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Craig Middleton Curator, National Museum Council of Australia, Canberra Debbie Sommers 2019–2021 Volunteer, Port Macquarie Historical Society, Port Macquarie President Dr Robin Hirst PSM Ex officio Member Director, Hirst Projects, Melbourne Dr Mat Trinca AM Chair, ICOM Australia; Director, National Museum of Australia Vice-President Simon Elliott Deputy Director, Queensland Art Gallery Public Officer | Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane Rebecca Coronel Canberra cover image Peter Drew, 2020, Together Soon Enough, poster.
Penny Grist TAS Janet Carding Curator, National Portrait Gallery, Director, Tasmanian Museum Canberra & Art Gallery, Hobart
Marcus Hughes VIC Andrew Hiskens Director, Indigenous Engagement, Consultant, Melbourne National Library of Australia, Canberra WA Christen Bell Jane King Museum Curator, City of Armadale Gallery Manager, John Curtin Gallery, Perth
AMaGA acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
© Australian Museums and Galleries Association and individual authors. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission PO Box 24, Deakin West ACT 2600 from the publisher. Australian Museums and Galleries Association Magazine is published Editorial: (02) 6230 0346 biannually (from Volume 25 onwards) and online on the national website, and is a major link Advertising: 02) 6230 0346 with members and the museums sector. Australian Museums and Galleries Association Subscriptions: (02) 6230 0346 Magazine is a forum for news, opinion and debate on museum issues. Contributions from [email protected] those involved or interested in museums and galleries are welcome. Australian Museums www.amaga.org.au and Galleries Association Magazine reserves the right to edit, abridge, alter or reject any Editor: Bernice L. Murphy material. Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher or Template design: Inklab, Canberra editor. Publication of an advertisement does not imply endorsement by Australian Museums Content layout: Stephanie Hamilton and Galleries Association, its affiliates or employees. Printer: Adams Print, Melbourne Print Post Publication No: 100003705 ISSN 2207-1806 National Conference 7-10 June 2021 Canberra CREATING THE FUTURE: 20 TRUST. DIVERSITY. IMAGINATION. 21
7-10 June 2021 So much to talk about! See you there! • Program now released • Registrations open • Virtual registrations available Watch for updates via email and on the website
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Eligible businesses can apply for funding under Austrade’s Business Events Grants Program to cover up to 50% AUSTRALIAN MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES ASSOCIATION NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2019: Handbook 1 of the costs of participating in AMaGA2021, as either delegates or
Photo credit: VisitCanberra credit: Photo sponsors/exhibitors. Grant applications close at 5pm (AEDST) on 30 March 2021 or earlier if funding is exhausted. For further information visit the AMaGA2021 website. 12 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine In this issue Contents
14 President's Message 29 16 From the Director Australian University 18 Nurturing community-based history: Museums and Collections Some South Australian insights interfacing with COVID-19
24 MAPDA 2020: Celebrating design and communication AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 13
50 AMaGA Network rallies around Memory of the World bid
43 Beyond measure: Five years of Tarnanthi in Adelaide and beyond
26 MAGNA 2020: Bay Discovery Centre wins National Award 37 Making cultural connections 55 The Value of Support: The Emerging Professionals National Network of AMaGA 58 The vantage-point of work in our National Library 60 Mid-career spotlight: A Victorian regional heritage vantagepoint 65 CAUMAC museums responding to COVID-19 impacts on university collections 68 State Branch Victoria: Surviving through a viral lockdown 70 Submission Spotlight
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this publication may contain a range of material which may be culturally sensitive including names, records and images of people who have passed away. 14 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine President’s Message
