bridging peace in the hills

I’m delighted to be able to participate in the Bridge of Peace Ceremony being held at Burrinja on Saturday September 20^th, to recognise the International Day of Peace.

Hosted by the Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP), the Bridge of Peace Ceremony provides opportunities for individuals to take meaningful steps that result in the creation of a new partnership dedicated to and actively working for peace.

Ceremony participants build friendships with a peer from a different culture, faith, nationality or even a former enemy nation and commit to bridge the gaps of heart between them.

When: Saturday 20 September starting 11am

Where: Burrinja, cnr Glenfern Road and Matson Drive, Upwey
Cost: entry by donation, includes a light lunch
RSVP: 5968 2664 or email

The WFWP says ending the cycle of conflict by gaining a new perspective is essential to achieving world peace. WFWP is committed to utilising the remarkably powerful Bridge of Peace Ceremony to further peacemaking efforts.
 

The Bridge is a symbol of crossing over the barriers that many of us hold in our hearts, or that generations past have held. It is also a symbol of being willing to embrace someone different so that we ourselves become bigger and greater by our ability to accept and love someone different.

I look forward to seeing you there, Yarra Ranges is proud to be able to support the Bridge of Peace with a community development grant.  

 

open studio, open for business

This year's Dandenong Ranges Open Studio marks 10 years of artists throwing open their doors to visitors over an autumn weekend in the Dandenongs.



It was terrific to see local artist Neil McLeod drop in to the opening
of the Open Studio Group Exhibition at Burrinja, we were
joined by local artist Joy Serwylo, who has been exhibiting as
part of Open Studios every year since the exhibition's inception.
Back in 2000 Neil McLeod donated a significant collection of
indigenous art to the people of Yarra Ranges, a very generous
and wonderful gift.

Be sure to pencil Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 April into your diary for a weekend of art, good food, fine company and gorgeous scenery up in the Dandenong Ranges.

Don't forget to drop into Burrinja to visit the group exhibition, remember 20% of Open Studio purchases at Burrinja go to local emergency relief agency, the Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service.

For more info on Open Studios click here.

hamburger - fast food vs slow food



Rod Quantock was moderator for the debate, Fast
Food is good for you.



Hamburger, the cultural event at Burrinja over the weeked was a great success. My congratulations to the Burrinja team who were inspired to put it together.

The debating teams...from left to right:
David Jewell - TVAG, Joy Serwylo, Cr Samantha
Dunn, Rod Quantock - moderator, Paul O'Halloran
and Nick Johnson - comedian.

Fast Food Friday saw the debate, Fast Food is Good For You, moderated by Rod Quantock and a screening of Supersize Me. Compelling and many hilarious, if not dubious, reasons were put forward by both sides to argue their case. It was very entertaining, the room was packed with people who brought along their picnic dinner to start the night's entertainment.

Local artist, Joy Serwylo, put foward some
hilarious reasons as to why fast food was
good for you.

Slow Food Sunday was a different affair. Community members came to workshops to learn how to make zines, soft sculptures and collages. The key theme, the proposed McDonalds in Tecoma.

Rod Quantock presenting some of Joy's 'interesting'
graphs to prove her point of why fast food is
good for you on Fast Food Friday.

TVAG provided lunch with a sausage sizzle and scones with jam and cream. TVAG are currently raising funds along with the No Maccas in the Hills group to fund the appeal for the VCAT hearing.

If you'd like to be kept up to date with what's happening with the No Maccas in the Hills campaign you can visit their website here.

Fast Food is Good For You, the Black Box at Burrinja
was packed for a night of hilarity.

open studios open for business

What a wonderful display of creativity this year's open studio in the Dandenong Ranges is.

Glass artist, Kirsten Laken, from Spirit of Glass (Studio 16) 
and Cr Samantha Dunn. This is Kirsten's wonderful creation
as part of this year's open studio. It's an extraordinary piece
made out of recycled chandeliers and a beautiful piece of
wood sourced locally in Kallista.

On for two days over the weekend of 26 & 27 May and in its ninth year, the event is going from strength to strength.




Cr Samantha Dunn, with the Juet Sculpture team,
Michael Hyett and Martin Judd - Studio 6. Michael
and Martin used reclaimed materials, including steel, iron
copper and stone to make their beautiful garden sculptures.

This weekend artists throw open their studios and encourage visitors to walk through their space, chat to the artists and perhaps buy a piece you like.

Yarra Ranges Council is pleased to support Open Studios through a community cultural grant.

