▁the ▁South ▁ ▁Orig ins ▁The ▁idea ▁for ▁the ▁South ▁Project ▁emer ged ▁in ▁the ▁after math ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁Melbourne ▁Visual ▁Arts ▁B ienn ial . ▁While ▁the ▁bien n ial ▁was ▁designed ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁on going ▁feature ▁of ▁Melbourne ' s ▁visual ▁arts ▁calendar , ▁lack ▁of ▁support ▁from ▁particip ating ▁countries ▁meant ▁it ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁continue . ▁Consider ation ▁was ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁model ▁of ▁Br is b ane ' s ▁Asia - P ac ific ▁Tri enn ial ▁of ▁Contempor ary ▁Art , ▁which ▁used ▁a ▁regional ▁focus ▁to ▁gain ▁profile . ▁The ▁concept ▁of ▁a ▁southern ▁focus ▁emer ged ▁through ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁meet ings ▁held ▁over ▁ 2 0 0 1 – 2 0 0 2 ▁at ▁the ▁Australian ▁Centre , ▁University ▁of ▁Melbourne . ▁ ▁The ▁Director ▁of ▁C raft ▁Victoria , ▁Kevin ▁Murray , ▁developed ▁the ▁South ▁Project ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁with ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁Australia ▁Council ' s ▁Visual ▁Arts ▁C raft ▁Str ategy ▁and ▁My er ▁Foundation . ▁The ▁idea ▁was ▁first ▁introduced ▁with ▁the ▁" B et ween ▁You ▁and ▁Me " ▁sym pos ium ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁which ▁featured ▁stories ▁about ▁Australian ▁craft ▁pract ition ers ▁working ▁with ▁traditional ▁communities ▁in ▁Ern abel la , ▁Ti wi ▁Islands , ▁East ▁Tim or ▁and ▁Gu jar at . ▁On ▁ 2 ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁the ▁My er ▁Foundation ▁hosted ▁a ▁meeting