Here in the Northern Rivers we are statistically on fertile creative ground with the highest concentration of arts-practitioners outside of Melbourne and Sydney. It’s an area abundant with galleries, theatre groups, circus, dance, music venues, artisan markets, open studios and festivals galore.   Arts-activism is a no-brainer and an absolute pleasure. So this silly season get on down to any of the multitudes of artisan markets, buy handmade Chrissy presents, check out some original live music, head to a festival or two, fire up your own creativity or take a trip to the theatre.

Those of you outside of the arts may be unaware that the former and current liberal government has been taking to the arts with a machete. Funding for the arts is being slashed and creative industries are being forced into a state of fight or flight. Reframe how you work in the arts or get the hell out of the creative industry boat before it sinks with you in it. Shitty hey? As an arts business consultant the current situation quite frankly plays right into my fighting hands! My business is built on seeing arts practitioners, from performers to painters, develop their craft and share it with the world. I want artists to prove to the government that the arts is one of the most precious parts of our lives by flourishing in spite of the current political climate that seems hell-bent on trampling on an already fragile industry. I want to see arts-practitioners rise to the occasion by continuing to do what they do, bigger and brighter and this is where you, the arts lover, come in and it’s dead easy, super affordable and great fun! You’ll not only be giving the government the proverbial finger, you’ll also be boosting your well being, making your life more joyous and beautiful, connecting with a shared human condition and filling the kitty with lovely things and transformative experiences.

Here are 10 simple things you can do to celebrate the arts in our Northern Rivers and Australian culture –

1. Buy handmade this Christmas (ethical and usually low miles too!)
2. Flex your creative muscles and take a dance, music, circus, writing or art class.
3. Get a group of friends together to go to a comedy, theatre or dance performance.
4. Head to your local gallery or open studio.
5. Eat and drink at venues that have live, original musicians playing.
6. Go to a music festival.
7. Watch a movie at the cinema.
8. Redecorate your home with original artworks.
9. Throw a busker you enjoy a gold coin or two and better still buy their CD so you can enjoy their music at all hours.
10. Buy a book, head to the beach and wile away a glorious summer day.
    

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    Christina has been working in the arts for almost 20 years and her mission at Creative Consultancies is to unleash creative potential, support artists to thrive and inspire people to create. She runs workshops, host retreats, work one on one with creative people and arts-businesses. Check out her website www.creativeconsultancies.com for freebies, articles, workshops and retreats or visit the facebook page www.facebook.com/CreativeConsultancies for a daily dose of tips and inspiration for artists and lovers of the arts.

    To help spread the arts-activist word and go in the running to win 1 of 5 inspirational card packs to SPARK up your creativity or give your arts-biz that extra SHINE “Share” this article & head over and “Like” Creative Consultancies, the home of tips, support and inspiration for the arts.”
    

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These days the historic building houses Moo Moo stitches in the front rooms, but reached by a wooden walkway around the side  the new Stokers Siding Art Gallery, which opened on July 4.

The new Gallery is the dream of printmaker, Phillip Gasson, a long-time resident of Stokers siding who once, coincidentally, lived in a backroom of the building. With help from volunteers Gasson has transformed two rooms at the rear of the building into a clean and stylish space that reflects his love of the old and authentic presented with a contemporary finish.  The opening of the gallery is all the more admirable due to the fact that Glasson needs assistance because a stroke several years ago left him with greatly impaired vision, although despite this he selects the artists for each show and hangs the work himself .

Karena Wynn-Moylan: Transformation not Decision.

The next show coming up at the gallery will feature the work of Karena Wynn-Moylan, who was in fact the first visual artist to exhibit at the Pottery in the 1980’s. Wynn-Moylan is showing over 30 works on canvas and paper ranging in subject from landscapes, seascapes and flowers and fruit.  “It’s very exciting to be back here after all these years, showing some of my most favourite subjects” says Wynn-Moylan, “and I hope to see lots of familiar faces at the opening.”

The show opens on Friday September 25^th at 4.30pm and will run for four weeks.

To view Karena Wynn-Moylan’s work go to:

www.karenawynn-moylan.bravehost.com

Contact: Karena Wynn-Moylan

[email protected]  

0414 822 196

Gallery website: facebook.com/stokerssidingartgallery

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Verandah Magazine is proud to present two don’t miss events – an intimate Sunday lunch with Hollywood actor Victoria Tennant talking about her ballerina mother Irina Baronova, on Sunday March 29, and an evening with Victoria Tennant at the Arts Centre Gold Coast on Tuesday evening March 31.  Victoria, in conversation with Verandah Magazine publisher and editor Candida Baker, has extraordinary stories to tell of her mother’s journey from Russia to the hinterland of Byron Bay, where she spent Baranova spent her final decade. Victoria’s beautiful hard-back book, Irina Baronova and the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo is published by the University of Chicago Press and will be available at the event.

Read more here: verandahmagazine.irinas-legacy-lives/

Booking details:
Byron at Byron: Lunch with Victoria Tennant: Sunday March 29, 12.30pm, $85 per head.  Enquiries: [email protected] or phone 02 66392000
Arts Centre, Gold Coast: An Evening with Victoria Tennant : Tuesday, March 31, 6.30pm, $45: Book here: theartscentregc.an-evening-with-victoria-tennant

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J. A. V. Nisbet
Architect drawing for a proposed Lismore Public Library and Cultural Centre, 1939
image courtesy Lismore Regional Gallery

Many readers would be aware of Lismore City Council’s ongoing quest to rebuild Lismore Regional Gallery in the CBD, writes Lismore Regional Gallery director Brett Adlington…and now that Lismore Council have agreed to put up half the money the plans for a new gallery are one step closer…

For those that have visited here, some may be captured by the charm of the old building into which we’re nestled. Others may be dismayed by the state and the size of the facility – particularly compared to the recent growth spurt of our northern neighbours in Murwillumbah.

