18 August 2017

Bridging Culture (2017)

Earlier this year Artsource, in collaboration with Maker and Co (formerly Archipelago Arts), were commissioned by the City of Mandurah to work with them in delivering a major public art commission at the new Mandurah Bridge.  

The new Bridge is nearing completion and as part of the percent for art, the City wishes to commission works on land adjacent to the bridge.
 
An important part of the process was to deliver an opportunity for artists, stakeholders and community members to come together in an exchange of ideas for the proposed sites. The ideas and suggestions gleaned through this process help to inform the Artists Brief.
 
The “Bridging Culture” workshop was held at The Make Place, Mandurah in May, included brief presentations from George Walley, Binjareb Noongar elder, Nicholas Reynolds, Curator of Mandurah Community Museum and Emily Arnold, City of Mandurah, Arts and Culture Coordinator, followed by a tour of the proposed sites.
 
The workshop was attended by more than 30 people, the majority being artists or involved in the arts and culture in some capacity.  There was much discussion and sharing of ideas and stories; everyone seemed to have fond memories. Feedback from respondents indicates that the workshop succeeded in making participants feel connected to the Mandurah community, provided opportunities for collaboration, and they would be keen to participate in a similar workshop in the future.
 
All the ideas, notes and themes were collated for consideration by the City to narrow down the preferred site/s for the new works, and to inform the curatorial approach for inclusion in the Artist Brief. EOIs for the new commissions are currently advertised through ArtLeads and on Artist Opportunities.