Future Plus….. Dreams and Other Ideas – NSW Museums & Galleries Planning Day

Amanda Lawson presents survey research to NSW museum and gallery representatives.

Monday 20th June was a very busy day at Museums & Galleries NSW's office with over thirty people from across NSW coming together to look at future plans for the sector. Representatives from regional galleries, regional museums, volunteer managed museums, state government, cultural centres that incorporate a range of activities including museums, galleries, local history research not for profit organisations, Artist Run Initiatives

The first half of the day was a presentation and workshop by Professor Amanda Lawson (University of Wollongong), Professor Shirley Veitch (Swinburne Universit of Technology), Deborah Ely (Bundanon Trust) and Amanda Reynolds who are part of the team currently undertaking work for Arts NSW on a Strategic Plan for the Visual Arts and Museum Sector for more information on the background to this project, please go to the Arts NSW website here.

The project is being undertaken by a six person team and aims to provide preliminary recommendations to Arts NSW about how best to support the museum and gallery sector over the next 5-10 years, including key priorities and approaches to sector support. Their work has included:

• A literature review of national and international issues and trends
• Phone interviews from key representatives of the industry
• Distributing and analysing a survey with the sector focusing on 10 key areas (provided in online and hardcopy formats to over 600 organisations across NSW)
• Collating written submissions
• Presentation of the workshop on 20 June for feedback on the survey and input into the future of the sector

The final report is due with ArtsNSW on July 15th 2011

Amanda's team received over 200 responses to the survey with the majority being filled out online. The regional community were well represented in the responses with 74% of respondents being from regional areas. Over 30% of responses came from historical societies with museums with a further 20% from museums, just over 10% from regional museums and just under 10% from regional galleries. Over 40% of respondents were managed by volunteer committees, 20% local government, 15% incorporated associations and 5% state government. The majority of respondents were from well established organisations with just under 45% being established between 1961 and 1990. The team has found that there are a variety of needs and focus across NSW, which reflect the diversity of organisations that make up the museum and gallery sector within NSW.

Following Amanda's presentation on the outcomes of the survey the group were divided into four teams and Professor Veitch led a session workshopping a purpose statement for the gallery and museum sector in NSW. This was a really interesting approach to strategic planning that asked participants to step outside their specific organisations and look more broadly at how the museum and gallery sector is perceived and what it should broadly focus on in the next five years. Shirley asked participants to look at:

• Inspirational dream (why we exist)
• Spirit (who we are)
• Beliefs (what we stand for)
• Attributes (our character)
• Greatest imaginable challenge (what we are going to achieve over the next 5 years)
• Focus (what we'll focus on)

The outcomes of this session will feed into the work Amanda et al will present to Arts NSW on 15th July.

Following this, Michael Rolfe presented the preliminary work on M&G NSW's 2012-2014 strategic plan to members of M&G NSW's three reference committees (Visual Arts Reference Committee, Museums Reference Committee and Volunteer Reference Committee), including an outline of the proposed new staff structure. We also presented a series of ideas for possible workshops and seminars over the next three years to get a sense of priority areas for ongoing learning within the sector.

If you would like more information about our future planning please contact Michael Rolfe on 9358 1760 or free call 1800 114 311

Delivering the NSW Aboriginal Art Prize 2010 Exhibition to Shoalhaven

Last Wednesday, Sarah-Jane Rennie and myself day-tripped down to Shoalhaven City Arts Centre and met with Tracey Glenn (Manager of the Arts Centre) and her lovely team to assist with the upcoming Parliament of NSW Aboriginal Art Prize 2010. In the midst of intense winds and chilly weather, we conveniently took refuge in the gallery and the Centre’s brand new dedicated arts storage room (and had the great privilege of breaking in the heating/temperature control system!).

We spent the day assessing the packaging and condition of the artworks included in the touring exhibition – 43 works from 37 different Aboriginal artists working across a range of mediums such as painting, drawing, photography, textiles and sculpture. This task included examining the works in great detail, noting down changes in their condition, and repairing any of packaging which may have been subject to wear and tear while on the road around NSW. These services are essential to ensure that the artworks are well protected and to minimise the risk of damage occurring.

