Supporting creative excellence

I AM THRILLED to be chair of the Council’s Creativity and Culture portfolio because I have an enormous level of confidence in the direction our region is heading in this space.

Council’s 2023-24 Budget, finalised this week, allocated almost $20 million to our arts and culture sector.

This includes $1.3 million to the Geelong Gallery and $291,200 for Platform Arts to help deliver their exhibitions, workshops, and events.

There was also $287,590 set aside to renew the City’s open space art collection, sculptures, paintings and bollards, and $135,252 to deliver on the public art strategy.

Further to this there was $200,000 in the budget for Creative Communities Grants – this money is set aside to support local arts and cultural projects.

The grants money forms part of the total $3.9 million available to assist the community, arts, events, cultural, sporting, recreation, heritage, and environmental sustainability sectors.

So Council is backing the arts where it matters, and it is pleasing to see there is plenty on in the weeks and months ahead.

For example, the Clarice Beckett exhibition at Geelong Gallery is still on until July 9, and this is something I would strongly encourage you to get along to if you haven’t already.

The exhibition presents key Beckett works, ranging from 1919 to the early 1930s, and brings a fresh perspective on the practice of this popular artist from some of Australia’s major public galleries and rarely seen private collections.

Opening soon at the Geelong Gallery is a highly anticipated exhibition called Graphic Investigation—Prints by Postwar Émigré Artists in Australia.

This exhibition will present a selection of works on paper by two generations of European émigré artists, who exerted a strong influence on the production, reception, and teaching of printmaking in post-war Australia.

Drawn from the Geelong Gallery Collection and the Colin Holden Print Collection, Graphic Investigation will highlight the work of artists across a variety of printmaking techniques as well as artist books.

It is open from July 22 through until 15 October 15, so there is plenty of time to visit.

Outside of the Geelong Gallery there is so much on at other City-run venues, including the ever-popular Potato Shed.

There was $58,559 in the budget for facility maintenance for the Potato Shed – another example of the value Council places on our community facilities.

Some shows that I will be looking out for in the next few weeks include the Women of Wit comedy show (Saturday, July 8) and the Geelong Welsh Ladies Choir (Sunday, July 30).

Since 2018 the Women of Wit show has inspired new comedians to the stage and delivered some wonderful headliners, such as Geraldine Hickey, Alex Ward, Danielle Walker, Emma Holland, Kirsty Webeck, and Claire Hooper.

This year Nicky Barry, Patti Fawcett, Daisy Webb, and veteran comic Cal Wilson (from Bake Off, Spicks and Specks, the Gala, the Weekly and more) will be performing, while a special local guest will also be making an appearance.

The Geelong Welsh Ladies Choir is proudly celebrating its 25th year and is an important element of the City’s multicultural and musical fabric, promoting Welsh heritage, language, and music, and this promises to be an amazing show.

I am proud of our city’s passion for the arts, and I am proud to be part of a Council that values its ongoing contribution to our region.

Cr Melissa Cadwell

Brownbill Ward, City of Greater Geelong