Page 60 - Tropic Magazine Issue 11

Lifestyle
Culture

Building cultural capital
New opportunities on bigger
stages are emerging for
Cairns creatives, as JUTE’s
Peta Cooke explains.
Twenty years ago,
you couldn’t make a
professional career
in theatre here in
Cairns. If you were a
young thespian or
hopeful theatre
maker, you had no
choice but to leave
for the big smoke.
But now, like much
of our evolving economy, we are seeing
Cairns emerge as the regional cultural capital
of Queensland.
More creative professionals are choosing to
make Cairns home, organisations like JUTE
Theatre Company are going strong after for more regionally based
decades in operation and local infrastructure creatives to be given career
provided by investment in the arts is all development opportunities
combining to give Cairns an incredible at national standard level.
outlook to the future. With the Cairns For regional artists like me
Performing Arts Centre almost here and the to uphold performance
imminent renovation of the Centre of standards and values, we
Contemporary Arts, the theatre sector in need to remain part of that
Cairns can celebrate the achievements of national conversation and
artists like myself as a culmination of market Cairns Performing Arts Centre is nearing completion sustain our immersion in
forces that help to make our careers a the leading-edge landscape.
possibility here in Cairns. extra time, securing a long-strived-for Given our geographical isolation, it’s easy to
The Longest Minute victory against the Brisbane Broncos. let the tyranny of distance breed
I’m about to spend a month in Brisbane as Written by Robert Kronk and Nadine complacency. But now we have some huge
Assistant Director on JUTE’s next main stage McDonald-Dowd and directed by Bridget opportunities on the table for us to take
play called The Longest Minute, which will open Boyle, The Longest Minute is about Jess, who advantage of.
in Cairns on May 4 before touring down the was born on the night North Queensland This opportunity to play with the major
east coast, culminating in a 4-week season at made its NRL debut in Townsville. theatre companies is a definite cultural
QPAC. This is a shining example of the With a good deal of footy talent herself, Jess strategy for regional stories to be
growth and potential for career advancement confronts a series of challenges and represented on a bigger stage. It’s not the
we’re now seeing in Cairns. knock-backs, somewhat paralleling the first time for Cairns, but I would hope my
The Longest Minute, a co-production with Cowboys own history, as she sets out to fulfil career forms part of an identified shift
DeBase Productions and Queensland her dreams and that of her team in what is where we see theatre being produced here
Theatre, spoke to me on so many levels. It’s a an essentially male-dominated sport. that gains national attention. Alongside our
quintessential North Queensland tale, New opportunities sporting and economic credentials, growth
focusing on a family of North Queensland Jess’ journey holds parallels for regional in our creative sector would add another
Cowboy diehards whose lives lead to the creatives, the underdogs of the national feather in our collective cap.
moment their beloved co-captain Jonathan scene. I carved out the opportunity to be MORE: jute.com.au
Thurston kicks a field goal in golden point Assistant Director by highlighting the need

Mapping our cultural DNA details for inclusion in the website. “We want
this site to be our region’s primary resource
Local artists can now add their services for the arts community and for anyone
to a new interactive website aimed at wishing to connect with arts professionals or
mapping the region’s many cultural explore arts assets in Cairns,” he said.
assets. The Cairns Arts and Culture Map “If you’re a visual artist, designer,
displays the locations of arts spaces, performer, filmmaker, music teacher,
public art pieces and places of historical photographer or part of a cultural group,
significance. In a boost for creatives, it please take a moment to visit the website to
also includes the contact details of add your listing."
professional artists and arts-based The website is a key element of Council’s
businesses located in the Cairns region. five-year Strategy for Culture and the Arts
Mayor Bob Manning encouraged local 2022.
cultural organisations, artists and
creative industry workers to submit their MORE: cairnsartsandculturemap.com.au