Appreciating the arts

IT HAS been a busy time since joining Council in September, but I must say I have enjoyed getting out and meeting many new people in our region over the last month or so.Listening to community members and hearing about what they would like to see from Council is such an important component of the role and I will always endeavour to make myself available to residents of the Bellarine – and indeed all residents of Greater Geelong.

While being out and about at various community events recently, I have been impressed by the many people of all backgrounds being actively involved in their local community and making a positive contribution. This passion, commitment and diversity of residents is what makes the City of Greater Geelong such an incredible place to live. It is always interesting to meet people who are putting their talents to use and there are plenty of those people living and working along the Bellarine and across Greater Geelong.

One of my passions is the arts, and in fact I often call upon my creativity to help address complex challenges in my personal and professional life more broadly. I believe in the transformative power of storytelling and marvel at the capacity for artists to explore human experience and to bring people together. The arts sector is one that Council continues to support in various forms, including the provision of grants for local organisations.

Recently, the Barwon Heads Arts Council was the recipient of a $10,000 grant for its Bellarine Arts Trail initiative. I had the great pleasure of attending the Barwon Heads Community Hub last Saturday for the launch of this event and the Tastes of the Trail exhibition. The artwork is truly spectacular, and the Taste certainly left all who attended excited for the main event.

The Bellarine Arts Trail will take place across four participating towns – Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove, Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff – and will host 45 venues and more than 80 artists. I look forward to seeing people out and about at these locations and gaining a greater appreciation for the work that artists in our region do.

The Barwon Heads Community Hub will be the central meeting point of the event, and this facility is another example of the funding Council provides to the arts sector. The City of Greater Geelong provided the land and $427,000 for the Barwon Heads Arts Hub project, which was aided by a $1million Victorian Government grant to complete the works. It features three programmable multi-purpose rooms, a studio space, a makerspace and amenities, but most importantly it provides a home for Barwon Heads Arts Council, who should be commended for the work they have done in developing the Bellarine Arts Trail.

This Bellarine Arts Trail will be held across the weekend of Saturday 4 November and Sunday 5 November, and further information can be found at the Barwon Heads Arts Council website. I hope to see you there! In the meantime, help spread the word to encourage people you know to get out and discover the art and meet the artists in their studios and creative venues across the Bellarine Peninsula.

If you would like to contact me for Council related matters, please reach out via [email protected]

Cr Elise Wilkinson

Bellarine Ward,

City of Greater Geelong