After a year of living Covidly, I am ready for something different. I’m sure you are too. Some important projects have recently come to fruition, despite lockdowns. Two impressive new museum buildings have opened on either side of the country: the new Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip in Perth, and the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, which now co-locates all of the University’s collections in an exciting new home. The Australian Museum in Sydney has also launched its redevelopment, incorporating new facilities to host major exhibitions, and now presents an ambitious new building housing its reinterpreted collections. Each of these projects demonstrates the importance of our sector, and we should all celebrate the transformative progress they represent. I’m eager to visit them. By all accounts they are spectacular and engaging above transformations of their institutions and collections, and each is Robin Hirst. attracting new audiences. At the other end of the scale, I want to draw your attention to a project that is literally from and about the grass roots. It is one I’ve had the pleasure to experience first-hand. In southern NSW, between the Murray and the Murrumbidgee, a remarkable project has emerged. It was conceived in the local farming community. In summary: take a group of farmers who wish to regenerate their land, enlist some of Australia’s finest artists to respond to the farmers’ work, engage with the public on the farm, create an exhibition to tour regional galleries, and make the last venue a major institution in the National Capital. As a participant in the project, it developed like this: in 2019 I came across a one-day event where artist Rosalind Atkins, who has a passion for depicting trees in her superb wood engravings, was involved in a program called Earth Canvas. She had been in residence with regenerative farmers Bill and Joy Wearn, and was to talk about the residency on the farm near Little Billabong, via Holbrook. I have an interest in wood engraving and I am a fan of Ros’s work. With lunch included, a decision to go firmed easily. It is hot. One of those November days when summer seems to be very early. In the shade of a massive eucalypt, two artists — Rosalind Atkins and the irrepressible John Wolseley — are encircled by local farmers, experts in agriculture, educators, and an assortment of people (like Sally and myself) who love the arts and wish for a more sustainable way that food can be produced, while the land is improved year by year. A herd of Angus cattle with their shiny black coats also surrounds us, eavesdropping, as the conversation is both deep and wide — art, science, soil, biodiversity, food, sustainability, climate change, the future. Lunch on the farmhouse veranda is superbly prepared by a local chef and the conversations jostle with excitement. AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 15
The dynamo behind this project is Gill Sanbrook, one of the farmers who owns a local property (Bibbaringa) and is passionate about land management and care of nature. Together with John Wolseley, she came up with the idea of farmers working with artists, and this project was born. Six farming families were involved, each interacting with a resident artist, and all hosting open days on different weekends. The resulting exhibition now includes works by artists Rosalind Atkins, John Wolseley, Janet Lawrence, Jo Davenport, Idris Murphy, and Jenny Bell, and is documented by photographer Tony Nott. Curated by Kate Eastick, the Earth Canvas Exhibition is on display at the Albury LibraryMuseum (until 7 February 2021) before touring to Swan Hill, Mt Gambier, Mildura, Wagga Wagga, Tamworth and Griffith — and then finally reaching a larger audience at the National Museum of Australia in late 2022. I attended the virtual opening and a webinar on the project. Now I can’t wait to see all the actual works, together. In a gallery with others.
And more Alex Marsden, our National Director for almost six years, has decided to take new directions. We have benefitted from her energy, passion, intellect, and the ability to build new relationships and strengthen member services right across our sector. Over the last four years I have had the pleasure to work closely with Alex and the National Council in steering major changes: such as renaming, rebranding and refocusing the organisation; launching the Indigenous Roadmap; reforming our professional development program delivery; and appointing Indigenous leaders to our Council and advisory committees – to name just a few of the far-reaching changes accomplished. Alex, you have been a wonderful Director, and the National Council and all parts of AMaGA wish you well. Meanwhile we appreciate your offer to stay in touch as we move into a new year.
