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Suzanne Laslett
How Artists and Festivals help build our Community
When Port Adelaide Enfield’s Visitor Information
Centre allowed organiser Suzanne Laslett to put on a
small concert of Celtic music in its courtyard, there
would have been little indication how the event
might grow into a major music and art festival.
Five years later and now called the Celtica Festival,
it is a two-day celebration of the rich Celtic cultures
of Europe, Ireland and the British Isles through
music, dance and art, set in the shadows of the
historic Harts Mill. With financial support from Port
Adelaide Enfield Council among others, it attracts
more than 10,000 visitors to the City.
“Council support of this kind is absolutely essential
if events such as this are going to get off the ground,”
Suzanne says. “Without this sort of supportive
funding many community events and activities
simply wouldn’t happen.”
“It’s not just important to the artists and people
who take part,” Suzanne adds. “Arts events like this
help create communities. Without the vibrancy they
create, something in the community dies.
“We’ve shown with the Celtica Festival, just as the
city has with its biennial Port Festival – also funded
by Council, that it’s also good economically for the
City, bringing in people from other places, even
interstate, who’ve never been here before.”
The wide range of festivals on offer across the
Council during the year attracts people from all over
the city and country - as well as overseas visitors.
Both performers and participants benefit from this
mixing of influences, not to mention the economic
benefit to local businesses.
Each year Council supports a wide range of events
and individuals through its grants program, making
the city a richer, more interesting place for residents
and visitors.
Major events in the City of Port Adelaide Enfield
are able to apply each year for a Community
Development Grant of up to $5000 for “projects
that increase the skills, knowledge, awareness and
participation of the community”.
As an award-winning photographer, Suzanne has also
benefitted from one of Council’s Special Opportunity
Grants, which provide up to $300 in a three-year
period to support practising or emerging artists.
“It enabled me to enter an international photographic
festival in Victoria, which gave me a lot of exposure,”
Suzanne says. “I was showing pictures of the LeFevre
Peninsula coast and Port River, so that was a double
benefit for us.”
Council’s Director of Community Development
Louise Miller Frost says: “Our City Plan 2010-2016
sets out our aim to help residents enjoy a high level
of participation in community life and to increase
their participation in social, arts and cultural activities
and events.
“We have something special in our council area.
We have vibrant cultures from all around the world
as well as a unique Aboriginal culture. We have
events celebrating our culture and history that help
us to understand and enjoy each other. It’s all about
building and celebrating our community.
“We have some world-class artists and performers
living in our city and it is exciting to have such an
opportunity to experience the quality of events,
exhibitions and performances we might otherwise
expect to find in the cultural capitals of the world,”
Louise says. “It’s our secret - but we need to shout it
from the rooftops.
“The events and artistic endeavours supported by
Council enable up-and-coming artists and performers
to develop their skills in the creative community of
Port Adelaide Enfield, and for established artists to
practise their crafts and contribute to our community.
“The community as a whole benefits from both of
these processes and from being able to be part of it.
It’s part of what makes our City such a great place in
which to live, work and play.”
A Great Place to Live,Work & Play