MEDIA RELEASE
Richard Frankland a last minute addition to Clunes Booktown Festival
28 April 2016
Richard Frankland MA has been announced as a last minute addition to the Clunes Booktown
Festival program this weekend, Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1.
Stan Grant was due to speak until the news broke this week that he has been appointed to the
Prime Minister of Australia’s Referendum Council on constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples. Unfortunately for Festival-goers this means he now has new
commitments that he must attend to across the Festival weekend.
This meant fast thinking by Festival organisers to find a replacement for Stan’s much anticipated
talk on Saturday.
The Festival’s Artistic Director Ailsa Brackely du Bois says asking Richard Frankland to speak
was a natural choice.
“Richard Frankland is one of Australia’s most experienced Aboriginal singer/songwriters, authors,
playwrights and film makers. While we were all looking forward to hearing Stan speak of
his experience shaping the Aboriginal rights agenda in Australia, Richard is also an influential
figure in this same political landscape. We are delighted he can join us.”
Richard is a proud Gunditjmara man, and was nominated for Australian of the Year in 2011 and
2013. In 2013, he was also named as finalist in the category of the Human Rights Medal for the
Australian Human Rights Commission Awards, for his 30 years of commitment to Indigenous
Issues through Film, Theatre, Music and Community Capacity Building.
Richard is also an acclaimed musician whose music features on the soundtracks to many of his
films. In 1991 his first band DJAAMBI supported PRINCE on his Australian Tour.
Richard will be speaking with Dr Sean Gorman of Curtin University at 2.30pm this Saturday 30th
April in Clunes’ St Thomas Aquinas Church.
Following Richard’s talk is the former Premier of Queensland, Anna Bligh, who’ll be speaking
about her memoir, Through the Wall: Reflections on Leadership, Love and Survival’, in conversation
with Hon Lisa Neville MP, while more than 40 other authors will speak across the weekend,
including Andrew Chapman, Peter Yeldham OAM and Toni Jordan.
Festival-goers can enjoy the largest collection of rare, out-of-print, collectable and second-hand
books in Australia; the biggest Kids Village yet, a State Library of Victoria cartography exhibition,
and more.
Festival Passes are $10 and are available at the event or at www.trybooking.com/KSVJ. Children
14 years and under are free.
For interview or comment, please contact Clunes Booktown Festival Publicist Emily Osmond at
media@clunesbooktown.com.au or on 0400 152 709.

And here is what the press said:

http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/3881041/festival-the-stuff-of-fiction-gallery/

Koorreen Enterprises are still up and running and open for bookings for all of Richards Community Capacity Building, Lateral Violence and Cultural Safety Workshops and The Charcoal Club can still be booked via the usual channels being debra@koorreen.com.au or telephone 0435 815 301.

Follow the link to a story on Richard’s Wilin role is.  http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/voice/acclaimed-indigenous-artist-joins-the-vca–mcm-20150305-3rjsw.html

Here is the link to see what the awards are all about and the other where you can have a read about the great work the other well deserved nominees have been up to.

https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/media-releases/commission-announces-business-literature-shortlist

Koorreen Enterprises is a finalist in the Business Award and Richard Frankland has been shortlisted for the Human Rights Medal.

Richard and the Koorreen Team are humbled to be named alongside such esteemed finalists who are heroes to us, their community and beyond.

Richard Frankland and the Koorreen Team applaud all those who have been nominated for taking the time to make the world that little bit better.

To read more about the awards and the the finalists click on the links below;

https://hrawards.humanrights.gov.au/human-rights-medal

https://hrawards.humanrights.gov.au/business-award

If you would like to have a look at the other works who have made the list follow the link.

http://m.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/preserving-our-culture/2071012/

Richard and The Charcoal Club will be onstage on the opening night of the Australian World Music Expo ( awme.com.au ) on Thursday November 14 2013 at the Hi Fi Club 125 Swanston Street Melbourne.

Richard will be joined on stage by;

Kavisha Mazzella

• Monica Weightman
• Andrew O’Grady
• Anthony “Tok” Norris
• Michael Havir
• Lenny Ramoskos

A great time was had by all especially at the introduction to EAGALA Therapy session where, by the look of this image, five of our work shoppers look like they are experiencing a special moment. Thank you Kelly and

Vin Gannon for hosting this session.

Richard travelled up to Sydney to receive the award along with his co awardees, Actor David Gulpilil (Red Ochre Award), Photographer Rhonda Dick (2013 Dreaming Award) and Glassworker Jenni Kemarre Martiniello (2 Year Fellowship), and announced that he will use the fellowship to write an “abridged version of Indigenous history from invasion to today”.

We will keep you posted

on his progress. In the meantime follow the link to read some more.

http://artery.australiacouncil.gov.au/2013/05/6th-annual-indigenous-arts-awards/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=6th-annual-indigenous-arts-award

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2013/02/05/3683835.htm

http://youtu.be/O5esN-BYn4Q
If you are interested in staging this play for your School, Workplace or Community Group please contact us at 0435 815 301 or email debra@koorrreenenterprises.com.au