And still more We welcome Katie Russell, our new National Director. Katie comes to AMaGA from the National Gallery of Australia, where she was Head of Programs, Education, Research Library and Archives. Katie brings a wealth of experience gained previously in the National Portrait Gallery and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. A graduate of the Australian National University, she has a Master of Arts from Leicester University, UK. Already setting her vision in place for AMaGA’s ongoing work, Katie affirms: ‘It is important that the Association continues to amplify the collective voice of the membership, and to support the range of perspectives it represents.’ This is a good time, hopefully with the pandemic crisis better under control, for us all to work with Katie, to take stock and reimagine the future we can continue to shape collaboratively. Like the philosophy behind Earth Canvas, our organisation can only thrive with healthy grass roots and a broad vision of our collective interface with communities across the country. May 2021 be a great year for us all, and I look forward to seeing many of you, in person, in Canberra for our National Conference in June. ■
Dr Robin Hirst PSM President Australian Museums and Galleries Association 16 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine From the Director
Despite the challenges throughout 2020 of profound adjustments needed to the impacts of a global pandemic, I’ve continued to be inspired by spending time with so many people who have innovative ideas, knowledge, and the serious intent to do more with the resources they have. My belief that our sector is brimming with achievement and potential, even in the face of external challenges, has continued to be confirmed. Reflecting on 2020 as a whole for the national organisation, we have together built on earlier achievements and driven change in a number of important areas, as well as nurturing new alliances. AMaGA’s Indigenous Roadmap, our part in establishing and running GLAM Peak, and the focus on delivering a strengthened national professional development program through the vicissitudes of COVID-19, are achievements of which this organisation can be very proud. Part of representing the breadth and depth of our sector is seeking above Alex Marsden. out and listening to colleagues who may feel under-represented. AMaGA has more clearly embraced the breadth of the visual arts and galleries sector, and recognised Indigenous values and workers, and we have worked hard to provide better support to all. After much consultation in previous years, the national association adopted a new name in November 2018, which — while explicitly including galleries — also restored and foregrounded the importance of the association. We are a network of members, joining together for the common good, and all contributing in a myriad of ways. 2020 was also a significant year for advocacy. I have previously voiced concerns about the Commonwealth government’s continuing lack of a national cultural policy framework and associated resourcing needed for such a diverse sector across the country. The impacts of this deficiency were laid bare in the government’s limited understanding and inadequate responses to the damage endured by the sector during the pandemic. AMaGA spoke up for the sector’s needs at Roundtables and in the media, and made numerous submissions to Inquiries, all of which can be found on our website and drawn upon for further advocacy. Late in 2020, the Australia Council for the Arts asked for contributions to their thinking about what we wanted our arts and cultural industries to look like in 2030, and how we could get there. This was welcome. I believe we need to think big. Inspire ourselves and others. A few years ago, the writer and critic, Alison Croggon, declared: ‘Our cultural expectations have always suffered from a poverty of imagination.’ No more! AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 17
— We should work with allies to change the precarious nature of On the Horizon employment, income, and revenue generation for so many of our artists, cultural workers, service organisations and cultural February institutions. Concepts of productivity and varied contributions — First round of Cultural to society need to be re-thought and made clear. Capability Training — We need to focus on sustainability — both as cultural industries — MaG published and in our contributions to national and global sustainability. — Welcoming Katie Russell More of our governments, elected representatives and business as new National Director leaders need to be persuaded or pressured to strive towards — National Professional achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Development Program — The centrality of Australia’s First Peoples’ cultures and — MAPDA and MAGNA open knowledge is vital both for justice and a shared and maturing — GLAM Peak meets national identity. — Indigenous Roadmap — The arts, heritage and cultural industries need to be adequately Advisory Group meets resourced, through multiple avenues, including an expanded Australia Council or the creation of a companion Council for the Humanities, and in re-imagined definitions of work, March — National Council culture, inclusion, value and recompense. Nominations close Museums and galleries can be critical participants in achieving all — National Council meets of these aims. This edition of the national Magazine focuses on good practice and innovative thinking, as well as the strength of ethics, empathy and honesty. April — Awards close for entries Having written my first column as National Director in 2015, after four months in the role, this will be my last, after almost six years. It has been a great privilege to act as National Director for such an May important organisation, and to be supported by such committed staff — National Council voting in the National Office, guided by outstanding National Councillors. closes I give particular mention and thanks to National President Robin Hirst, and his predecessor, Frank Howarth, for their generous and informed leadership and advice. I have enjoyed every one of these years, and am June — National Conference in looking forward to contributing in different ways to the development and Canberra wellbeing of museums and galleries throughout Australia and the region — National Council meets — through a new role on ICOM Australia’s Board and in other ventures. — Indigenous Roadmap I extend a warm welcome to my successor, Katie Russell, as she steps Advisory Group meets into one of the most rewarding roles in the country. ■ — Awards announced — AMaGA AGM and new Council announced Alex Marsden — Launch of Connecting National Director Custodians Australian Museums and Galleries Association 18 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