The Shoalhaven City Arts Centre is located on the ground floor of a refurbished TAFE building with a local community radio station located above.  The Centre includes a community meeting room, kitchen, large courtyard for outdoor events, shop and three gallery spaces.  The year 12 student touring exhibition, Art Express was on in the main gallery and included several local students.  Further local artists were on show in the other gallery spaces including the Open Annual Art Competition for the Shoalhaven Mental Health Fellowship and Domestica Fantastica an exhibition of still life paintings and ceramics.

The Parliament of NSW Aboriginal Art Prize 2010 will be on display in the main gallery of Shoalhaven City Arts Centre this weekend until 6 July 2011, along with solo exhibitions by local Aboriginal artists Warwick Keen, Glenn Duffield and Noel Wellington.

Lillian

Queanbeyan!

This week I spent a day in Queanbeyan, just out of Canberra. I was invited to talk about our VIM Grant program at a workshop organised by Elizabeth Brown, Regional Arts Development Officer from STARTS (Southern Tableland Arts). I was so impressed at the sheer range and diversity of the Queanbeyan art community that was represented at the workshop– in the crowd there were poets, ceramicists, circus performers, quilters, folk musicians, and also a few volunteer museums!

Joining me in presenting were Bea Brickhill from Australian Business Arts Foundation (ABAF) and Miriam Stacey from the NSW Heritage Branch. I personally found it really beneficial to hear about their grant programs, in particular the interesting work ABAF are doing in partnering Arts Organisations with local businesses who are keen to engage in some philanthropy.

After the workshop (and sneaky look at some of the best Op shops I have ever seen!) I was very lucky to given a guided tour of both the Queanbeyan Museum and the Queanbeyan Printing Museum. I was pretty excited as both museums are participating in our Standards Program this year, and have just completed the grueling self review component. Having read so much about the museums on paper, it was such a delight to actually visit them in person. Ever since my return I have been raving about the fascinating and well designed exhibitions and beautifully cared for collection both museums provide.

Doug Quane (who volunteers at both Museums) and Peter Conlon (Manager (Library and Cultural Services at Queanbeyan Council) very kindly made the time in their busy schedules to personally show me around the Museums, even though it was outside of regular opening hours. Doug even demonstrated one of the printing presses for us - it was amazing to see the huge amount of work that used to go into just printing one line (let alone a whole newspaper).

At the Queanbeyan Museum next door, it was impressive to see all the hard work the volunteers had put in to developing such interesting and engaging displays. I was interested to see that some exhibitions had been developed in collaboration with local CIT students that are enrolled in Museum Studies. I thought this was a really great idea – the Museum gets some excellent volunteer help and the students get such valuable hands on experience in working with a collection. I’d love to share this idea with more volunteer museums. I also got very excited when I was shown the hospital display and I caught sight of the museum’s Iron Lung which is apparently one of only twenty remaining in Australia!

The Iron Lung!

Museum display curated by a CIT student

A German typewriter complete with umlauts!

Doug Quane demonstrates a printing press.

The Ice Bear

By Julian Bickersteth, Managing Director, International Conservation Services

As a conservator working across various disciplines I have a penchant for sculpture as an art form. I think it is the three dimensionality about sculptures that I enjoy so much along with their tactile nature.

So when we were lucky enough to undertake conservation work with internationally renowned animal sculptor Mark Coreth on a number of his bronzes here in Australia, I was immediately working in one of my favourite areas.  Mark’s latest project involves carving a life size polar bear out of a 9 tonne block of ice and allowing it to melt to reveal a sculptured bronze of the bear’s skeleton frozen inside it. As a metaphor for global warming using art with a strong environmental message it appealed hugely to me, as I know how hard it is to bring home the truths about the effect of climate change.  Mark created the ice bear at the Climate Summit in Copenhagen in December 2009 and since then in London, Manchester, Toronto and Montreal. 