It's not too late to get to see some wonderful art in a beautiful environment. Artists studios will be open again on Sunday(27/5) from 10am to 5pm. If you'd like to know more, visit Open Studios here.

Local artist, Emma Johnson with Cr Samantha Dunn
at the lantern making workshop - Studio 13.
Emma is part of the team behind this year's
Belgrave Lantern Parade, you can make your own
lantern for the parade on the 23rd June, get some
help at a lantern making workshop or purchase
one of these gorgeous butterfly lanterns.

If you're not sure where to head, perhaps start at Burrinja and visit Curves and Corners, the Open Studios group exhibition for a taste of many of the artists in this years event.

You can find Burrinja at 351 Glenfern Rd, Upwey.

celebrating reconciliation week at burrinja

Burrinja is planning a great range of activities to coincide with this year's Reconciliation Week.

There's a wonderful exhibition, 

Memories - Contact with White People Exhibition

4 May - 24 June. 

Based on Patsy Lulpanda’s canvas painting with the same title comes an exhibition of artworks from the Burrinja Collection that explores the theme of contact with white colonisers from the Aboriginal perspective. Depictions of policemen, cattle, prison trees, massacre sites and nuclear test sites tell stories of dispossession, disempowerment and destruction, and yet their telling provides future hope. Entry Free.


Friday 1st June, is Indigenous Film Night, details:

Session 1 @ 7pm
Too Many Captain Cooks (1989), Documentary, 18mins
This film seeks to replace the stereotypes promoted by the non-Aboriginal history of white settlement in Australia.
Beneath Clouds (2001), 94 mins
Drama about Lena, the light-skinned daughter of an Aboriginal mother and Irish father and Vaughn, a Murri boy doing time in a minimum security prison in North West NSW.

Session 2 @ 9.30pm
Babakiueria (1986), 30mins
A comic but powerful satire that reverses roles, imagining what it would be like if a black first fleet had arrived in Australia in 1788 to settle an area inhabited by white natives.
Rabbit-Proof Fence (2001), 94 mins
Dramatic feature based on the 'stolen generation' theme about three young indigenous girls who are snatched from their mothers' arms and placed in a settlement 1,500 miles away. They escape and use the rabbit-proof fence to guide their way home, as they are chased by white authorities and a black tracker.

Entry Free

Saturday 2nd June has some great activities.

Toy-Making for Children - 11am and 2pm

Kids will combine soft grasses with colourful wool to create their own beautiful animals. This is a 2-hour workshop by Adrienne Kneeborne, and parents are welcome to stay.

Places are limited so please book online or call 9754 8723. Cost $5

In Words: Eileen Harrison and Carolyn Landon - 2.30pm

Aunty Eileen describes herself as a survivor of a failed political push to assimilate Victorian aborigines into the wider community by forcing them off the mission at Lake Tyers, and she talks about her life from a cultural, personal, emotional and political perspective.

Cost Free. It will go for approx. 1 hour. Places are limited so please book online or call 9754 8723.

Sunday 3rd June, the activities continue...

In Conversation: Bruce Pascoe and Bill Gammage

Sunday 3 June - 2.30pm

Gippsland resident and author of Convincing Ground, Bruce Pascoe will present his recent book Dark Emu, an examination of the Aboriginal economy as seen by the “Explorers”. Bruce Pascoe will be in conversation with Bill Gammage, who recently published The Biggest Estate on Earth – How Aborigines made Australia, a book that examines land-management strategies used by Aboriginal people around the country prior to colonialisation.

Cost $10/Members Free. This talk will go for approx. 90 minutes. Places are limited so please book online or call 9754 8723.

Basket Weaving for Adults

11am to 4pm

Using coil stitch, thread and locally collected native grasses participants will create one gorgeous basket to take home. Materials provided. Adrienne Kneeborne is an artist from Tennant Creek, NT, living and working in Warburton.

Cost $35/$25 members. Places are limited so please book online or call 9754 8723.

It's a great program of events to celebrate reconciliation week. 

 

It's that time of year again, autumn in the Dandenongs and time for the Dandenong Ranges Open Studios.

Scattered amidst the Dandenong Ranges, just outside of Melbourne, lie some of the Victoria’s hidden artistic treasures. Over one exciting, interactive weekend in May the Open Studios program shines light on over twenty-four of these vibrantly-diverse artists as they open up their homes, studios and artistic process to the public. 

