recognised at top cultural awards

Northern Rivers galleries and projects are amongst the winners at the 2024 IMAGinE Awards presented in Sydney.

The awards highlight the resilience, innovation and creativity of museums, galleries and Aboriginal cultural spaces and recognise the people who work in them.

Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre and Tweed Regional Museum won the 2024 NSW Health Infrastructure Arts and Health Award for its outstanding Dementia Friendly Art and Culture Program, which comes with a $10,000 cash prize to further support the project.

This initiative will train cultural workers to deliver inclusive experiences for people with dementia and their carers, alleviating pressure on healthcare services. Building on a successful pilot, the program seeks to ensure long-term sustainability and set a model for future collaborations between cultural and health sectors.

Brett Adlington, chief executive officer of Museums & Galleries of NSW, praised the program.

“This project demonstrates the profound impact that cultural experiences can have on enhancing the quality of life for people living with dementia.

“It highlights the importance of collaboration between arts and health sectors to deliver meaningful, inclusive experiences, and we’re proud to support such an inspiring initiative.”

Tweed Regional Museum also won the Exhibition Projects – Museums and Heritage award for small organisations for Supertonic.

The multi-sensory exhibition featured augmented reality and interactive elements to showcase the vibrant contemporary music culture of the Northern Rivers.

The museum was also highly commended for its engagement program, Supertonic Songwriters Music Camp.

The five-day youth workshop, designed for ages 12-18, introduced participants to successful musicians and producers working in the industry.

Lismore Regional Gallery was highly commended for its Pop up exhibition program 2023 – 2024 and The Future of Toys engagement program.

Judges said the pop-up space ensured a continued connection to the community and arts sector after the 2022 flood.

The Future of Toys was a participatory art project exploring ways to turn old toys and flood-affected objects into new inventions “that reflect our most ambitious imaginations”, the judges said.

The Northern Rivers Community Gallery was highly commended for its engagement project, the Ballina Contemporary Art Market.

This one-day event featured more than 100 artists and performers. Accessibility was prioritised by incorporating wheelchair access, large site maps, and support for artists with disabilities.

Judges said collaborations with disability-inclusive groups such as Sprung Integrated Dance Theatre highlighted the gallery’s commitment to creating an inclusive, supportive environment for d/Deaf and disabled participants.