2023 Tarnanthi Transport Subsidy Recipients

After the success of transport subsidies in 2021, with the support of BHP, in 2023 AGSA Education was able to provide transport subsidies to categories 1–4 Department for Education schools located thirty km outside the CBD. This funding allowed schools to secure transport to see Tarnanthi and in most instances participate in a Gallery tour and Studio session. We welcomed a total of 1317 students from thirty-eight different sites to Tarnanthi under this program, this includes visit to AGSA (1151) as well as to Saltbush Country at the Port Pirie Regional Gallery (166).

Subsidy schools were provided with guided tours where possible and a facilitated workshop in the Vincent Namatjira All Stars Studio.  They were also supplied with a Tarnanthi education pack including the following AGSA publications: Tarnanthi 2023 exhibition catalogue, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art in the Classroom volume 2, Tarnanthi Make and Create.

Indulkana Anangu School

The experience visiting Tarnanthi was amazing. Our students were able to see themselves and their community in the artworks on display, and see that crowds of people were there to witness it. They felt pride in their families, their community and their culture. This kind of experience for our students is one that strengthens their self-worth and identity, and allows them to see a future in the arts that extends well beyond Indulkana Community. It shows our students that 'perfect' and 'popular' in the arts isn't neat lines and identical copied images, its messy and fun and unique. It will be something I refer back to throughout my teaching in the future to encourage and inspire my students.

A favourite quote was one from a student who saw Vincent and Tiger's work and had seen the kids who had connections to Vincent and Tiger beam with excitement, and asked "Is any Kaylene Whiskey art here? She's my family". There was something magical about seeing the students filled with pride to see their community and family on display.

Zoe Ingoldby-Craig | Visual Arts Teacher B-12

Hamley Bridge Primary School

It was a beautiful link to what we’ve been learning about this term. Most of our classes have been learning about and been inspired by one of the Tarnanthi artists and they were very excited to see them in real life. I loved that Tarnanthi has so many different artists for them to learn about and they aren’t what the students expect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art to be.

Nicole Tilbrook | Educator

Two Wells Primary School

Thank you so much for the opportunity to visit the city. Our students were captivated with the Tarnanthi Exhibition, Vincent Namatjira's work in particular and the Saltbush collection at Uni SA. Many of the students had never been on an excursion, 1 had never been into the city, so the experience was exciting all around.

Beck Mather | Two Wells Primary School

Angaston Kindergarten

This excursion has enabled us to ensure that the exploration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources are genuine and appropriate. It has opened up opportunities to discuss past, present and future understandings around First Nations people that values their experiences and life. Through our learning program we have engaged with the art, life and techniques artists from Tarnanthi have exhibited. Through the excursion we saw First Nations people being celebrated, and their art, their stories, their experiences, and their voice heard, acknowledged and valued. This has enabled us to come back to Kindy and explore the stories, the art and the lives of the artists, through, painting, weaving, discussions, group time, one to one discussions and with parents and the wider community. We have woven Aborignial and Torres Strait Islander culture and its value throughout our program, with Tarnanthi being the crown that has filtered down strongly in the minds of our children, staff, parents and community. We cannot begin to express how this opportunity will have positive lifelong influence for our children and community as they grow and remember the value of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their culture. Future lessons will always include current exhibits from AGSA as well as always revisiting and incorporating the available resources that were given to us at the visit as well as online.

Kin Luan Watters | Kindergarten Educator

Elizabeth Park Primary School

The students enjoyed learning about Vincent Namatjira and their highlight was meeting Vincent and being able to ask him questions. The art activity was pitched appropriately to the academic and artistic level of our year 3/4 students, the gallery tour was just the right length to hold the attention of our students (not too long or short) and the Gallery Guides were very informative and encouraged our students to really think about the art work.

I will be continuing with the theme of "people who we admire." This will accompany the drawings that the students did during the Studio session. I will also ask our Indigenous Education Officer to share with our class, who he admires and why. We will share our experience at whole school assembly in week 6.