The weekend sets an eclectic range of artists and mediums against the backdrop of one of the state’s most beautiful and popular tourism destinations – one with a proud heritage of artistic inspiration and appreciation. Celebrating its ninth year in 2012, the annual event attracts artistically-minded, culturally interested and generally curious people from across Victoria. Visitors use the Open Studios map to guide them through the tall trees and winding roads to the artists’ secluded ferny studios. There they can experience the artwork in its natural environment, while meeting the artists as they work and gaining a unique insight into their creative process.

Artists’ studios are open from 10am to 5pm onSaturday and Sunday, 26-27 May (as well as other times right throughout the year by appointment). An easy-to-use Open Studios guidebook with touring map is available free online, and in hardcopy from Burrinja Community Cultural Centre and other tourist and arts locations throughout the Hills.

I'll certainly be taking a wander through our iconic hills, hope to see you on the arts trail!

showcasing vce arts

I had the great pleasure of officially opening the 2012 VCE Creative Showcase exhibition last week at Burrinja.

Bonnie, student from Monbulk Secondary College, is one of the artists on display, Bonnie has also been selected to exhibit at the VCE Top Arts at the National Gallery.

On exhibition in the Jarmbi Gallery through to 11th March, the VCE Creative Showcase was established to exhibit and celebrate outstanding work from top graduating visual art students across Yarra Ranges.

In it's fifth year, it's an exhibition that never fails to be a challenging and rewarding arts experience. I'm always impressed by the works of our young artists, it's good news for an ongoing creative future in The Dandenongs, a place that's inspired artists for decades (if not centuries!).

This year's VCE Creative Showcase featured 28 student artists across 8 local schools, well up from the 15 students featured in 2011.

The works on display are from students of local schools including Belgrave Heights Christian College, Emerald Secondary College, Mater Christi College, Monbulk College, Mountain District Christian School, Sherbrooke Community School, St Josephs College and Upwey High School.

The exhibition runs from 16 Feb to 11 Mar, in the Jarmbi Gallery (Burrinja).
Hours: Tues - Sun, 10:30am to 4:00pm
Address: At the corner of Glenfern Rd and Matson Dv, Upwey.

mary tonkin at burrinja

How wonderful to be at the launch of Mary Tonkin's exhibition at Burrinja last week.

The Mary Tonkin exhibition spans the last decade of Tonkin's career, focusing on the works depicting the Kalorama region of the Dandenongs where she grew up and continues to live and paint today.

Mary was awarded the National Gallery of Victoria Trustee's award in 1994 and 1995, the Dobell Drawing Prize in 2002 and the Kedumba Prize for drawing in 2010. Her work is held by the Art Gallery of NSW, the National Gallery of Victoria and several regional and university collections.

It's a beautiful exhibition, well worth going to see. We are very fortunate that we have works of such calibre so close by.

The exhibition is on now and will run through to 26 February 2012 at the Burrinja Gallery, 351 Glenfern Rd, Upwey.

crowds flock to burrinja community opening

Saturday saw the official community opening of Burrinja Performing Arts Centre in Upwey. People came out in droves to look a the new theatre and gallery spaces.

Here I am pictured with long time Burrinja volunteer, Tracey who was keenly handing out brochures to everyone as they passed by.

Organisers had put together an amazing program to showcase the centre and there was something for everyone.

To start the days proceedings Aunty Dot Peters did the traditional welcome to country.



















Next up was a presentation to Burrinja Executive Director, Ross Farnell. Ross and his team have done a tremendous job throughout the construction and the Committee of Management (of which I'm a member) thought it was important to recognise his efforts.

To kick off the perfomances in the theatre a community choir made up of choirs across the region, too many to name, sang as One Voice One Community. It was a fitting start, Burrinja exists because of the enormous support of our local community.

Local singer and choir leader, Barb McFarlane, led not only the community choristers but the audience too in beautiful group singing.

Suzanne Frisk did a great job keeping the singing going.

Chris Risely led local choir Sweet Sassafras in a great rendition of Beds are Burning to celebrate the landmark decision to award the Gunditjmara and Eastern Maar people native title rights in South Western Victoria.













Utassy Ballet School delighted onlookers with a mix of traditional and contemporary dance pieces. It was wonderful to see the potential the new theatre brings.

Last, but certainly not least, we were treated to a performance by the Nicholas Chamber Orchestra performing Peter and the Wolf with Derek Guille narrating the story. It was wonderful to experience this long time family favourite live in a theatre setting. Young and old alike were captivated.

