Creativity comes in a surprising range of shapes and sizes in Australia and is often the inspiration behind people becoming involved in their local community. This year, Sensis is celebrating the contribution creative Australians, such as Wallabadah resident Tania Hartigan, have made to their communities through the arts by featuring them on the cover of the 2009/10 Yellow Pages® and White Pages® directories.

Tania was thrilled to learn she would appear on the cover of the Tamworth directory after being nominated by members of the local community to represent the entire region as the epitome of this year’s theme – Creative Australians: Inspiring our Communities.

As president of the Wallabadah Arts Group and a member of the Liverpool Plains Arts Council, Tania voluntarily coordinates several festivals and workshops throughout the year – most notably the ‘Arts & All That Jazz’ festival. The festival is an annual event and features professional artists from all over the state who come and host art workshops for the community.

Tania works with local schools including Brewarrina Central, Coonamble High and Quirindi High, helping children with disabilities to learn literacy, numeracy and of course, the arts. Tania is also actively involved with Quirindi High School’s Aboriginal Dance Group and she regularly takes students to art galleries throughout the region.

“I think it’s important for people living in rural NSW to have an access point to the arts. I try to inspire an appreciation of the arts in the community, particularly amongst our youth who have benefited from the programs organised such as the cartooning workshops and a puppet theatre company who came in to teach school children about puppetry,” Tania said.

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 Tania 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™ 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.”

“Tania 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.

Tania replaces Ben Davies on the cover of the Tamworth directory, who was featured last year as part of the Celebrating Australian Flavour theme.

With the 2009/10 Yellow Pages® and White Pages® directory commencing distribution on Saturday 31 January, 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 services, 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.

About Sensis

Sensis is Telstra's advertising business and Australia's leading directories information resource, helping Australians find, buy and sell. Sensis delivers innovative and integrated local search and digital marketing solutions via print, online, voice and mobile channels to connect Australians 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Sensis' powerful, multi-channel portfolio provides an unparalleled local information source incorporating the White Pages® and Yellow Pages® directories; the MediaSmart digital advertising business; the Whereis® digital mapping business; the Citysearch® entertainment and lifestyle website; the sensis.com.au search engine; the 1234 operator-assisted, premium voice information service; and the accommodation website gostay.com.au. Sensis is also a partner in some of China's most popular websites including real estate and home furnishings website, SouFun.com; auto websites Autohome.com and Che168.com; and digital devices websites IT168.com and PCPop.com.cn.