Juliette Palmer -Frederick is a creative woman of many parts. Currently writer, director,and performer for the Blue Mountains Radio Players ,like many older woman who have worked within the Arts, her experience covers many genres and her Curriculum Vitae reads like a rich tapestry of colour and texture with her past work life involving teaching,creative drama,writing,art and radio.

The Blue Mountains Radio Players was established at Leura by Juliette in 1996 and is well known throughout the area. Current plays are staged at the Mountain Heritage Hotel Katoomba.

The Radio Players have renewed the art of storytelling and brought it into the 21^st Century. Their performances and CD's reach a vast audience who have never experienced this form of entertainment. It requires listeners to think about the story and use visual imagery to create pictures in the mind.

Juliette insists we have a beautiful language which is not taught with any enthusiasm of how to speak it and relish it,or use it to great advantage. She argues a picture may be worth a thousand words but that shouldn't dismiss the thousand words from describing something for someone who doesn't or can't see the picture.

History shows storytellers were an integral part of any society. Henry Lawson's poems told a story as did his prose,so it would seem appropriate that for the 2010 Festival we have a guest story teller.

The Radio Players were invited to perform at the 2010 Festival however, several members were unable to attend for personal reasons so the event has been cancelled. However, Juliette has been invited by the Festival Committee to be Special Guest and will make an appearance at the Concert, on Friday night June 11, open the Festival on Saturday afternoon,attend the Awards Reception at the Bowling Club on Saturday night June 12 and Guinea Pig races on SundayJune13 .

 The storytelling skill also translates into the written word. Juliette has researched,written and illustrated two books, Blue Mountains Olde and New Ways Cookbook and Romancing the Inns on the Western Road. This book was a promotion for all the Inns from Emu Plains to Hartley Vale. Each Inn now has their own website which is periodically updated.

During her earlier attempts at writing Juliette was assisted by many people. One such person was Gwen Meredith of “Blue Hills' fame. Juliette recalls Gwen was always encouraging and gave her the best advice”Write about what you know. If you don't know ,find out and, listen to other people's journeys through life” We could all follow such advice.

Welcome Juliette Palmer-Frederick.

 The following updates by Coordinators give an overview of the festival planning progress.

Advertising

 Auburn Carr reports on the following

·         a lead up story on the Festival on Prime and Win News focused on new activities at the festival including Facebook

·         A TV advertisment confirmed for prime Orange

·         an article in Style Magazine confirmed

·         Radio Advertising on 2lf and Roccy confirmed

·         Rural press advertising confirmed for Yass,Cowra,Forbes,Cootamundra,Canowindra,Queanbeyan,Parkes,Grenfell,Young and internet button link including the Grenfell record website to the HLFA website.

·         The Senior  newspaper advertising confirmed

·         A Postcard is to be distributed on April 30 in WSC rates notices.An article has been sent to Grenfell record to coincide and encourage people to invest in 55 cents for Grenfell

·         Discover Central NSW will be used to feature the Festival instead of Southern Weekly

·         The Land has confirmed another feature will run Auburn is to complete the Editorial

·         The Australian Bush Poets Association magazine is calling for participants for poetry on the Boards/Poetry Slam

·         Markets and Fairs magazine is calling for Street Stalls for the Festival

 Art

The Opening of the Art Exhibition and Cocktail Party will be held at the Grenfell Art Gallery in Main Street at 7.30pm on Thursday 10th June.  All subscribers are cordially invited to attend this function.
 
A letter of subscription has been sent out to a large number of past subscribers but we welcome any person who would like to also become a subscriber to call into the Grenfell Art Gallery and pay their subscription fee and be issued with a ticket.
 
Subscriptions are $8 per person or $15 per family.  This entitles you to attend the Opening Night and also covers entry to the Art Exhibition over the whole weekend.
 
Your donation to this also supports the Festival in making extra funds available for prize money for sections of the Art and Porcelain Competition not covered by other sponsorship
 
Chris Lobb
Art Coordinator

Busking

Coordinator Robyn Murphy reports she has ordered and received all trophies,prize money and Judges have been selected.Entries have been slow up until this point but she is confident that, as in the past, numbers will increase closer to the Festival.