It was a wonderful day, hundreds of community members were there to enjoy their brand new $9million facility. I feel immensely proud to have played a part in bringing this state of the art performance venue to the Dandenong Ranges.

it's official, burrinja open for arts

It's been a big weekend for the arts community in the Dandenong Ranges. It was wonderful to join with my colleagues to celebrate this monumental night.

Pictured left to right: Cr's Noel Cliff, Samantha Dunn, Terry Avery (Mayor) and Jeanette McRae.

Friday night saw the official civic opening of the Burrinja performing arts theatre. A grand night, attendees were treated to an amazing performance by Deborah Cheetham and the Short Black Opera including Tiriki Onus.

It was full circle for Burrinja, it's name taken from Lin Onus' Yorta Yorta name meaning Little Star, it was wonderful to hear his son Tiriki sing in his beautiful bass baritone voice.

Many, many community members are responsible for the success of Burrinja, current president of the Committee of Management, Louis Delacretaz and his wife, were there to represent the efforts of many.

Neil McLeod, local artist, was part of the celebrations. Neil's generous gift to the people of the Shire of Yarra Ranges, comprises an exquisite collection of over 300 Aboriginal paintings, Oceanic works from New Ireland and New Britain PNG, drawings, artifacts and photographic slides. We are fortunate to have such works and as a consequence Yarra Ranges has one of the best municipal collections of indigenous art in the country.


There are many people who've played a key role in the journey of Burrinja, from the community who galvanised to save the Shire of Sherbrooke offices as early as 1994, through to the local councillors who continually advocated on behalf of the Dandenong Ranges to ensure unanimous support of council for the project to proceed, the local state member to ensure a financial contribution and the local federal member who filled a desperately needed funding shortfall.

It's been a great collaboration by community and all three tiers of government and I look forward to seeing Burrinja go from strength to strength as a premium performing arts venue in the Dandenongs.

burrinja community celebration day

Well it's been quite a journey for our community. From council amalgamations which saw our Shire of Sherbrooke offices under threat of sale by the Commissioners, a long and passionate community campaign to keep our shire offices and turn them into a community cultural centre, the trials and tribulations of funding, design and construction through to a $9million performing arts facility. What a journey!

And this Saturday is the day when all of community can come and celebrate their achievements at the Burrinja Community Celebration Day.

Saturday 30th July will be a free day of activities throughout the centre, including:
The official opening by Yarra Ranges Mayor, Cr Terry Avery
Performances in a brand spanking new theatre by Burrinja Choir for a Day, Singularity, Mullum Mullum Indigenous Dancers, Ranges Young Strings, Utassy Ballet School, GEMCO and many more local groups
4 new art exhibitions including Stories of Song and Dance - showcasing items from the Burrinja/McLeod Gift Collection (thanks Neil - we're indebted to your generosity), Our Place-Our Space - Koori Art exploring the theme of identity in contemporary Australia, Focus - a group photographic exhibition behind the scenes of Utassy and ActUp and Rodney Saulwick: Silent Speech and GUIs, a retrospective of Rodney's work
Bush tucker in the newly created Art of Place Indigenous Garden
Mask Making workshop, indigenous weaving, films from the Black Screen Festival
Tours of the centre, led by a dedicated bunch of wonderful Burrinja volunteers
To end the day, the grand finale, a live performance of Peter and the Wolf by the Nicholas Chamber Orchestra with special guest narrator Derek Guille. (small fee of $7 for this one and starts at 4:30pm)

To download a program click here.

What a great way to open, I look forward to seeing you there.

open studios about to open their doors

It's that time of year again when the wonderful artists of the Dandenong Ranges throw open their doors for Open Studios. This year's event proves to be yet another spectacular visual delight.

This year's theme is Naked Beast - Where the Wild Things Are, artists have combined their efforts for a joint exhibition of works at Burrinja, which opens on Friday 20th May at 6:30pm and runs through to June 26th.

Dandenong Ranges Open Studios weekend runs over the weekend of the 28th & 29th May features 30 local artists across the Dandenongs. It includes artists across a range of mediums including painters, potters, wood carvers, digital artists and even a digeridoo maker. Open Studios is an eclectic event with something for everyone. Its a wonderful day trip to a region that is looking stunning against a backdrop of tall eucalypts and the colour of autumn leaves.

If you'd like a catalogue of the Open Studios artists for 2011 click here. I look forward to crossing paths with you at one of the many artist studios on the trail.

beanies galore at burrinja

It was terrific to attend the launch of Colours of the Country II at Burrinja. Featuring works from the Alice Springs Beanie Festival, the exhibition is a cornucopia of beanies of all persuasions.

