Around one hundred museum and gallery delegates gathered at the Australian Museum on Friday night to find out who would win a highly coveted IMAGinE award for excellence and innovation within the sector.
The night was a lively mix of jazz, wine, food, city views, mingling and, of course, accolades. The wonderfully cheeky yet charming MC Libbi Gorr kept everything going at a cracking pace, always telling it like it is in her own unique way.
The range of nominations in all four categories demonstrated the great work being done across the sector by both volunteers and paid staff from organisations big and small, regional and metropolitan across NSW and the ACT. Great innovation in public engagement was represented by exhibitions and education projects where museums and galleries continued to find new ways to connect to their communities. Fantastic collection management projects showcased the vital role of museums and galleries as custodians of our shared cultural heritage.
One highlight of the event was a special Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Edmund Capon for his considerable contribution to the museum and gallery sector of NSW over his 33 years as Director of the Art Gallery of NSW. M&G NSW board member Belinda Hanrahan provided plenty of entertaining insights from the several years she worked with Edmund.
Additionally, the significant contribution that individuals make to their communities through museums and galleries across NSW and the ACT was showcased with the highest number of nominations ever received in the individual achievement category.
And the awards went to:
4 or less staff
Grafton Regional Gallery (Winner)
Eden Killer Whale Museum (Highly Commended)
20 or less staff
Bundanon Trust (Winner)
Hawkesbury Regional Museum (Highly Commended)
21 or more staff
Powerhouse Museum (Winner)
EXHIBITIONS & PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Volunteer
Willoughby District Historical Society Inc (Winner) For Tales of Flat Rock Creek
Port of Yamba Historical Society (Highly Commended) For Nursery-Rhymes Exposed – Delve Deeper than the Ditty’
Thredbo Ski Museum (Highly Commended) For The Kiandra Story
4 or less staff
Glasshouse Regional Gallery for People of the First Sunrise
20 or less staff
Casula Powerhouse for Body Pacifica
21 or more staff
Australian National Maritime Museum (Winner) for On their own – Britain’s child migrants
Australian Museum (Highly Commended) for Rituals of Seduction: Birds of Paradise
Museum of Contemporary Art (Highly Commended) In assoc with C3West & Hurstville City Council for The Begin-Again
EDUCATION & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
4 or less staff
Goulburn Regional Art Gallery (Winner) for GW Bot: the long paddock
Grafton Regional Gallery (Highly Commended) for The Postcard Station project
20 or less staff
Campbelltown Arts Centre for MINTO:LIVE
21 or more staff
Art Gallery of NSW for Open Weekend: art+soul
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT
Volunteer
Glen Johns, Chapter Coordinator, Museums Australia - Lachlan Chapter
Paid staff
Gavin Fry, Director, Newcastle Museum
Congratulations to all the winning and highly commended organisations and indeed all who were nominated for the 2011 IMAGinE Awards. We had a fantastic night and hope to see you all again next year!
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