Nurturing community- based history Some South Australian insights
Pauline Cockrill
Nurturing community-based history can be the most frustrating and yet satisfying aspect of museum work. As Community History Officer at the History Trust of South Australia, some key examples stand out for me as success stories, demonstrating new trends in working with different communities. But first, what do we mean by community?1 Community has been defined as a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. In South Australia, whether it is the Museum of River History in Mannum or the Latvian Museum in the Adelaide suburbs, both museums address a community with a shared geography. Peter Block describes the condition succinctly in another way: ‘We are in a community each time we find a place where we belong.’2 Such community museums or history groups with collections have been steadily increasing within our state. Research has shown that the 20 or so such museums existing above in 1960 rapidly increased to 170 by 1990, encouraged by the push for Pauline Cockrill. heritage preservation in the 1960s and 1970s, and later by impacts of the state’s 150th (1986) and 175th (2011) anniversaries as well as Australia’s national bicentenary (1988).3 By 2008 there were 200 SA community museums, which at the time of writing has grown to over 300. As with other parts of Australia, local museums have found homes in buildings saved from demolition, with collections relating to pioneering families and rural life. The last decade has also seen the growth of virtual community collections, with no physical address but accessible through a website or social media. Spurred by shared interests, there are many community museums or groups developing specialist collections — particularly focused on planes, trains and automobiles, but also collections of tools, machinery, or crafts such as embroidery. Community museums and history groups in South Australia have risen in numbers, yet ironically also struggle to survive. As new groups form, others despair for their future, faced with diminishing resources, crumbling heritage buildings, vast uncatalogued collections and an aging baby boomer generation of custodians desperately seeking a succession plan. Add to this the varying personalities of the latter, sometimes set in their ways, and the results can create challenging situations for the nurture of community history. AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 19
However, there have been success stories, and some are shared here 1. Murawski, Mike (2018). Towards a More Community-Centered Museum, as case studies to consider and inspire. They particularly illuminate Part 3: Defining & Valuing Community the new museology we have seen developing over the last half-century,
2. Webber, K. et al (2011). ‘Drawing or visitor-focused approach. It has led to US museum visionary, Nina people together: the local and Simon, spearheading the participatory museum4 movement, opening regional museum movement in up museums to new people in new ways; and her global initiative — Australia’, in Des Griffin & Leon 5 Paroissien (eds), Understanding OF, BY & FOR ALL — guiding community organisations to become Museums: Australian Museums more inclusive, equitable, and relevant. and Museology, National Museum A decade prior to this, British museums were reinventing themselves of Australia, Canberra, 2011, online at
6. Sandell, Richard (1998). ‘Museums as The SA History Trust’s Standards and Accreditation program for Agents of Social Inclusion’, Museum Management and Curatorship, Vol. community museums has recently shifted focus to reflect this new 17(), 401–418, Routledge, UK; DOI: museology. Established in 1982, the program had undergone minimal 10.1080/09647779800401704. modifications until the new Museums and Collections (MaC) Program9 7. Dodd, Jocelyn & Jones, Ceri (2014). was introduced in 2018. The former program required community Mind, body, spirit: How museums museums, the majority of which are volunteer-run, to demonstrate impact health and wellbeing, University of Leicester, UK. levels of compliance with the National Standards for Australian Museums and Galleries through a rigorous formal assessment. MaC 8. Veall, D. et al (2017). Museums on Prescription: A guide to working now aims to reflect that half of the history groups in South Australia with older people. Available at: are not museums, but are still undertaking meaningful community-
left Angelo Innocente, standing with his arms out, after being introduced by Bruno Piovesan at the exhibition of the Veneto market gardens, Findon, August 2011. Photo: Linda Lacey.
Case study 1 Research on the migrant Italian families who set up market gardens in the post-World War II era in Adelaide’s western suburbs was carried out through a memorable series of ‘pop-up’ style events. The latter have grown out of the ‘pop-up’ retail trend to regenerate high streets arising after the 2008 financial crisis, and have proved effective in attracting new audiences. The Veneto Market Gardeners project began as a series of oral histories but led on to a website and blog,10 which has also created opportunities for families and friends to reconnect both physically and online. Participants were invited with their extended families to the local library, where they could experience the results of filmed oral histories, bring photographs to be scanned, and share family heirlooms and their stories. A simple mud map of the market gardens was provided to guide memories of locations and names. Refreshments included not only good home- made Italian cake but also coffee with a barista! Encouraged by joyous participation, the history of the market gardens now continues to grow, with guest bloggers from the local Italian community adding material to the website.