The Beanie has been celebrated at the Alice Springs Beanie Festival since 1996, a festival that has unleashed a wonderful creative spirit, it seems there are no creative bounds for the beanie.

Pictured left to right: Ross Farnell - Executive Director of Burrinja, Jenny Francis, Marion Wheatland and Cr Samantha Dunn.

People attending the launch were encouraged to wear their favourite beanie or headwear of their choice. I had the job of judging the best two beanies and selected Marion Wheatland for her extraordinary beanie featuring sheep complete with fleece and ears and Jenny Francis, who reworked her handknitted tea cosy into a fabulous floral beanie.

The collection also features works from indigenous artists from the Central Desert region who are regular collaborators in this event.

It's a wonderful exhibition, everyone was captivated by the variety of beanies on display, from the whimsical to the beautiful, there's a beanie for everyone.

The exhibition will be on display until 15th May, 2011.

vce creative showcase

It was wonderful to be able to launch the VCE Creative Showcase at Burrinja this week.

Here I am with the student artists from the region. I was impressed by the range of works on show, the talent these young artists display augers well for the future of arts.

The showcase, in its fourth year, features art from 46 students across 17 schools in the Shire of Yarra Ranges.
Every year the exhibition has grown to the point that this time round the exhibition is taking place in three venues across the Shire. Burrinja in Upwey, the Mooroolbark Centre in Mooroolbark and the Upper Yarra Arts Centre in Warburton.

The event is a colloboration between the Shire and the Bendigo Bank and its Community Bank Enterprise and features emerging artists from the Yarra Ranges VCE year 2010.

There's some wonderful work, in a variety of mediums, highlighting the depth and breadth of artistic talent of young people in the Shire. It's great to be able to support our young artists, it's a wonderful exhibtion, well worth a visit.

The VCE Creative Showcase at Burrinja features artists from Mater Christi College, Mountain District Christian School, St Josephs College, Upwey High School, Belgrave Heights Christian School and Emerald College.

VCE Creative Showcase is on:
Burrinja - 4th March to 27th March
Mooroolbark Community Centre - 3rd March to 17th March
Upper Yarra Arts Centre - 5th March to 30th March

burrinja booming along

Anyone driving past Burrinja will notice a significant change to the site, with works on the new Performing Arts Centre rocketing along.

It was terrific to see comedians Monica Dullard and Dave O'Neill at the Burrinja Cafe this past weekend. It's important to retain a functioning arts venue whilst this major construction is underway.

Still in operation through the building works is the Burrinja Gallery and Cafe so the community can still be treated to wonderful art exhibitions and live performances throughout the construction process.

Still on track to finish in July, the new performing arts centre will provide a wonderful space for the performing arts. The new theatre will be used by regional schools, professional and community theatre, music groups and children's theatre, for performances, rehearsals, workshops, dance, arts, youth arts activities, the list is endless. It also has capacity to be used for seminars and presentations.

jack dale mengenen launched

It was terrific to go to the launch of Neil McLeod's new book about prominent indigenous artist, Jack Dale Mengenen last week. Not only about Jack's artwork, the book details Jack's life growing up in the Kimberley and his insights into his culture and traditions.

Pictured from left to right: Cr Samantha Dunn, Neil McLeod, Tiriki Onus and Cr Noel Cliff with one of Jack's works in the background.

The launch coincides with the latest exhibition at Burrinja, Stories of Ancestors. It features works by members of the Nganjmirra family from Western Arnhem land, some of them never exhibited before.

It's well worth a visit, visually breathtaking.

henson, hall and hoorahs

It was great news to learn that Burrinja was awarded the Archival Survival Award for Small Museums, 2010 by Museums Australia (Vic), for its Exemplary Public Programs.

The award is a tremendous peer acknowledgement of the amazing depth and diversity of programs, projects, exhibitions and performances on offer at the centre.

The current exhibition in the Burrinja Gallery, Bill Henson: early works from the MGA collection, is a stunning exhibition, well worth attending. The local community are lucky to have a gallery so close at hand to experience such a quality exhibition.

Me and Jenny Hall, in front of her work Jesus went to Upwey High.

The exhibition on show in the Burrinja Cafe, Jenny Mai Hall: Going Downtown, is another great example of local work by a local artist. Burrinja is a great venue for local artists to display their work, giving them valuable exhibition experience and a public venue to sell their works.