Children's Competition

Coordinator jenny Hetherington reports the theme for the Art will be Australian Wild flowers. Judges have already been selected. A reminder about the competition will go out to the schools by the end of the month. May responsibilities will include checking with retailers about window displays,finalising prize money,prize certificates and picking up entries from participating schools .June will see the paintings displayed in shop windows and schools notified of competition winners.

 Civic Reception Awards Evening

Coordinator Tristen Matthews and her sub- committee report on new sponsorships for this event and these include Binbilla Wines (Young), Crutchers IGA Supermarkets,Grenfell Commodities, Bromar Engineering,Don Simmers BP and Meals on Wheels and Home and Community Care Grenfell.

Details regarding catering arrangements have been discussed with the Grenfell Bowling Club. This will include a change in variety and presentation of food and wine. This could not have been done without the cooperation of Club staff and the Hospitality Class at 

the High School. Special Guest Juliette Palmer Frederick will present the Statuettes and give a short presentation.

Awards coordinators have been contacted to organise displays of their specific Award category winners.

The Grenfell HACC Centre has offered to organise tickets and catalogue printing.

Concert

Coordinator Nevin Hughes reports Bookings will again be available form Louisa's Locker. the seating plan has been organised, as is publicity and advertising. Lights and sound have also been organised and The Grenfell Cadet Unit will again perform as ushers on the night. Performing artists are a mix of both local and professional. Festival Special Guest Juliette Palmer-Frederick will make a short appearance by way of introducing her to the Festival and Grenfell community. Compere for the evening will be Artist Geoffery Graham .

Photography

 Coordinator Amy Wood reports Sponsor invoices and thanks you letters have been mailed

There will be a photography catalogue available for all entrants and Amy wants to reinforce the need for local entries. Please note these entries close Friday 21^st May.

Judging  will take place on Saturday 29^th May at the Community Hub. Amy and Tim are also looking for volunteers on this day. The day involves judging each individual entry and would be a very interesting day for photography enthusiasts. Free Morning tea and Lunch is provided. If you are interested ring Tim or Amy – 0263433226.

Sourcing volunteers also includes volunteers for the Festival weekend to man the desk. This would involve collecting entry money to the exhibition and handing out Viewers Choice competition tickets. The photographer with the most popular photo receives prize money. In addition the names of those who selected the winning photograph go into a raffle and the winner receives a print of the winning photograph.  

 Procession

 Coordinator Maurice Simpson reports a successful meeting of WSC,SES,RFS personnel was held on 14 April  to discuss management plans for the Festival/Procession. This included general safety issues and the proposal that all personnel be given clear duties and areas of responsibility by their respective senior staff. There is to be a point of registration for all floats/vehicles which will be part of the procession. This desk is to be manned by several volunteers whose names are yet to been confirmed.

Jo Wood and Pam Fletcher will canvass business houses/organisations for their support in

decorating a float for the Procession.

 Poetry on the Boards/Poetry Slam

 Now for those of you who have enjoyed watching Coordinator Carly Brown's video promoting Poetry on the Boards will agree it is a most innovative way to promote Bush Poetry and a  Poetry Slam for local teenagers who have an interest in WORDS! The video is from a selection of pictures taken at last years event as well as promotional material from Miles Merrill. Poetry Slam is actually designed for for all age groups but the Grenfell

word shop will be conducted with the cooperation of the staff and students of the Henry Lawson High School. Their assistance has been invaluable and the Committee is very interested in what these young people can achieve. Good Luck to you all.

Read about these two events in Carly's Editorial

 Short Story and Verse

Coordinator Mary Moffitt reports entries closed on the 30 March. Numbered,anonymous entries were submitted to Judges David Gilby (poetry) and Maria Simms(Short Stories).

This year 225 entries were recieved(149 in poetry and 75 in short stories)

The Poetry has already been judged while Short Stories will be judged in May.

Mary wishes to thank Sally Jackman for her assistance with entries during Mary's absence in March.

While money from entries has been already accounted ther may be some extra to be made from the anthologies at the Civic Reception. If anyone is interested pleas contact Mary Moffitt 63431575.

Window Competition

 Coordinator Elaine Needham reports all forms have been distributed to Business Houses and encouraged to enter Competition.

 Gai Lander

President