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<\/p>\nMount Gambier gallery Little Blue Wren was awarded the Hither & Yon Award for their curation of this year\u2019s SALA award winning exhibition Forgotten Fables of the South East by Tyson Jay Brant.<\/p>\n
The Hither & Yon Award is awarded to a venue that has exceeded expectations in supporting artists exhibiting during SALA Festival 2023. This can be in areas such as installation support, promotion of the artist, community engagement, visitor experience, and more.<\/p>\n
In awarding the prize, Malcolm Leask from Hither & Yon said on behalf of the judges that they were impressed by the family- run venue\u2019s incredible efforts in planning, promoting, and running the exhibition, but also their commitment to elevating a local emerging artist.<\/p>\n
\u201cTyson Brant originally inquired about displaying a canvas or two but was supported and mentored by Tabitha and Gareth of Little Blue Wren to develop his debut solo exhibition, Forgotten Fables of the South-East,\u201d the judges said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe exhibition was impactful, inclusive and community-building in a way that is only possible when a venue respectfully nurtures the artist, being a strong advocate for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gallery owner Gareth Williams said they were humbled and thrilled to receive the award. \u201cWe are grateful to the talented artists we are privileged to collaborate with and for the support of our community and customers who have made this recognition possible,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
A family run business, Little Blue Wren is dedicated to promoting the works of local makers, creators, artists and artisans. The gallery is located on the main street of Mount Gambier and offers a beautiful gallery space to showcase local artist\u2019s works and provides affordable workshops to the community, run by local artists.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are very proud of what we have achieved over the past 12 months of business. We are dedicated to fostering community creativity, supporting local artists, and providing a cultural experiences for our visitors,\u201d Gareth said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis validation by SALA will give us even more motivation to keep pushing the boundaries of the art world by curating thought-provoking exhibitions that challenge conventional norms and inspire dialogue.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur plan is for Little Blue Wren to be a hub for creativity and a vital part of the Limestone Coast\u2019s cultural landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was just over 12 months ago that Gareth and Tabitha took the plunge to open their own gallery space, with Tabitha earmarked as the artistic talent and Gareth providing the brains and brawn.<\/p>\n
The couple converted what was an online store into the new look gallery and gift shop.<\/p>\n
The search for that perfect space started with small shopfronts as purely a studio space but then its current site caught the eye and given its rapid expansion, it proved a fortuitous decision.<\/p>\n
With a more spacious site secured, Gareth and Tabitha\u2019s vision for a bricks and mortar project soon evolved from purely a space for Tabitha to create her own pieces.<\/p>\n
A visit to an Artisan Market at the Cave Gardens also inspired the couple, who saw first hand just how much artistic and creative talent was right on their new doorstep. \u201cWe thought let\u2019s not just create, let\u2019s starting exhibiting work,\u201d Gareth said. \u201cLet\u2019s open up the space to local talent not just in Mount Gambier but in the region. Let\u2019s give everyone a platform to exhibit their work and get their creations out there in the world.\u201d Recruiting that local talent started with a social media campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe made a lot of connections with artists and local makers and we just kept getting approached by more people,\u201d Gareth said. \u201cSecuring this new space enables us to now provide three gallery spaces for artists to exhibit their work, and we have also created six dedicated studio spaces for artists to hire. It is our hope to establish a creative community space for artists to gather, share and collaborate.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe have a really big focus on pushing local talent, artists and makers, and giving the community the chance to buy local work. It\u2019s about making art accessible and getting it out there so the community can engage with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt Little Blue Wren we believe that the arts have the capacity to brings us all together; it changes us and changes our communities. Therefore, we want the arts, and our space to be accessible to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
And it was that philosophy that saw the couple open up their space to Tyson Jay Brant and mentor him through the exhibition process with both the gallery and artist now having received awards for the SALA exhibition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Mount Gambier gallery Little Blue Wren was awarded the Hither & Yon Award for their curation of this year\u2019s SALA award winning exhibition Forgotten Fables of the South East by Tyson Jay Brant. The Hither & Yon Award is awarded to a venue that has exceeded expectations in supporting artists exhibiting during SALA Festival 2023. […]<\/p>\n