Burrinja also provides a terrific venue for live music, local performing artist Alex Legg, has been working hard to hold a monthly Blues and Roots night and last Friday saw the very talented Phil Manning play to a packed house.

Pictured left to right: Phil Manning, Samantha Dunn and Alex Legg at the Burrinja Cafe.

It is wonderful to see the Performing Arts Space start to take shape as the construction leaps ahead. The shell of the space is clearly visible now and it is exciting to see the site transform into what will be a truly wonderful community cultural arts space.

Bill Henson runs through to 26 September. Jenny Mai Hall runs through to 22 August.

art of glass

I had the pleasure of officially opening Kirsten Laken’s exhibition, Transparent Works at Burrinja over the weekend. Kirsten is a local artist based in Selby, who does exquisite work with glass.

Me with glass artist, Kirsten Laken. Kirsten's work is superb and ranges from the contemporary to the traditional. Be sure to visit her studio as part of Open Studios.

Glass has been her passion for a very long time, I’m sure it runs through her veins, her feel for the medium is extraordinary and she has completed many commissioned works throughout her career.

Kirsten is busily preparing for the Dandenong Ranges Open Studio weekend coming up on the 29th & 30th May. It’s a time where artists across the region throw open their studio doors to the public. In it’s seventh year, it is an event well worth supporting. A great way to spend a day, travelling around the Dandenongs and visiting our local artists. If you’d like to know more visit Burrinja or find them on facebook.

station rats and other scum bags

Last week I had the great privilege of opening
Station Rats & other Scum Bags,
an art project with tiffany bishop and the SCUM PUPS at the Burrinja Gallery in Upwey.

Tiffaney Bishop, local artist (left), has done a great job assisting these young people with their works. Tiffaney works with compassion and dedication, committed to the project and the young people of Upwey.

Station Rats & other Scum Bags is an art exhibition with serious intent. The exhibition compassionately considers a community of young people living in and around Upwey, a community that is often criticised for their anti-social behaviour.

The exhibition is a slice of life of young people in Upwey in their space in and around the Upwey railway station. The exhibition touches on some of the emotional, social and cultural issues impacting on young people.

The young people of Upwey want to change the way they are viewed and this exhibition is a celebration of their positive energy and youth activism.

The work is a credit to the young people who created it (mostly 14 year olds) and to tiffaney bishop the artist who assisted with the project.

It is well worth a visit. Station Rats & other Scum Bags is on at the Burrinja Gallery until 14th March, 2010.

burrinja kicks off 2010 with noah symons

Earlier this week I opened the art exhibition Paintings, Drawings & Studies 2005-2009 by local artist Noah Symons at Burrinja in Upwey.

Noah, a local, who draws his inspiration from the hills, is one of our new emerging artists and it was great to see his work hanging at the Burrinja café.

He is multi-talented and does not limit his artistic abilities to the visual arts, he is also an accomplished musician who plays under the moniker Great Earthquake.

Noah continues the great tradition of hills inspired artists and reinforces the link between the Dandenongs, artists and a place of great creativity.

The Burrinja gallery is somewhat of a construction zone at the moment, but that hasn’t stopped the gallery continuing a terrific program throughout 2010, it is still a great place to visit.

In late 2008 VCAT approved an application for the Use and Development of a 400 Seat Auditorium - in plain English, a performing arts centre space on the Burrinja site.

The $9 million development at Burrinja includes the construction of a 400 seat auditorium, backstage facilities including dressing rooms, toilets and green room to accommodate up to 200 performers, improved foyer and staff amenities.

The Burrinja performing arts centre project is a lesson in never giving up and fighting for what you believe in. Our community has never lost faith in seeing a community cultural centre developed at the Shire of Sherbrooke civic offices.
This is a project that has seen considerable angst over its history, firstly with the proposed sell off of the site, securing council funding, securing state funding, securing, losing then re-securing federal funding. All very significant hurdles our community has negotiated over the last 10 years to see their aspirations delivered.

Burrinja is a key cultural facility much beloved by our community. Burrinja reaches out to the disadvantaged in our community, to those on the fringe and connects community through the arts. Young and old, all have a place at Burrinja.It’s a thriving and vibrant community cultural centre that supports local artists and arts in the local community. It is great to see a huge program for 2010 despite the fact that most of the site is a construction zone!

I encourage you to go and see Noah’s work, pop into the Burrinja Gallery to see some stunning indigenous art and stop for a bite of something in the café too, it’s well worth a visit.