Photo caption: A further expansion is on the cards for the Armidale Aboriginal Cultural Centre & Keeping Place thanks to a $249,634 State Government grant, Bob Blair, left, Nick Levy, Reece Shumack, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Ben Franklin, SSI Ignite Program Lead Maggie Cairns, SSI Ignite Program Facilitator Adam Spencer and Cultural Centre & Keeping Place Managing Director Rose Lovelock.
Monday, 20 February 2023
THE Armidale Region Aboriginal Cultural Centre & Keeping Place will shortly undergo another major expansion after receiving a $249,634 State Government grant to expand its operations and ignite local Aboriginal business talent in the region.
Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Ben Franklin announced the funding recently under the NSW Community and Place program.
Mr Marshall said the funding would go toward building a purpose-built workshop which will facilitate SSI’s Ignite Small Business Start-ups program, aimed at providing local Aboriginal job seekers with the skills to set up their own business.
“New life has been breathed into the Cultural Centre & Keeping Place since Rose Lovelock and the new board has taken the reigns and this funding will allow the centre to further extend its reach into the local Aboriginal community,” Mr Marshall said.
“This new facility will be the only one of its kind in the region, focussed exclusively on helping aspiring Aboriginal entrepreneurs achieve their goals and aspirations.
“I look forward to the build getting underway and the next generation of Aboriginal business owners being supported.”
Armidale Region Aboriginal Cultural Centre & Keeping Place Managing Director Rose Lovelock said the initiative would support and empower entrepreneurs with tailored support and training in a dedicated space.
“We’re very much looking forward to offering participants the opportunity to achieve greater economic stability in a way that is flexible and welcoming to people from all walks of life,” Mrs Lovelock said.
“This is not just about economic outcomes, it is about creating an environment where people can develop the confidence and knowledge to achieve greater self-determination.”
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Ben Franklin said the Community and Place funding program was delivering tangible local benefit while also recognising that Aboriginal communities have the solutions to issues in their community.
“This is a terrific and unique program that will put important funding in the hands of Aboriginal groups who best know how to bring about improvements and opportunities for their community,” Mr Franklin said.