Garry Stewart
Our very own South Australian; Garry Stewart has won the inaugural Australia Council Award for outstanding achievement in dance. Gary Stewart has been the Artistic Director of Australian Dance Theatre since 1999, which this year celebrates their 50th anniversary.
He has studied and collaborated with artists working in robotics, photography, architecture, animation and 3D technology. A prolific choreographer here and overseas – particularly acclaimed for his reworking of ballet language into contemporary forms. His award-winning work includes Birdbrain, The Age of Unbeauty, Nothing, HELD, Devolution, G, Be Your Self, Worldhood, Proximity and Honour Bound about the incarceration of David Hicks.
“Of course no one in the Arts do what they do for an award, but this recognition is certainly affirming. I’ve been very privileged in my career to have worked with so many remarkable, talented and intelligent individuals from diverse areas of the arts, not just dance. At this juncture I feel more energetic than ever and I look forward to developing many more creative acts! I’m also very proud of the achievements of my colleagues in dance, in Australia – the sector has changed so much since I began choreographing many years ago. There are so many incredible artists making extraordinary, fascinating work in this country and I’m honoured to be a component in this unfolding evolution,” said Stewart.
Australia Council Chief Executive Officer Tony Grybowski said the awards were the highest accolade the Council could bestow, and that the 2015 recipients had a depth and richness to the contributions made in their respective art forms, which embodied the kind of artistic and cultural ambition the Council is committed to supporting.
“The awards are an acknowledgement of the significant achievements and contribution an artist has made to the vibrancy of Australian arts. The 10 recipients are widely respected by their peers nationally and internationally, and these awards give us the opportunity to reflect on their considerable body of work and the impact they have had on the arts in Australia and overseas,” Mr Grybowski said.
The 2015 Australia Council Award recipients are:
1.Garry Stewart (SA) – Australia Council Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance
2.Thomas Keneally (NSW) – Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature
3.Archie Roach (Vic) – Australia Council Don Banks Music Award
4.Judy Watson (Qld) – Australia Council Visual Arts Award (Artist)
5.Will Stubbs (NT) – Australia Council Visual Arts Award (Advocate)
6.Stelarc (WA) – Australia Council Award for Outstanding Achievement in Emerging & Experimental Arts
7.Bruce Gladwin (Vic) – Australia Council Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre
8.Tony Doyle (SA) – Ros Bower Award (Community Arts and Cultural Development)
9.Alyson Evans (NSW) – Kirk Robson Award (Community Arts and Cultural Development)
10.Alysha Herrmann (SA) – Kirk Robson Award (Community Arts and Cultural Development)
More information visit: www.australiacouncil.gov.au
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