Gadens Brisbane
Gadens continues to support contemporary art practice in Queensland by hosting a range of events and programs for staff and their clients. In October 2006, Gadens Lawyers held its second Top Ten Exhibition featuring recently established artists from Queensland, curated by Renai Grace at Positive Solutions. The ten artists included Paul Wrigley, Peter Alwast, Vernon Ah Kee, Alexandra Gillespie, Victoria Reichelt, Scott Johnson, Sharon Green, Arryn Snowball, Kim Demuth and Mel Robson. Gadens purchased artworks by Paul Wrigley and Vernon Ah Kee from this exhibition to add to their collection.
In March 2007, artist Madeleine Kelly commenced a six month artist-in-residency program. She has set up a studio in the office environment, will be conducting painting classes for staff, creating a new body of work and will host an exhibition of this work later this year in Gadens foyer. Mater Health Services, Brisbane In January 2006 Positive Solutions was commissioned by the Mater Health Services to produce a report on artwork commissioning opportunities for the redevelopment of the Mater Mothers Hospital in Brisbane, a major new facility designed by architects Bligh Voller Neild and due to open in March 2008. The report considered a range of issues and we developed a curatorial rationale for commissioning and purchasing work, identifying a number of sites and opportunities. Subsequently, a team from Positive Solutions and Urban Art Projects consisting of Cathy Hunt (Team Project Manager) Renai Grace (Curator) and Matthew Tobin (Construction Design Adviser) were engaged to implement the program. Further details of the program will appear in our next newsletter. Queensland's Indigenous Art Centres In November 2006 we submitted a final report to Arts Queensland and the Queensland Indigenous Arts Marketing and Export Agency (QIAMEA) on the needs of Indigenous Art Centres in Far North Queensland and the Torres Strait, in order to achieve high quality supply of art work for exhibition and export purposes. As well as studying the specific needs of a number of centres, the study considered benchmarks for their future funding and development and presented specific proposals for models for the future viability and strategic development of the industry in the region. The study team was led by Positive Solutions Director Cathy Hunt and was undertaken in association with accountant Brian Tucker. The report is now being considered by the Queensland Government. A Review of Signature Festivals in Queensland Following a round-table consultation with the Festivals involved in this review and feedback on the draft report, our final report on developing the festivals sector in Queensland has been submitted for consideration by the Queensland Government. The report mapped festival funding and planning processes interstate and internationally, and included data collection and interviews with festivals, venues, producing companies and other stakeholders. |