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The Ruby Awards 2011

 

South Australia’s arts community came together Friday night for the announcement of the 2011 Ruby award winners, celebrating the best of our State’s innovative and inspirational artistic achievements over the past year.

Premier Mike Rann said the diversity and artistic excellence of this year’s Ruby award winners is a testament to the brilliant contribution the arts make to the cultural life of South Australia.

“The Ruby awards are South Australia’s arts and cultural awards, and the winners in 2011 run the gamut from a moving and powerful documentary film dealing with the twin themes of creativity and mortality (Life in Movement by Closer Productions), to a courageous series of performances by gay and lesbian Aboriginal artists in regional Indigenous communities across the State (Out Blak Adventures),” Mr Rann said.

“Other winners include an internationally-celebrated group of chamber singers (Adelaide Chamber Singers), a unique and extremely successful festival which brings cello-lovers from around the world to Adelaide (The Adelaide International Cello Festival 2011), an inspirational collective of South Australian artists working with jewellery (Gray Street Workshop), and an Australian-first project that brought art into the daily lives of inner-Adelaide workers and residents for several weeks late last year (CACSA Contemporary 2010: The New New).

“Also winning a Ruby award this year was the COME OUT Festival Opening Parade, which demonstrated to thousands of our State’s children just how empowering art can be.”

Premier Rann said that, as well as events, festivals and organisations, the Ruby Awards honour those individuals who work so hard year-round – often in relative obscurity – to ensure South Australia continues to grow as a leader in the arts, through their creative risk-taking, imaginative leaps and innovative thinking as leaders in their fields.

“The 2011 Premier’s lifetime achievement award winner is Michael Morley, a true Renaissance man and passionate champion for the arts, who has enriched the artistic culture of South Australia and beyond for more than 30 years,” he said.

“As Professor of Drama at Flinders University, he has mentored and inspired generations of young South Australians, while also carrying on a stellar career as an extremely talented and inspired pianist and musical director.

“Pat Rix, who is a playwright, composer and national leader “Through her work as the driving force behind Tutti, Pat has succeeded in breaking down barriers and enriching the lives of hundreds of South Australians with a disability over the years.

“Stephen Phillips won the Sustained contribution by an individual category for his 20 years work shaping the State Opera of South Australia into the innovative, vibrant and internationally-recognised company it is today, as well as for his determination to open pathways for emerging artists into the world of professional opera.”

Named after the celebrated arts champion, Dame Ruby Litchfield, the Ruby awards were introduced in 2006 by the Government of South Australia and are presented by Arts SA.

Premier Rann said that the Ruby awards celebrate and acknowledge the power, importance and excellence of the art produced in our State – and how lucky we are as South Australians to have such easy access to so many inspiring, moving and diverting artistic experiences.

The 2011 Ruby award winners are:

Best work
Life in Movement by Closer Productions

Best event
The Adelaide International Cello Festival 2011

Community impact under $100,000
Out Blak Adventures

Community impact over $100,000
COME OUT Festival 2011 Opening Parade

Innovation
CACSA Contemporary 2010: The New New

Arts enterprise
Gray Street Workshop

Sustained contribution by an organisation or group
Adelaide Chamber Singers

Sustained contribution by an individual
Stephen Phillips

Geoff Crowhurst memorial award
Pat Rix

Premier’s lifetime achievement award
Michael Morley

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