Case study 2 Social media has so much potential for community-based history. Some research is currently being undertaken in connection with the redevelopment of the Onkaparinga Woollen Mills in Lobethal, now the home of Fabrik — the Adelaide Hills Council’s arts and heritage hub initiative. The mill was the original maker of the Onkaparinga blanket and occupies a significant role in the town’s history, where it has been said ‘Lobethal is the mill’. An initial call- out via Facebook and Instagram indicated the amount of affection this icon of the Australian wool industry still holds in public consciousness. Photos were shared of blankets and rugs that had been wedding, engagement or 21st presents, then augmented by rich memories of picnics, holidays and car journeys. A more strategic method of crowdsourcing to gain information and grow audiences is planned for the future. Under COVID-19 restrictions this is a useful option, but it cannot replace face-to-face social gatherings with their 10. Regan, Madeleine (2011-19). Veneto Market Gardeners 1927; online at opportunities to handle and physically share such objects amongst
top Interior of the Onkaparinga Woollen Mill showing processing machinery. Approximately 1900. Part of Lobethal Collection, State Library of SA. middle Knitting and crocheting through the war workshops held at the Migration Museum in 2015 attracted the craft community and encouraged younger, diverse audiences to engage with history. Photo: Pauline Cockrill, History Trust of SA. bottom Lynnette Wanganeen with Dr Chris Morton and copy of an 1867 photograph of her ancestor. Photo: Pauline Cockrill and History Trust of SA. 22 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
left Lianne Gould and Iris Woolcock’s sock pattern. These patterns are adapted from the Schools Patriotic Fund (SPF) Service Knitting booklet. The booklet was released during the Second World War to provide patterns for people knitting for the troops on the home front. During the First World War basic instructions for knitting similar items were published in newspapers around Australia. The patterns here have been translated for the beginner and modern knitter by Lianne Gould, Master Knitter, and used by the KnitWW1ts.
Case study 3 During South Australia’s commemoration of the WWI centenary, a small team of colleagues with a shared passion for knitting was formed — calling themselves The KnitWW1ts. They held a series of history talks at the Migration Museum on aspects of knitting and fundraising during the War, whilst also teaching participants to knit a certain item of the time, such as a pair of socks, scarf, or balaclava. Related historic items and photographs were also shared. The workshops were exceedingly popular, bringing a new, often younger and more culturally diverse audience to the museum.
Case study 4 Motoring Memories was a project undertaken by a car club, an aged care service provider, and the National Motor Museum in Birdwood in the Adelaide Hills. Initially it was to celebrate both the Morris 8 and Resthaven’s 75th birthdays, and to obtain some oral histories from residents of an aged care home regarding their motoring memories. The main event consisted of car club members taking out some of the residents for a short drive around the block in their vintage Morris 8 cars. There were also several introductory and follow-up activities: oral history training for the car club members; providing historic material for the lifestyle coordinators; preparing historic motoring displays for the foyer of the nursing home; and carrying out further oral histories and presentations after the event. However, the outcome was far more profound. It was in effect a Memory or AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 23
