Project Partners   The Asialink Centre is a non-academic department of The University of Melbourne supported by the Myer Foundation and the University of Melbourne. The Asialink Centre promotes public understanding of the countries of Asia and creates links with Asian counterparts. Asialink enables Australians to contribute to and benefit from the dynamism of Asia through three major programs: Corporate and Public Programs, the Asia Education Foundation and Arts. Asialink Arts Initiating cultural and artistic exchange between Australia and the countries of Asia Asialink Arts has been working since 1990 to promote cultural understanding, information exchange and artistic endeavour between Australia and Asian countries. To date Asialink Arts has worked with 19 countries in Asia including: Bangladesh, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Asialink Arts offers a wide range of artistic and cultural programs that enable Australians to develop their talents and experience by working in and with Asia, establishing personal contacts, on-going communication networks and further projects. Art form areas are Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Literature and Arts Management. The generous support of sponsors and organisations in Australia and Asia has been crucial to the success of all the programs in these countries.                 The Australia-Japan Foundation was established by the Australian Government under the Australia-Japan Foundation Act, 1976, with the broad objective of deepening and strengthening relations and understanding between the peoples of both countries. They achieve this by developing targeted programs and exchanges and developing and disseminating information. The Foundation consists of a Chairman and members appointed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. It has an office in Tokyo and a staffed desk in Canberra within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Foundation's activities are currently focused on updating Japanese perceptions of Australia and creating an informed constituency in Japan for Australia and the Australia-Japan relationship. The Australia Japan Foundation believes that it is important to promote contemporary images of Australia in Japan - which complement the marketing activities of Australian organisations and broaden perspectives on Australia. The Australia-Japan Art Exhibitions Program will reinforce institutional and individual linkages, lead to new partnerships in Japan, and promote Australia's image as a sophisticated country with a dynamic and exciting arts practice.                 The Australia Council is a service organisation enriching the life of the nation by supporting and promoting the arts. The Australia Council's primary responsibility is to help create an environment which encourages the creativity and development of Australian artists, and which provides greater access to arts and cultural activities for all Australians. It supports Australian artists and arts organisations to pursue artistic excellence in creating and presenting their work, to take advantage of opportunities to improve and develop their skills, and to tour and promote their work to wider audiences. It directly supports young, emerging, developing and established artists through a range of grant programs offered across all artforms, and it encourages arts and non-arts organisations to support and present artists' work, thereby expanding employment opportunities for all artists. As a national cultural agency, the Council has a unique responsibility to reflect Australia's evolving national identity to its citizens and to the world. The Council's national focus reflects the culture and creativity of both regional and urban communities, and it has a statutory obligation to ensure access to, and participation in, the arts by all Australians. The arts of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders are valued and supported; and communities across Australia are enriched by opportunities to incorporate the arts in local cultural life. The Council also maintains and develops cooperative arrangements with State and Territory arts funding authorities, local governments, and key international agencies in all its activities. The Australia Council is committed to providing the best possible system of peer-assessed funding of creative work, and will continue to ensure that creativity and excellence in the arts flourish and that all Australians have access to the arts and to the stimulation and enjoyment the arts can bring.