I’ve heard it all – and while I err on the latter side of those perspectives, I can see how people are captivated by the unusual exhibition spaces and ramshackle charm of the building.  However, this building (chosen to ‘temporarily’ house the gallery in 1954) offers a host of difficulties which limit our ability to take travelling exhibitions (no storage of crates and small front door means crates will not fit through); severely restrict the institutions we can loan artworks from for our own projects (no climate control and below flood height) and constantly challenge us in organising events (will the next exhibition allow for people to sit and listen to an artist talk?).

These ongoing issues, which test our wonderful staff on a day-to-day basis, are what drive us in our push for a relocated gallery.

Given the ongoing issues surrounding this project, pragmatics took control last year. The site we’ve been looking at, the old Lismore High School site, will continue to be the location and in honour of the heritage will be renamed Lismore Quadrangle. Discussions with a number of architects also led us to examine re-using the existing C-Block building with newly constructed exhibition display spaces.

The facility will also include a relocated Arts Northern Rivers, and Co-op Bookshop – providing a high quality retail experience. These partnerships will ensure an active space – while being mindful of Council resources.

Consideration is also being made into the central landscaped ‘quadrangle’ to be a programmed space with a range of creative activities. This site will link the Lismore Library and Northern Rivers Conservatorium and be a key gathering site or town square for Lismore. Collectively (taking into consideration all the organisations), the Lismore Quadrangle will see 300,000 visitors annually. This and the increased visitation to Lismore Regional Gallery, will have an economic impact of $3.2million annually on the Lismore economy with a flow on increase of 60 local jobs.

It will also create a much needed boost to the amenity of the CBD, impacting on potential investment. One only has to imagine the positive signal a vital and active precinct will send to locals and visitors.

Lismore Regional Gallery has been in the same building since 1954. This photograph was taken in 1987

Lismore Regional Gallery is the fifth oldest regional gallery in New South Wales supporting the Lismore, Byron Bay, Bangalow, Nimbin, Lennox Head, Casino and Kyogle communities. It started in 1953 as a result of the formation of the Lismore Arts Trust and in 1954 Lismore City Council granted the Trust the use of the lower floor of the Trench Building in Spinks Park and on 26 October 1954 Lismore Art Gallery was officially opened by the Director of the Art Gallery of NSW.

So where are at now? This is the question I have been asked for the past five years, at almost every event I attend – a gallery opening in Brisbane, a meeting in Sydney, or a music festival in Byron.

On  November 28 we submitted an application for $2.3million to the Federal Government’s National Stronger Regions Fund. This would be 50% of the project cost, with Council voting on 11 November to contribute their 50% share. This would be supported by the amazing fundraising efforts of the Friends of the Gallery in 2013, seeing $200,000 pledged or donated, and an undisclosed contribution $500,000.

Finally, Council is currently embarking on an Architect EOI process, with three architects coming up with plans and costings to meet our needs.

We find out the outcome of the application in May 2015, so if I see you around the traps in the interim – at least that persistent question has been answered!

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Art & Logic: Business planning for creatives with Christina Giorgio.

 Christina Giorgio has been involved in the arts and cultural sector for almost 20 years. She’s worked as a full time community cultural development coordinator and as a strategic planner she’s created numerous arts business plans.  As an event coordinator she’s produced arts events ranging from exhibitions and installations to performances and festivals.  Christina studied film and theatre at university and has a certificate IV in business. These days she’s the owner of Creative Consultancies and from her base near Byron Bay she’s turning her attention to helping the ‘creatives’ of the Northern Rivers understand the importance of a great business plan.

“As a musician, film maker and writer, I get it. For creative types the concept of business planning seems tantamount to extinguishing creative mojo and about as enjoyable as poking yourself in the eye.    But as Thoreau so aptly put it “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”

Sure the road to great creative success is often lined by lucky breaks and serendipitous turns of fate, but too often the road is also paved with poverty, depression and mind numbingly banal day jobs. As creatives we have lofty dreams but succumb to inertia when it comes to action, at other times we are a frenzy of production, and sometimes we work so hard that our dogged attempts to carve out a living from our ‘art’ kills the creative passion.

This is where the business plan comes into its own.  Whether you’re a visionary dreamer, prolific creator or master hard worker, all three aspects need to be pumping in unison – and to me there are three core ingredients for achieving your creative goals.  Vision, direction and hard work. They’re all important.  They’re all essential. I think of it as going on a road trip.  You need to work out where you’re going, check your road map and plan out your route and finally jump in the car and drive.

I meet lots of artists and creative people who have one or two of these factors down pat.  They have ideas, drive and passion in spades, but they also have cupboards filled with unsold CDs and spare rooms lined with galleries full of artwork.  Put a plan in place and you can create a framework that supports the areas you struggle with and nurtures the aspects you’ve refined.

If you think some support in creating a workable and visionary plan would help you get on track why not join me and other creative types for a weekend of plotting and planning on November 15 and 16 at the community centre in Brunswick Heads?

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Check out David’s photography on: https://www.davidhancock.com.au/ and his Wild Byron book on:  https://tinyurl.com/3okwrm

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