This sculpture struck me as having both a fourth dimension, in that it is almost kinetic as it melts, constantly shrinking and changing in colour , and a fifth in that it carries with it this incredibly powerful message of raising awareness of global warming.

I have been working over the last eighteen months to get ice bear to Sydney and finally last week end we made it happen in Customs House Square. 

It has struck an amazing chord with people and we have been inundated with visitors and media attention, the latter extending from the Times of India to Xinhua Chinese newsagency (http://www.cncworld.tv/news/v_show/15504_Ice_Bear_display_.shtml

Logistically it has had its challenges especially getting a big enough crane to place the frozen bear in the middle of Customs House square, but the response has made it all worth it. Check out this 360 degree view of it at night last Saturday http://www.mediavr.com/vividbear1.htm

Now fully melted, it will remain as a stark bronze skeleton in position until Saturday morning.

Me with the sculptor Mark Coreth ( on the left) and master ice carver Duncan Hamilton ( on the right). 

Julian Bickersteth

Managing Director

internationalconservationservices

There's a War On! opens at Cowra

There's a War On! opening at Cowra Art Gallery

Michael Rolfe and Brian Langer

Vanda Cassim with curried eggs

Along with M&G NSW staff members Sarah-Jane Rennie and Andrew Brettell, on Friday 3^rd June, I traveled to Cowra to speak at the official opening of M&G’s There’s A War On exhibition.

With support from the NSW Heritage Office, There’s A War On focuses on telling stories about the home front during World War I and World War II. Its presentation has been designed to allow host venues to complement the touring component with local stories about contributions to the war effort.

Cowra of course had a very direct connection to hostilities as the location of the Prisoner of War Camp made famous by the breakout of Japanese prisoners in August 1944. The Camp also housed prisoners of other nationalities, in particular a contingent of Italian prisoners whose remarkable art work and handicraft feature prominently in the exhibition.

Director of the Gallery, Brian Langer, has assembled items that clearly define the relationship, beyond that of adversaries, which existed between local residents and the prisoners. A large crowd enjoyed the evening’s proceedings, which were made all the more pleasing; through the quality of catering provided by the Friends of Cowra Regional Gallery (I must get that stuffed curried egg recipe Brian)!

On the Saturday morning, Sarah Jane presented a talk on the development of the exhibition and in the afternoon she introduced those present to the related wiki, giving them the opportunity to contribute their own stories to the growing data base of war related narratives generated by the exhibition.


Michael Rolfe

Sarah-Jane Rennie presents There's A War On! to delegates from around NSW

M&G NSW meets the Premier and Arts Minister

The Hon. Barry O’Farrell, Prof Colin Rhodes, Michael Rolfe and the Hon. George Souris.

On Thursday 2^nd June, following representations to the State Government, M&G NSW Chair, Prof Colin Rhodes and I were invited to meet with NSW Premier, the Hon. Barry O’Farrell and Minister for the Arts, the Hon. George Souris in the Premier’s Parliament House office.

The purpose of the meeting was to introduce our organization to the new state government and to advocate for programs and activities provided by museums & galleries throughout NSW. We emphasised the strength & commitment of work undertaken within the sector and championed the significant role local government plays in the provision of such services.

Both the Premier and Minister indicated that they were well aware of the overall value and community wide benefit bestowed by galleries and museums within communities large and small. There was an acknowledgement of how well the sector was served by volunteers and a further acknowledgement that more needs to be done to empower Aboriginal communities through support for cultural knowledge, identity and participation.

I outlined the history of galleries in NSW, noting in particular their century old contribution to regional NSW, and that this history continues to be created out of significant community aspiration. Similarly it was noted that the State’s many volunteer and professionally run museums characterise an innate desire to research history, collect objects and tell stories about people and their lives.

On behalf of all museums and galleries in NSW we thanked the Premier and Minister for their valuable time. We also encouraged them to continue their keen interest in the sector and of course, to visit as many museums and galleries as possible. 

Michael Rolfe