Farewell and Welcome

31 March 2021

Farewell and Welcome

In a time of change, we have some earnest acknowledgments and wholehearted thanks to share for those who are leaving us.

It is with deep gratitude that Artsource says thank you to Nexia for the pro-bono accounting services provided to Artsource over the past 3 ¼ years. Without the generosity and philanthropy of for-profit companies such as Nexia who are willing to support not-for-profit companies; arts organisations such as Artsource would struggle to survive.
 
Nexia’s contribution has enabled our success in delivering practical, professional services that support over 700 Western Australian artists to develop sustainable careers in creating artworks that enrich the lives of our community.
 
With heartfelt and sincere appreciation, we farewell Nexia as our accounting firm, but look forward to a continued and long running relationship through our events, exhibitions and patronage.
 
We will continue to deal with Nexia through our ArtLease and artworks.
 
The Artsource Board have sent Nexia a letter of appreciation on behalf of the board and yourselves, our members.

 DEPARTING STAFF MEMBER

Saara Nyman
 
Saara Nyman will be leaving us this week for a well-earned holiday and then a relocation back to Finland in the middle of the year.
 
Saara has worked at Artsource in the role of Membership Services and Administration Assistant over the past year. Her steadiness and professionalism, willingness to take on a challenge, her capacity to problem solve, and to mentor and train others is a testament to her character and strength.
 
We are truly appreciative of your efforts Saara. We hope you have a well-deserved break and wish you the best for this next phase of life’s journey.

 DEPARTING BOARD MEMBERS

It is with sadness and indebtedness that we farewell a long-standing board member.

 Fred Chaney

 Fred Chaney has been a board member since 2016, during which time he was Deputy Chair until 2019 and then Chair until late 2020.
 
This has been a period of highs and lows in Artsource’s history, so to say that Fred’s time at Artsource has been uneventful would be a fallacy – it has been anything but. Throughout the rollercoaster ride of the past few years, Fred’s forthright yet genial manner has kept the Artsource ship steady and on course to become a renewed and transformed organisation. This has not been a journey for the faint hearted, and thanks to Fred the board has stayed coherent and focused through what has been quite a storm.
 
I have known Fred for only a short time, but in that time have grown to respect and value his judgement greatly. Given the brevity of our acquaintance, rather than speak of his past achievements I will share some reflections about his time with Artsource that we discussed, and my perceptions about his contribution.
 
Fred is an architect and Director at Taylor Robinson Chaney Broderick and is interested in achieving excellent public community outcomes. I asked Fred why he had become involved with Artsource and how his interest in the Visual Arts linked to his own practice and ideas about community. This is what he had to say:
 
“Prior to joining the board, I had some very positive engagement with Artsource relating to the ‘Koorden’ Sculpture project I worked on with artists Rod Garlett and Richie Kuhaupt. Artsource managed the project on behalf of the MRA and it was a really excellent public art programme with, I thought, excellent outcomes across various commissions. Ron Bradfield Jnr and Perdita Phillips were involved from Artsource at the time. Although Artsource chose to devolve its work in public art a little while later, I thought the organisation was doing good things in the public art ‘space’ – and so I was positively disposed to getting involved on the back of that experience”.
 
I also asked Fred about what we wished his future connections with Artsource to be. He generously recognised the ‘better nature’ of artists and responded:
 
“I have always been, and continue to be, impressed (and am sometimes in awe) of the application, drive, resilience and self-reliance of so many artists. Resilience is a horribly overused word these days, particularly in education(!) but it is more than applicable to so many artists. Despite some misconceptions outside the visual arts world, artists are amongst the most self-reliant of all types and vocations. And on that basis, artists are also more than worthy of support – and patronage.”
 
We have been fortunate at Artsource to have had the benefit of the knowledge, skill and expertise of people such as Fred Chaney, who give freely of their professional time and energy to support the arts. For me personally as a new Chair within such a short time on the board at Artsource, this was a baptism of fire, and Fred has stood steady and provided advice, and been a reliable sounding board. I am deeply grateful for his clarity, wisdom and support.
 
We hope you will be more than just a patron Fred, and that you will remain a friend, confidant, and good mate to us all. We can’t thank you enough for the past five years that you have given to Artsource. It is significant that as you depart, Artsource reaches an important milestone – our 35th year.
We have also recently said good-bye to a shorter-term board member whose energy and commitment made a memorable impact.

Debbie Gilchrist

Debbie Gilchrist joined the board in October of 2020 and held the role of Secretary until February 2021. She was also a member of the Risk Audit and Finance Committee.
 
Debbie stepped off the board in December 2020 to undertake a Governance Review at the board’s request. This was an invaluable piece of work that Debbie completed in such a short time, as it provided Artsource with an Operations Manual. Simply put, an Operations Manual is a ‘how to run the business manual’ which mitigates risk and ensures retention of organisational memory.
 
As a Chartered Accountant with experience in the Not-for-Profit sector, Debbie brought efficiency and clarity to our organisational systems. She was responsible for securing our accounting firm Armada and inducting our new bookkeeper Natasha Williams.
 
Debbie gave enormous energy to securing funding for Artsource by preparing the financial budgets to support our applications for funds. This includes the Strategic Initiatives operational funding from the Department of Local Government Sport and Cultural Industries.
 
Debbie prepared budgets for our RISE grant funding application for two years of programming and a live streamed Festival. Debbie also prepared budgets and contributed to the Lotteries Strengthening and Adapting grant for infrastructure, IT strategy and IT equipment upgrade including furnishings and fittings for Old Customs House and a member’s reading and resource room. In all, this amounts to nearly $2 million in grant funding applications.
 
While we await the outcome of these funding applications, we hope that good fortune will prevail, and we will acknowledge Debbie’s contribution to the success and future of Artsource.

INCOMING BOARD MEMBERS

We are pleased to welcome a new co-opted board member who will bring with her an interest in engaging and working with community and a focus on wellbeing.

Judith Waugh

Judith has 20 years senior management experience on professional bodies covering membership growth, education, events management, professional standards, association governance strategic planning and change management.

 
She has financial qualifications and holds a MBA. She is highly competent in strategic planning, product development, financial management, strategic use of IT to drive organisational change, policy and advocacy, marketing, public relations and stakeholder management. An ‘ideas’ person with skills in process improvement and strategy development.
 
Judith is currently working as an artist and sculptor and engaged in governance of several local art organisations. She is currently Secretary at Melville Community Association.

ARTSOURCE BOARD NOMINATIONS

The Artsource Board has vacancies available for co-opted positions.
 
Nominations are sought for specific roles and responsibilities, with skill sets required. ​
Roles: Secretary, General Board Member
 
Nominations are sought from persons with skills and capabilities to join the Committee positions available.
>      Board nominees will need to be prepared to nominate for a committee
>      Risk, Audit and Finance Committee
>      Governance and Remuneration Committee
As we move forward through a time of transformation and renewal, this is an exciting time to join the Artsource board.
 
The Board Nomination Profile and Form is here.
The Artists’ Foundation of Western Australia Ltd Constitution is here.
 
If you are interested in nominating, email your nomination form and required information to board@artsource.net.au.

 With just a little sadness but also with great hope for our future as we wait on tenterhooks for our funding news, I wish you the very best for the month of April. For those who are travelling at Easter, stay safe and well.

 
Kindest regards
 
Margaret Teusner
Artsource Chair

These projects have been funded by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) Culture and the Arts WA.