Reminiscence Box project on a grand scale. The cars and displayed Museums are no historic items triggered conversations and were a talking-point for longer focused a considerable time for staff, residents and their families, visibly raising the mood of participants. The project exemplified the rehabilitation of primarily on touch, described as the most salient trend in the new museology11 which collecting heritage has been widely researched by Dr Helen Chatterjee in the UK.12 or being education providers, but work Case study 5 actively to increase The repatriation of copies of two photographs of James Wanganeen, formerly Wanganni, an Upper Murray Maraura man born around 1836, social inclusion and the first known ancestor of the Wanganeen family to his great great granddaughter Lynette, was deeply moving. It took place unceremoniously in an alfresco North Adelaide café, but was a momentous outcome of an initially unplanned project. This followed two years after the accidental rediscovery of some mid-19th century daguerreotypes at Mill Cottage Museum in Port Lincoln, which turned out to be some of the earliest photographic images of named Indigenous Australians, then inhabitants of Poonindie Mission. Serendipitously this coincided with a collaborative ARC-funded project regarding Returning Australian Aboriginal Photographs from European Collections.13 The Port Lincoln daguerreotypes were conserved, and the Wanganeen family played a significant part in their subsequent redisplay. When Dr Chris Morton, Curator of Photograph and Manuscript Collections at the University of Oxford’s Pitt Rivers Museum, was on a lightning Australian study visit, it was arranged for him to hand over to Lynette’s family two more images of their ancestor from the museum’s collection. Through all these case studies run common threads. First and foremost, they are projects that have been built with the community, not for them. They have involved strategic collaboration. They are socially oriented. There has been a willingness to listen and be flexible: to sometimes be patient, or seize the moment and make things happen; 11. Howes, David (2014). Introduction to to do careful research but also take risks and to think outside the Sensory Museology, The Senses and square. Last, there is respect for the importance of cultural memory, Society, Vol. 9(3), 259– 267, DOI: 10.2 752/174589314X14023847039917. described as the key to community resilience throughout the world, as people seek to engage with the past, understand the present, and 12. Chatterjee, Helen (2008). 14 Touch in Museums: Policy and plan for meaningful futures. ■ Practice in Object Handling, Routledge, UK; DOI:
See the winners at At a glance www.mapda.org.au The Museums Australasia Multimedia and Publication Design Awards is an annual celebration that acknowledges excellence and quality in design of publications and multimedia produced for the museums and galleries sector across Australia and New Zealand. The innovation and creativity displayed in all of the entries continue to astonish and inspire our judges — and above all else, these standards show how we continue to look for new ways of telling our stories and sharing experiences with our communities even when we can't connect in person. As always, there were some hard decisions to be made in the end, which only reflects how outstanding the work produced by the cultural sector continues to be, despite current challenges.
Judges' insights The physical delight of holding a beautiful exhibition catalogue reinforces the importance of publications and the way they can still connect the reader with the exhibition, particularly at a time when in person experiences are limited.
The abundance of catalogues and other publications submitted this year reflects the continued need for tangible, sensory, collectible connections to our collections and stories. In keeping with the recommendation in the Indigenous Roadmap, that all AMaGA committees include Indigenous representation — and because it makes good sense — 2020 was the first time we specifically invited Indigenous judges to participate. Marcus Hughes, Jilda Andrews and Kiah Buckskin-James provided invaluable perspectives to inform the judging of both good design and effective communication, now and in the future. In terms of design, this year's entries yielded a delighful mix of traditional, classic and timeless designs, along with bold, contemporary designs, each with their own varied impacts. The most successful publications often tend to be those where the designer is able to create a harmony of traditionally classy grids and typography with an exciting use of seemingly contradictory graphic design or production elements – for example, in headings, margins, colour or paper stock. The Best in Show award was selected because of its classic design qualities along with a subtle use of white-on-white, which beautifully highlighted the art of Petrina Hicks in Bleached Gothic.