Leah Thompson | Year 3/4 Teacher

Gladstone High School

Excursions like this give my students real world experience, seeing the potential of creativity in art and and giving them lasting valuable memories that can influence thier own work as artists. Opportunities like this are hard to access in rural areas, making grants to access them even more valuable.

Jack Kennewell | Art Teacher

Napperby Primary School

We attended from Port Pirie (250 km away) with a cohort of 30 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from 4 different department schools in the area. We left on a bus at 6.30 am and got home at 6pm! It was worth every minute. The experience for us as a group of First Nations students from the mid-north region was socially empowering. Combined with the artistic and cultural exposure at the Tarnanthi exhibition, the students experienced a truly unique opportunity to connect with their culture and lives through a new lens. Many of our students experienced a potentially life changing event!

Rachel Tubb | Educator

Paralowie Primary School

This experience was a great opportunity for our Aboriginal students to learn about the Art Gallery of South Australia and see a range of different works of art, especially those made by First Nations artists in Tarnanthi.

Dr Tom Putnam | Aboriginal Education Teacher

Mark Oliphant College

As a passionate visual arts teacher the opportunity to take students to see Tarnanthi was simply amazing. The facilitators were highly knowledgeable and inspirational in sharing their stories. The day was well organised and the students were highly engaged for both the Studio and Guided Tour. Being able to share the culture and art from Contemporary First Nation Artists with our students means that the teaching and learning back at school has deep purpose where the students can personally connect with the Tarnanthi artists.

Trudy Brown | Visual Arts teacher

Murray Bridge High School

Tarnanthi opened up our students' awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art from across the nation, it brought a new perspective to students not only with the breadth of arts being created but also the connection it has with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples lives, histories and the stories told through the art. Our school is culturally diverse and has been involved recently in the culturally responsive schooling program, this excursion and the depth of knowledge and information passed on by tour guide Brian was invaluable.

Catherine Alcock | Visual Arts Teachers

Swan Reach Area School

Following our visit to AGSA, my students reflected on how they could see connections from their own culture and felt at ease. Being able to visit Tarnanthi supported the teaching and learning in design and technology and the arts. I was able to embed works of art into lessons about textiles, colours, as well as in literacy. Students benefited from the opportunity by being able to connect to their culture and experience a sense of belonging.

Bonnie Harmer | Primary Teacher

Victor Harbor High School

One thing that I have taken away from the exhibition and will be incorporating into future lessons is the study of contemporary art, studying examples from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists displayed at the Tarnanthi exhibition; looking at how history, tradition, and long-standing culture can be represented through contemporary art.

Ailish Ling | Art Teacher

Willsden Primary School

Visiting Tarnanthi was an amazing opportunity for Willsden students on many levels. Not only were students able to view local art, but they were also able to connect with, and reflect upon, their culture. We tied our visit to Saltbush Country with a number of learning strands including art, history, literacy and math. Excursions such as these, support our students to engage more fully with their learning as it is relevant to them.

Next year we will be using the artists and activities from 'Make and Create' to design an integrated Literacy Art unit. This will involve researching, learning and writing about the artists and completing the activities. Where possible, we will also include the geography of where artists are from.

Clare Brown | Year 4/5/6 Teacher

John Hartley Primary School

Great experience for our year 2 and 3 Aboriginal students. Many said it was their first time in the city and all were attending the gallery for the first time. Great source of pride, connection and sense of identity. The workshop was a really inspiring topic and all students quickly engaged with the drawing task. I will definitely use the workshop starter of drawing your hero, inspired by Vincent Namatjira. I learnt a lot about individual students through their chosen hero and noticed that all students became immediately engaged in this activity.

Teresa Butler-Bowdon | Primary Teacher

Teacher Bursaries for Regional Teachers

In addition to transport subsidies for schools, AGSA Education were able to provide travel bursaries to sixteen educators from across Australia, with particular emphasis on teachers located in regional South Australian Schools. These teachers attended Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art in the Classroom #14 where they participated in workshops and strategies sessions where they learnt how to respond to the work of First Nations artists in a culturally appropriate way.