People,Places,Possibilities

The 13^th National Rural Health Conference was held from 24-27 May 2015 at the Darwin Convention Centre in the Northern Territory. Its theme was People, Places, Possibilities….

The National Rural Health Conference is the largest biennial event for people who want to improve the health and wellbeing of those who live in rural, regional and remote Australia.  It was an opportunity for present and future leaders of the rural and remote health sector – including its community members, health consumers and carers – to exchange information, showcase successes, promote the sector’s agenda and make useful connections.

The arts and health program featured new and original works as well as tried and tested works. Many of the artists had not performed for a large audience before and this became a professional development opportunity. The arts and health program featured:

• 223 artists were showcased and/or participated in the arts and health program. Of these, 92 were indigenous artists and 52 came from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds representing the rich and diverse ethnicities present in Darwin and the Northern Territory.
• 12 formal concurrent session presentations involving 18 presenters in the arts and health stream (in addition to 8 arts and health presentations included in other concurrent streams)
• 24 performances including 15 live music performances; 7 dance performances and 2 theatre performances