2021 Due to the short turnaround before the planned 2021 Awards, and the lack of exhibitions and publishing resulting from multiple lockdowns, we anticipate a severe downturn in entries for 2021. Organisations have however been adapting and innovating online with varied use of multimedia and other digitally-based design. Currently MAPDA has left only 3 electronic categories. Redefining these or adding new categories Petrina Hicks: Bleached Gothic from is now recommended, so that the awards can be more reflective of the the National Gallery of Victoria was the 2020 publication Best in Show. adaptive work being undertaken online and from home. Designer: Thomas Deverall (NGV). Call for Entries will open at the end of February 2021. ■ 26 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine MAGNA 2020 Bay Discovery Centre wins National Award Stephanie Hamilton
2020 heralded the tenth year of the Museums and Galleries National Awards. The MAGNAs aim to encourage the continuing improvement and development of Australian museums and galleries, to inspire and recognise best practice and innovation in the collections sector, and to enhance the profile of museums and galleries in their local and wider communities. Entries to the Awards come from both the smallest community museums and the largest national institutions in the areas of exhibition, learning and engagement, research, and Indigenous projects. The call for entries was extended in 2020 to accommodate the unpredicted pandemic circumstances engulfing everyone — whether working from home, in lockdowns, or in isolation. The result was a record number of MAGNA entries. The 2020 Awards were presented digitally in a wonderful event in October, hosted by Council Member Craig Middleton, and featuring acceptance speeches from most of the winners. The presentations were part of the national AMaGA Meet-up: where members could gather, where safe to do so, in their State and Territory Branch events. The presentation recording is available online, along with a list of all the commended and winning entries: at
National Winner The National Winner is selected from a shortlist of all the winning AMaGA is grateful to our entries. The 2020 National Winner was Bay Discovery Centre in generous sponsor, Panasonic, Glenelg, South Australia, for Tiati Wangkanthi Kumangka (Truth- who have been sponsoring the Telling Together). MAGNAs since 2017 Tiati Wangkanthi Kumangka is a meaningful, thought-provoking and at times confrontational exhibition. Although it seeks to tell the story of South Australia's colonisation, it also seeks to question AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 27
top mainstream attitudes and ideas toward Aboriginal people. The project Tiati Wangkanthi Kumangka (Truth- manages to do something incredibly important: to decolonise the Telling Together) (installation view), Bay Discovery Centre, Glenelg SA. museum by recognising the presence and interaction of multiple voices. While this may seem obvious, the approach often taken with decolonising practice is to replace one narrative with another — yet this See the winners at project rightfully acknowledges the limitations of such stances. Tiati amaga.org.au/awards demonstrates an incredibly sophisticated approach, taken confidently. The budget was modest in size but expansive in ambition and execution. There are many much larger organisations and institutions that are yet to accomplish outcomes equivalent to this project. Tiati successfully incorporates remarkable objects in the exhibition and frames them with contemporary, highly considered, and important interpretation for visitors. The project additionally embeds learning opportunities for people involved in developing this exhibition — such as cultural awareness training and Kaurna language lessons. All of this was achieved in close collaboration with Elders from the Kaurna Nation. Kaurna Elder Jeffrey Newchurch commented on the award: ‘It is a big thing for us as Kaurna Aboriginal people. To be recognised for working in conjunction with the team from Holdfast Bay, and the trust and the honesty we had together was important because for us as Kaurna, and as Aboriginal people, just getting on the table to have a position was seen as a risk. But we didn’t see that — we had an opportunity to achieve those outcomes together and it’s quite exciting.’ Tiati Wangkanthi Kumangka is a lesson for all of us in collaboration and truth-telling and is an incredible model we can all use in our implementation of the Indigenous Roadmap. Call for Entries will open at the end of February 2021. ■ 28 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 29
Australian University Museums and Collections interfacing with COVID-19 Andrew Simpson
Australian campuses and their museums and centre of the university, the result of both galleries were closed during most of 2020. philanthropy and university investment.5 They faced challenges of managing COVID-19 Meanwhile the University of Melbourne has had that confronted public institutions globally. a cultural collections program in place for many Australian universities, beyond the warmth of the years, and covering many of its varied collections. federal government’s ‘JobKeeper’ campfire, shed In 2020 these were all drawn into a new Museums staff. Amidst other virus impacts, the sudden loss and Collections Department headed by Rose Hiscock. of international student income, which supported There are now big engagement ambitions through diverse organisational activities, has caused a the University’s Cultural Commons. This will dramatic fiscal and programming contraction. include Australia’s only Science Gallery franchise,6 Responses by some institutions have been touted due to open in 2021. Many years ago, some thought as ‘building resilience’; but critical changes have such a gathering could find a home in Western Sydney, essentially been about securing future financial but the idea vanished