Eyre, Western and Far North

Ms Cindy Durant

Ms Durant is a well known contemporary glass artist and jeweller who, since 1995, has lived on a remote property on the far west coast of the Western Eyre Peninsula that is completely run on solar, wind power and rain water.

Cindy currently works from her home studio running an art based business making and selling unique glass work and jewellery pieces throughout Australia and the world. She works in many mediums and teaches both at her studio and abroad.

Cindy’s work is held in private collections in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Germany, USA and Japan with two pieces of glass in Buckingham Palace.

Ms Jenny Silver

Ms Silver is a community artist based in Port Lincoln and has been involved in various collaborative murals. She was a Committee Member of the City of Port Lincoln’s Public Art Policy.

After completing a Bachelor of Visual Arts and studying Horticulture in Adelaide Jenny lived and worked in various Aboriginal Communities in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Over the past 20 years she has developed and delivered art workshops for school and community groups. Jenny is currently the Coordinator of Port Lincoln High School’s Aboriginal Arts Program and is committed to creating site specific art work that creatively engages the community.

Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island

Ms Lucia Pilcher

Ms Pichler has worked extensively in the cultural heritage sector, in regional South Australia, Western Australia, Timor Leste and Mongolia. As Director of Riddoch Art Gallery, Lucia managed a significant art collection, and at both the Riddoch and Port Pirie Regional Art Galleries, developed exhibition and public programs, provided opportunities for the participation of regional artists in interesting, exciting and prominent projects.

Previous to her experience in cultural heritage Lucia worked as a community artist, taught art history and theory at tertiary level, and as an arts administrator.

Lucia studied painting and printmaking at the National Art School in Darlinghurst, Sydney, followed by obtaining a BA in Visual Art from the SA School of Art, University of South Australia. She recently completed a Graduate Diploma of Psychology from the University of Adelaide.

Barossa, Yorke and Mid North

Ms Deb Tregilgas

Ms Tregilgas is a practising ARTS teacher with a focus on Special Needs students and a long history of performing arts in schools. Deb has a history of performing, directing, producing and writing for the stage in regional South Australia from Port Augusta to Kangaroo Island, the Clare Valley and Port Pirie, her home of the last 20 years.

She is currently developing her skills in photography and watercolours, and, is a community member of the Port Pirie Council Public Arts Space Committee.

Ms Danielle Edwards

Ms Edwards is a South Sea Islander woman and a recent business graduate with a major in marketing, who is currently studying for her Master of Gastronomic Tourism with Le Cordon Bleu. She is a freelance consultant specialising in customer relationship management, project management and business services and is currently the Executive Officer for Barossa Food, as well as being contracted by Regional Development Australia Barossa to work with small businesses and food sector projects in the region.

Danielle brings a vibrant energy and willingness to projects that present opportunities for co-creating value between stakeholder groups working towards a greater objective. Collaboration and diversification, of skills and abilities towards a common goal are where the real catalysts for change live.

Riverland

Mr Michael Harris

Mr Harris was previously a member of the Riverland/Mallee Country Arts Board.

Mr Harris is a well known Indigenous dancer and artist across the Murray and Mallee region of South Australia.

He was a member of the Festivals Australia Commonwealth Funding Committee for six years and has previously been a Board Member and Tutor for the Riverland Youth Theatre.

Sonya Altschwager

Sonya is the Business & Events Manager for the Loxton Chamber of Commerce and has been since 2010. She is passionate about small business and supporting local so regional towns not only survive but thrive. With a Graduate Diploma in Tourism (Festival & Event Design and Management) from Flinders University her career has been centred on sales, marketing and events in management roles within the hospitality industry including Stamford Grand Hotel Adelaide, Barossa Valley Resort and SAPMEA Conventions.

She is involved in many local events including the town’s major event of the year Loxton Light Up Day and Arts on Terrace.  Tourism and events provide significant economic benefits and Sonya believes the arts play a vital role in underpinning both, as well as providing many other broad based benefits within communities.

Limestone Coast

Toni Vorenas

Toni graduated from University with a Bachelor in Education. She went on to complete her Masters in Administration and a post Grad in Neuroscience and Learning. Her teaching career spanned almost 30 years. She has written a number of plays, two of which were performed at Festival Theatre.

Toni has held many leadership positions in the education system. Had planned to teach part-time in 2010 to do some further study and research in the area of ‘neuroscience and learning’ but instead took a one year leave of absence to help her husband establish a coffee shop. That year rolled into 8 years.

In 2013 Toni officially resigned from the Education department to focus her energy on Metro Bakery & Café. Metro started with 3 staff, including Toni and has now grown to 45 staff across two sites. Toni remains passionate about learning and remains a passionate advocate for youth.

Tom Davidson

Enamoured with fish and the water since early childhood, artist and keen outdoorsman Tom Davidson, continued his studies of Fisheries Biology at Humboldt State University in the Pacific Northwest of California where he took a keen interest in sustainable fisheries management and Ichthyology; the study of fish identification, form and function.

Upon graduation of the 5 year course, including a minor in Graphic Design, he returned home to Australia to work in the Fisheries Research and Aquaculture Industry in NSW and QLD for three years prior to moving to Robe, SA.

In 2014, Tom returned to University to study a Bachelor of Education of Science and Art. Now a teacher at a rural area school, Tom has managed to merge several of his passions together to create an educational philosophy that advocates a connection with the environment, the use of sustainable practices, and embracing creativity by teaching what he likes to call ‘The Art of Science’.