Theodore Penleigh Boyd, 1890-1923. Queen Street During the Prince’s Visit, 1920; Mildura Arts Centre Collection. Senator R.D Elliott Bequest, presented to the City of Mildura, by Mrs Hilda Elliott, 1956.
What keeps an arts organisation such as Mildura Arts Centre (MAC) going strong for sixty years?
Early beginnings for MAC saw Mildura Council acquire the heritage building Rio Vista as a space to display a significant bequest made by Senator R D Elliott in 1944. Fast forward sixty years and the property is now accompanied by a 444 seat theatre, regional art gallery, sculpture park and licensed café.
Read: Mildura Arts Centre: Gateway for the arts in North West Victoria
To find out more about the strategy behind MAC’s success as a regional arts organisation, we spoke to Arts and Culture Development Manager, Antonette Zema. She offers insight on how building community engagement and finding what makes you unique can help build longevity in the arts.
Involve the locals
A vision and an open dialogue with the local community is integral, said Zema. ‘We have had quite a few stages in development over the sixty years, but certainly I think each milestone has been because of the depth, involvement and growth of the arts in the community.’
The success of an arts centre is based on the relationship it has with its audience, its visitors, and its community, this combined helps to create a healthy ecology. Not only does the arts centre broaden engagement and participation through professional development opportunities in the region, but the community also provides MAC with a valuable and engaged audience.
To keep this connection alive, MAC creates new opportunities to collaborate with the local arts community and develops new projects and programs to make MAC ‘something for everyone’.
As part of the Diamond Jubilee celebration starting this May, the Centre has partnered with renowned Mildura-born chef Jim McDougall who has created a menu for the exhibition opening inspired by the artists in the collection.
‘This is such an exciting project, working with the rich array of expertise and talent within our community to create synergies to the arts, build new audiences, and cultural tourism that is beyond our local community to a national or international level, and importantly, working with the people in our community to do that,’ said Zema.
Photo by Robert Klarich.
Have a point of difference
‘Really celebrate your identity and what’s unique about your collection, your building, or your community,’ advised Zema.
The collection is one point of difference for MAC. ‘We often call it one of the best kept secrets in Victoria. It is a fantastic collection with such a scale of works by prominent artists.’
It includes the largest single Collection of paintings by Anglo-Irish artist Sir William Orpen in the world and a pastel by Edgar Degas, Femme a la baignoire se coiffant, as well as works by Sir Frank Brangwyn.
‘The exhibition celebrates that founding bequest to Mildura Arts Centre and it will be wonderful to have some of the treasures from the Collection fill the galleries and Rio Vista.’
Support emerging artists
Another way the Centre has positioned itself within the local community and the wider arts landscape in Australia is through initiatives that support emerging artists.
Mildura Arts Centre participated in Project Lens during the Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival, an art event that showcased established and emerging artists within the district. The Centre also partners with La Trobe University to support the art forum where artists speak directly to the students.
For Interpretive Wonderings: Mapping Culpra Station, the Centre also partnered with various institutions to program a multi-media exhibition including the work of thirty emerging Indigenous and non-Indigenous creative practitioners.
Hilaire German Edgar Degas, 1834-1917, Woman bathing (Femme a la baignoire se coffiant), c.1887-1890. Mildura Arts Centre Collection. Senator R.D Elliott Bequest, presented to the City of Mildura, by Mrs Hilda Elliott, 1956.
Embrace new opportunities
‘Take that step, embrace new opportunities and see where they can go,’ said Zema.
‘There is no doubt that MAC is where it is today because of this, and we have embraced our vision to enrich people’s lives with arts and cultural experiences, and that’s what we do!’
This can be seen in the Mildura Sculpture Triennial, which ran from 1970 to 1988 put Mildura Arts Centre on the map. While the Sculpture Triennial did not receive unanimous support from the local area, it left a mark on Australian art history.
‘The legacy of the Sculpture Triennial still stands today where you see public art around Mildura. Not only here at the precinct but throughout the city as well and more so, a place within Australia’s arts history. I think that is quite important in itself.’
A strong team
Above all, be driven by the passion and enthusiasm of the people you work with, your team, said Zema.
‘I think that is where we are really going from strength to strength is because we have a fantastic group of people who are supporting the arts in Mildura and certainly leading it in many ways.’
For more information about Mildura Arts Centre visit http://www.milduraartscentre.com.au/
Exhibition Opening: 6pm, Friday 27 May
Community Open Day: 11am – 4pm, Saturday 28 May
