Community gains from grants

KATINA CURTIS

CULTURAL activities in Kiama have been given a boost with the council approving the latest round of cultural grants at its August meeting.

The 1st Kiama Scout Group has been given $1750 to paint a mural on the internal walls of their scout hall.

Acting group leader Colin Booth said the idea of creating a mural had come up because the hall was in need of painting anyway.

The mural would celebrate the worldwide centenary of scouting and next year's centenary of scouts in Australia.

The scouts' president, Sue Leppan, said: "The idea is to engage a local community artist to engage with the kids and talk to them about what scouting is about and hopefully get hold of older scouting members in Kiama as well."

She said they would start the process of recruiting an artist in the next few weeks and the painting would probably happen early next year.

Another grant recipient was Dennis Koks, who will use the money to help put on An Evening with Alex Buzo at the Christ Anglican Church in Kiama on October 13.

He described the event as "my attempt to remember my friend", saying it would involve a multimedia presentation and staged readings from two of Mr Buzo's plays.

The $1000 grant will be mainly used to pay for actors Sandy Gore, Bill Conn and Emma Buzo and director Aarne Neeme to come from Sydney to perform.

Local actors Will Worthington, Steve Warwick and Bill Chalmers will also perform and Steve Holland will narrate the evening.

"The idea is that we're presenting something that hasn't happened in Kiama before and it's going to be a great thrill for local theatre lovers to see and hear some of the finest actors in Australia," Mr Koks said.