White Pages Covers Program

Creative Australian Sue Rider recognised for inspiring Brisbane

August 13, 2009

Brisbane is a thriving hub of activity for the culturally-inclined, delivering a mixture of exhibition spaces, street art sculptures and world-class music and theatre events. So when it came time to choose a face to feature on the cover of the 2009/10 Brisbane White Pages^® directory under this year’s theme Creative Australians: Inspiring Our Communities, Sensis was spoilt for choice.

 Gracing the cover of the Brisbane White Pages® Directory is respected theatre director and writer Sue Rider, who is the chair of Backbone Youth Arts. The initiative provides Brisbane's youth with a culturally rich arts experience, and is comprised of members up to 26 years of age. Backbone works alongside government, community service organisations, arts organisations and the private sector to generate creative activities and events for its members and recently undertook a ground-breaking collaboration with Opera Queensland and the Queensland Music Festival to produce Dirty Apple, a youth opera created by, with and for young people.

A long-time advocate of Brisbane theatre, Sue enjoys sharing the benefits of her experience through teaching, mentoring young people and working with emerging professionals to build their theatre skills. Sue also creates contemporary theatre about people whose stories are not usually represented in mainstream media and her music theatre work The Pink Twins, written with composer John Rodgers about the lives of Brisbane occupational therapists Dorothy and Moyia O’Brien, was another recent hit at the Queensland Music Festival.

"Brisbane is a rich source of stories and theatre talent and it's always been a passion of mine to create projects that enrich and inform the whole community. Such work helps bring our city to the forefront of cultural events in the country. I believe in pushing the boundaries in terms of form and content. My association with Backbone allows me to extend this goal within the context of a younger generation."

Prior to Backbone, Sue was artistic director of La Boite Theatre, where, amongst other initiatives, she gave disadvantaged members of the community the opportunity to experience the performing arts by offering free performances to the unemployed.

Group Manager, White Pages^®, Jane Blackley, said the theme Creative Australians: Inspiring our Communities provided Sensis with a great opportunity to recognise Australians who are helping to build stronger community relationships through their advocacy of the arts.

 “Right across the country, there are people like Sue making amazing contributions to their communities through the arts so this year we thought we would put the spotlight on them by featuring them on the cover of the Yellow Pages^® and White Pages^® directories.

 “Whether it’s performing, teaching, hosting exhibitions, raising money or administering arts programs, this year’s cover subjects are all dedicated to establishing ways for local people to become involved in the arts and to share and develop their creativity.

 “Sue is a fine example of a creative Australian who, through a love of the arts, is helping to inspire others and foster art and culture in the local community,” Ms Blackley said. 

 Sue Rider replaces Alastair McLeod on the cover of the Brisbane White Pages^® directory. Alastair appeared last year as part of the ‘Celebrating Australian Flavour’ theme.

 The 2009/10 Brisbane White Pages^® is one of the first directories to feature a new-look format, which sees Sue’s image used across the entire cover. The new format will be implemented across all White Pages^® and co-bound Yellow Pages^® and White Pages^® directories throughout the country.

 With the 2009/10 White Pages^® directory commencing distribution on Saturday 15 August 2009, Ms Blackley encouraged residents and businesses to recycle their old directories.

 “In most areas, Yellow Pages^® and White Pages^® directories can be recycled as part of normal kerbside recycling service, but if people are unsure they can log onto www.recyclingnearyou.com.au to find out about recycling services available in their local area,” she said.