaching costs, hire of the hall, and frames for the final exhibition.’Cudal Public School Parents and Citizens Association was another 2017 CSU CUP arts and culture grant recipient. The school received a $1,000 grant and the P&C Association Vice-President Ms Catherine Kearney thanked CSU for supporting the creative arts in the small town of Cudal.“The funds allowed the whole community to come together and shine,” Ms Kearney said. “It was wonderful to watch the joy in both the students and the audience. The arts are alive and well here at Cudal.”The aim if the Cudal Public School project was to create stronger ties within the small community. The funds were used to cover costs associated with the project, including sound and microphones for students to use during the play and the creation of props and costumes. The strong community ties were evident during the preparation and during the actual performance. There was a full house at the evening performance, and many older community members attended the matinee. They thoroughly enjoyed the performance and it was ‘the talk of the town’. The students enjoyed all aspects of the production, including working on and modifying the script, rehearsals, costume and prop design. Parents and community members helped with make-up and costumes as well. It truly brought the community together.The Rotary Club of Orange Inc also received a $1,000 CSU CUP arts and culture grant to stage creative poetry workshops in primary schools in the region.Rotary member Mr Len Banks said, “Primary schools students around Orange, NSW, now approach poetry with enthusiasm and confidence. A partnership between Charles Sturt University and the Rotary Club of Orange brought Australian bush poetry to life by engaging champion poets ‘Mel and Susie’ for workshops in rhyme, rhythm, and performance skills.”The Rotary of Orange project brought two Australian champion performance bush poets − Melanie Hall and Susan Carcary − to Orange from 17 to 27 October 2017. They conducted 17 workshops in 10 primary schools across the Orange region over 9 school days. The workshops were one to two hours duration depending on the school’s timetabling constraints, and provided instruction in rhyme, rhythm, storytelling, and performance techniques to 449 students from kindergarten to Year 6, but mostly in Years 3 to 6. All were kept enthralled and entertained by Mel and Susie as they performed some classic Banjo Paterson poems as well as some of their own creations. Throughout the workshops the students were involved with play acting, reciting, and creating. A survey completed by teachers after the workshops showed that the project fitted well with their curriculum and met the schools’ learning outcomes in literature, creative writing, and performance. Teachers also advised that the workshops gave them new skills in teaching poetry and using performance as a learning technique. The schools also showed interest in participating in the 2018 Banjo Paterson Australian Poetry Festival in Orange and in encouraging students to enter the poetry competition in February.