Indigenous artist honoured for lifetime achievements

Renaissance man, Richard Frankland, has been recognised with the Australia Council for the Arts’ 2007 Ros Bower award for his innovative leadership and significant artistic contributions, which have focused on reconciliation and social justice.

Arts Minister Peter Garrett presented the award at a ceremony held at the Australia Council in celebration of Richard Frankland’s achievements within the community as an Indigenous filmmaker, writer and musician.

Throughout his prolific artistic career, Richard has provided a thought provoking Indigenous perspective through his stories, songs, documentaries and films to educate the wider Australian population on Indigenous issues in Australia.

Australia Council chief executive officer Kathy Keele said Richard has continually demonstrated a willingness to guide, mentor and lead people from diverse ages and gender to achieve the best they can in their chosen fields.

'Richard’s life commitment to invigorate and activate change within the community through reconciliation, social justice, arts and culture, exemplifies the very essence of the Ros Bower Award’.

‘He has achieved this through his effortless leadership qualities, which inspire others to aim for excellence,' she said.

A Gunditijmara man from Victoria, Richard has written, directed and produced a wide range of video, documentary, film projects and stage productions.

His acclaimed short films Harry's War and the Cannes selected and AFI Award winning No Way To Forget are among numerous projects that have been screened at national and international film festivals.

Richard has worked in television as a director and as a documentary maker, with After Mabo and the Convincing Grounds, which documented the yearnings of Aboriginal people to preserve important historical sites and a cultural heritage.

He has directed episodes of the highly acclaimed award winning SBS Indigenous drama series The Circuit in Broome and episodes of the Channel Nine Disney children's series Double Trouble in Sydney. He has also written and directed two documentaries, One and Diverse and The Innocents, and directed several episodes of the drama series Blue Heelers.

In 2007, Richard released his debut novel Digger J Jones, a story about a young Aboriginal boy growing up in Victoria in 1967, the year of the referendum.

He has also toured nationally with his band The Charcoal Club as a singer, and his music has featured on the soundtracks to many of his films.

Most recently Richard directed his debut feature film – To hell and back – starring Luke Carroll and Leon Burchill.

The $50,000 Ros Bower Award is offered annually by the Australia Council to recognise distinguished effort in fostering and furthering the principles advocated by Rosalie (Ros) Bower, founding director of the Australia Council’s community arts board. It is one of Australia's most coveted prizes for community arts and cultural practitioners artists.

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