All Australians are invited to share their stories about what art adds to their lives by adding to the What makes me website. Kicking off the site are twelve personal stories from across the spectrum, from Lote Tuquiri, Kylie Kwong and Mick Mundine through to office workers, amateur burlesque performers and stay at home parents.
From poetry to circus to classic rock... each one of these very different Australians relates to art in a unique way and has deeply personal opinions. But what they do have in common is an appreciation of how art makes them feel and think and wonder.
Part of the challenge is that for many Australians, 'the arts' is associated with images of snobbery and inaccessibility. The Australia Council, the government arts agency running the site, wants people to recognise that art comes in many forms, and that school bands, amateur comedy and circus are every bit as artistic as classical music and oil painting. By sharing their own stories, Australians will come to understand and identify the many different ways in which people can and do engage with the arts.
In addition to the videos the site encourages all Australians to ponder what sort of art makes their day, and share the message that art is all around us and comes in many forms.
On What makes me, anyone can build a 'cube' displaying their own artistic preferences….whatever they may be. Whether it's painting, music or poetry, visitors can mix and match and create as many cubes as they like. As everyone's cubes are combined, they will gradually be building Australia's largest collaborative digital artwork: a true reflection of the nation's love for art and the manner in which joy, inspiration and contentment are brought to us through the work of artists.
The What makes me site will also be available to mobile phone platforms and will incorporate an iPhone app. Users will also be able to add their cube to their Facebook page or other personal website.
Australians featured in the What Makes Me films:
* Snowy: greenkeeper, gardener, handyman, and keen bowler
* Lote Tuqiri: dual international professional footballer.
* Kylie Kwong: prominent TV cook, author, and restaurateur.
* Mick Mundine: Chief Executive Officer of the Redfern Aboriginal Housing Company.
* Jenny: retired nursing matron who lives next door to a circus.
* Bernie Hobbs: judge on ABC TV's The New Inventors and radio presenter.
* Harvey: Mayor of a seaside community.
* Gillian: a mum to two boys living in rural Australia
* Dahlia: amateur burlesque performer
* Sam: a stay at home dad with an extraordinary film watching habit
* Digby: an office boy by day and a b-boy by night.
* Cleo: a regular teenager who loves dancing, Facebook and a special book (pictured)