Inducted in 2011 for services to: Arts and media.
Born: 16 Aug 1966 {asset_metadata_roll.birth.in.on} Ulverstone, Tasmania
Kim Schneiders was taken ‘home’ to the Netherlands by her Dutch parents when she was quite young, where they visited galleries and saw Dutch masterpieces.
Kim worked as an arts teacher, arts education consultant and arts project manager who has dedicated an extraordinary amount of time and energy to ensuring the arts vision – particularly for young people and those with disabilities – comes to life.
She began developing arts programs for students with disabilities at St George’s Special School, for which she won a National Excellence in Teaching Award. Kim used the $5000 award to establish the Interweave Arts Association.
Interweave is a not-for-profit community arts organisation with a strong educational and community focus. Interweave has provided a vehicle for numerous arts projects and events in the Launceston area.
After Interweave, Kim instigated the Esk Market, a weekly market for promoting arts and culture in the community. She also co-founded the Streets Alive Youth Arts Festival.
In 2008, as part of the Community Achievement Awards, Kim won the Qew Orchards Outstanding Achiever Award. Kim received $1000 which she again returned to community arts projects. Up until this point, Kim had volunteered more than 9000 hours to the arts and community.
Kim has supported numerous arts projects including: Stompin Youth Dance Company; Tasmanian Regional Arts; Art in Public Spaces; Arts Tasmania, Arts Alive and Arts Roar, an arts access and support program for artists with disabilities. Many of these projects have involved hundreds and even thousands of participants and provided employment for local artists and arts workers.
Kim has developed broad networks in various sectors to bring people together to creatively address community issues. In 2009, Kim was a Local Hero Award finalist in the Australian of the Year Awards.