The central and south-eastern Queensland regions will reap the rewards of Regional Centre of the Arts (RCotA) funding through two Central Queensland University projects next year.

Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music’s Glenn Hodges and Honorary Professor Ross Quinn (retired ABC Regional Manager) were successful in receiving almost $45,000 in funding to help produce the 2006 Jazz Tour which will provide free jazz concerts to Mackay, Emerald, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Noosa and the Gold Coast. Dates are yet to be confirmed.

The concerts will be produced in coordination with ABC Local Radio, while internationally acclaimed artist and clinician, Dr Michael Davidson will work with the director of the CQCM Jazz Orchestra, Derrin Kerr to prepare the bands.

Although a headline act is yet to be announced, the tours will feature EL Loco – CQCM’s Latin band, a jazz staff ensemble, Ujump – a jump and jive band, and the CQCM Jazz Orchestra.

The latest project to receive RCotA funding is CQU’s Dr Ashley Holmes’ Inverse Blink – a series of three experimental movies concerned with natural environment site investigation and with reconciliation and conservation themes. Dr Holmes’ was successful in receiving almost $4500 to pursue the project.

The movies will be presented via wall-mounted, wide-format LCD display screens coupled with CamerMouse technology and computer-processed software artwork uniquely programmed for hands-free interactive variation triggered by the movements of viewers in proximity of screens.

Inverse Blink exhibitions are planned for Bundaberg in December, followed by Rockhampton, Gladstone and Mackay next year.

Photo: Sharny Russell, Glen Hodges, Don Rader, Derrin Kerr and Grace Knight featured during the 2003 ABC Radio jazz tour of Queensland.