CLOSING DATE
15 JULY 2004
For further information Leighton Elliot Community Cultural Development Board Ph 02 9215 9025 Email l.elliot@ozco.gov.au Toll free 1800 226 912
Ros Bower Memorial Award	$50,000
Purpose
This annual award is offered by the Community Cultural Development Board (CCDB), and the Ros Bower Memorial Trust, to an artsworker or artist with a proven record of high achievement in the field of community cultural development. It aims to recognise distinguished effort in fostering and furthering the philosophies and principles espoused by Rosalie Bower, founding director of the Community Arts Board, the precursor to the Community Cultural Development Board.
“For us, the only hope is for the arts to become part of the everyday lives of a majority and not a minority of the people.” – Ros Bower (1923-1980)
Ros Bower
Ros Bower was a driving force in the development and support of community arts; she is fondly referred to as ‘the architect of community arts’ in Australia. In 1979, she wrote: “The arts should not be seen to be incarcerated in respectability. Nor should they be isolated, physically or psychologically, from the broader concept of the people’s culture: leisure, sport, shopping, recreation, parks and gardens, activities associated with the environment and the national heritage, and the world of work and commerce. In Australia especially, without the massive backup of a visible historical culture, the arts must be integrated or they may perish.” Ros began her working life as a cadet journalist and feature writer at the Sydney Morning Herald and later in television as a producer. She joined the then Australia Council for the Arts as a policy officer and quickly identified an enormous area of arts activities in Australia not qualifying for arts subsidies. She became a passionate advocate for what was to become known as community arts. In 1974, Ros moved to Melbourne to establish and manage an office for the Council and became involved in the Victorian arts community. Returning to Sydney, she was chosen to head the new Community Arts Board. She argued for cultural democracy and the right of all Australians to have access to the arts. Failing health forced her early retirement late in 1979, and she died in May 1980. Following her death, her colleagues were inspired to establish this award in her memory and paid her this tribute: “To all her activities Ros brought energy, humour, intelligence and unflagging commitment. In her 10 years’ association with the Australia Council she was responsible for the development of a great deal of visionary policy. Most significantly, she provided the terms of reference within which the Community Arts Program, and later the Community Arts Board, would function. “Ros’s forceful intellect, her capacity to articulate both philosophical perspectives and practical applications, her own personal standards and high aspirations for the community arts field, have provided a firm base on which community arts in Australia have developed.”

Who may nominate
Nominations will be accepted from organisations and individuals. This Award is open only to individual artists and artsworkers, who must be nominated by other people. Artists or artsworkers may not nominate themselves.
Selection criteria
In selecting a nominee to honour with this award the Community Cultural Development Board, assisted by the Ros Bower Memorial Trust, will take into account: · sustained commitment and dedication to community cultural development · artistic leadership · a substantial body of work which has resulted in an improved quality of life in a particular community or communities · innovative contribution to extending the range and scope of community cultural development.
How to apply
The award is not project based and, therefore, is not given to assist any particular project, program or intended activity. Nominations should comprise: · a letter from the nominator explaining the reasons for their nomination (related to the selection criteria) · letters of support · the nominee’s curriculum vitae · any two of the following: slides/photographs (no more than ten of each); portfolio; VHS video cassette; CD; audio cassette; publication. Total written material should not exceed 15 pages. Please ensure that all supporting material is clearly labelled and briefly explains how this material is relevant to the nominee’s past work. Applications close on 15 July 2004 and must be postmarked no later than this date. The CCDB and the Trust reserve the right not to make an award in any year.
Past winners
1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988	Domenic Mico Margaret Walker Gil Weaver Ian & Narelle Reece Joan Campbell Vivienne Binns Peter Hicks Flying Fruit Fly Circus	1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996	Robin Laurie Paddy Garritty Garage Graphix Komninos Zervos Ken Conway Maud Clark Marla Guppy Margaret Fischer	1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003	Don Mamouney Peter Winkler Ruby Red Sally Marsden Cath Cantlon Scott Rankin Neal Price