AbaF Awards 2008 in New South Wales - winners

Toyota Community Award

Above: Janine Collins, Company B; Andrew Savvas, Toyota; Tess Russo, Freehills. Photo: Fiora Sacco

Law firm Freehills and Company B won the Toyota Community Award for their partnership which creates opportunities for disadvantaged young people. Company B’s education program enables disadvantaged students to experience live theatre. The youth engagement program lets them tell their own stories and create their own productions. Freehills supports both programs and its staff are involved as role models and mentors. (This partnership is also a national finalist in the Australia Council Arts for Young People Award.)

Marsh Partnering Award

Above: David Duffield, Marsh; Karin Lorenzon, Rio Tinto; Kay Payne & Catherine Brown, The State Library of New South Wales.  Photo: Fiora Sacco

Rio Tinto and the State Library of New South Wales won the Marsh Partnering Award. Their partnership has created Indigenous Australians, a vast online resource from the library's collection of materials on Indigenous Australia.  Much of the material relating to Aboriginal languages, culture and art has never been seen before by the public.

QantasLink Regional Award

Above: Gordon McKirdy, QantasLink; Andrew Crebbin, Country Energy; Linda del Bao, Dubbo Regional Gallery.  Photo: Fiora Sacco

Country Energy and two regional art galleries (Dubbo Regional Gallery and Goulburn Regional Art Gallery) won the QantasLink Regional Award. The Country Energy Art Prize for Landscape Painting is the richest landscape prize in Australia, worth $35,000. The prize was initiated in 2003 and involves a different regional NSW gallery every year. It continues to grow, attracting 490 entries in 2007.

AbaF Giving Award

Above: Jane Haley, AbaF; David Hely, The Foundation for the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales. Photo: Fiora Sacco

The Foundation for the Historic Houses Trust of NSW won the AbaF Giving Award, which is presented to an arts organisation for a successful fundraising program.  The Glenfield Appeal raised over $400,000 to save the endangered Glenfield house in Casula. Glenfield is the most intact house in NSW from the Macquarie period (1810-21) but had been vacant and neglected. The house has now been conserved, and the Historic Houses trust is negotiating a 99-year lease.

The Australia Council Arts for Young People Award - national finalist

Above: Tess Russo, Freehills; Jane Haley, AbaF; Brenna Hobson, Company B. Photo: Fiora Sacco

Freehills and Company B are one of three national finalists in this category.  They are changing the possibilities for young people at risk, by delivering a Youth Engagement Program to disadvantaged schools and for those who are homeless, drug addicted and isolated. Participants are encouraged to tell their own stories and create a theatrical production staged before a live audience at Company B.  (This partnership also won the Toyota Community Award in NSW)