THE Ulumbarra Foundation, Central Victoria\u2019s only performing arts charity, is working hard to make Bendigo\u2019s creative facilities and programs the best they can be.<\/p>\n
The charity was launched in 2016 by the late Gordon McKern OAM as a way of attracting philanthropic donations to \u201cbenefit audiences, artists and performing arts organisations\u201d in Bendigo.<\/p>\n
There are five main goals, which range from contributing to capital works projects, broadening access to performing arts, supporting education, providing developmental programs and supporting growth for local organisations.<\/p>\n
Foundation chair Carolyn Stanford said it\u2019s important to attract external funding to help improve spaces such as the \u201cworld-class\u201d Ulumbarra Theatre.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are so lucky to have that space,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s a wonderful venue, it\u2019s got a fantastic stage and every performer that\u2019s been there has loved performing there.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut there\u2019s still little things that are needed for the theatres. One of our goals in the capital works area is a new concert grand piano.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a quarter of a million-dollar project but the reason we set that as a wish list, an imagine target, is we\u2019re not necessarily going to start saving for that now, but if we express our ambition that that\u2019s needed\u2026 a philanthropist might see that and be interested.\u201d<\/p>\n
The foundation runs two main projects, a grants program and mentoring program.<\/p>\n
Ms Stanford said the grants program has seen some real benefits, such as funding $2000 worth of power tools to help Bendigo Theatre Company build sets.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was fantastic because we gave them this money and it didn\u2019t just go into the aether\u2026 it was that seed money where you provide something small and it grows from there, which is pretty exciting,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The mentoring program matched budding artists with industry leaders from across the state, such Bendigo-born award-winning ballerina Alice Topp.<\/p>\n
Other \u201cimagine\u201d goals of the foundation include establishing a Bendigo Performing Arts Academy and Ulumbarra Youth Orchestra.<\/p>\n