after the glittering prize of viability. While it’s fair to say this process was the Powerhouse at Parramatta was dangled before already in train at many Australian universities various Sydney movers and shakers. as they have been forced by successive governments to become more business-minded, in 2020 the trend accelerated sharply. Closer fiscal scrutiny is now applied to all organisational activity, including museums and collections. To survive the nation- wide crisis, Australian universities are signalling they may need to be smaller, concentrate on fewer strengths, and do less.1, 2 Despite these adverse conditions, there were some remarkable achievements during 2020. This article provides a scan of some of the good and more concerning outcomes in a national snapshot. There is an obvious lesson here. Museums and collections in universities with professionally-run museum services and an already-developed institutional- level vision were much better positioned to face the current crises. above Exterior view of completed Chau Chak Wing Museum, on a prime This is best exemplified by the opening of Sydney site near the Parramatta Road entrance (a hillside with Cadigal University’s superlatively presented new Chau historical significance) and facing the University's Great Hall. Chak Wing Museum (CCWM).3 This was the first left of its kind in Australia: a cross-campus physical View of the Chau Chak Wing Museum's introductory convergence4 bringing diverse collections to the exhibition, Object / Art / Specimen. Photo David James. 30 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
Elsewhere the framework of focalising and concentration of university above investment in collections has been unravelling. The responsibility for Lego Pompeii in the Chau Chak Wing Museum. Photo David James. individual components of the Cultural Precinct at the University of Western Australia is being scattered to different sub-institutional offices. The university-wide vision some years ago of major cultural provision through a high-profile collections precinct no longer has traction. This is surely a retrograde step that will, in time, be regretted. Similarly, in South Australia, the University of Adelaide’s centralised collections service was abolished after a review in 2019. The outcome shocked all who had contributed review input. Responsibilities were transferred to the University’s Library, but the trail went cold in 2020. Libraries don’t always mean extinction for university collections. The University of Tasmania created a new Library-based position to coordinate the disparate collections spread throughout the Hobart campus, and its future remains to be determined. Meanwhile some interesting projects, including collaboration across universities, are emerging.7 Other individual university libraries are working in partnership with the potential of their interesting campus collections. A good example is the Performance Memories project of the University of New South Wales, developed in collaboration with the Wolanski Foundation.8 The governance of Macquarie University’s Art Gallery has been a movable feast. Sometimes it’s been faculty-based, at other times a variety of university offices have been responsible; now, in the latest iteration, the Art Gallery is part of the Library. However, no other museums on campus are similarly blessed. They remain creatures of their own organisational substructures. There was a faculty- level convergence at Macquarie some years ago, connected to the AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 31
University museums and collections globally contribute to the core business of their parent organisations through research, teaching and engagement
1. ‘Macquarie U calculating courses to development of a new Arts precinct. Two former history museums9 cut’, Campus Morning Mail, 29 September 2020.
3. Linda Morris, ‘X marks the spot: A the remarkable Herbert Mayer Collection of Carrolup Artwork — 122 peek into Sydney's newest museum’, examples of ‘Stolen Generation’ Noongar children’s artwork successfully Sydney Morning Herald, 12 November repatriated from the US.11 It was also good to see Queensland University 2020.
image Multi-floor interior view of Chau Chak Wing Museum showing opening installations. Photo David James. AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 33 left View of Ian Potter Gallery showing Gululu dhuwala djalkiri / Welcome to the Yolŋu foundations. Chau Chak Wing Museum. Photo Bernice Murphy. image The Mummy Room, Speak my name, in the Chau Chak Wing Museum. Photo David James. AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 35
6. Originating at University College Dublin as an experimental form of public engagement, Science Gallery has grown into a global university network dedicated to public engagement with science and art. See
7. For example, the Symposium, ‘In the hold: Decolonising Cook in art, performance and text’, hosted by Adelaide’s Flinders University Museum of Art and the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, in partnership with the University of Tasmania Cultural Collections. See
8. Exhibitions in the UNSW Library, Sydney, are planned for late November 2020. See
9. The Museum of Ancient Cultures at Sydney’s Macquarie University was combined with its Australian History Museum. A merger of associated academic departments ensued. However, museum staff positions were lost during this restructure.
10. Kerrie O’Brien, ‘University art exhibitions are the home of the brave, review finds’, Sydney Morning Herald, In the 1990s, significant changes in the operating environment of 20 September 2020,
Dr Andrew Simpson is currently a Vice President of UMAC, the International Committee of ICOM for University Museums and Collections. He is the editor of the University Museums and Collections Journal and works on a casual basis at the Macquarie University Art Gallery. He has recently taken on a role with ICOM's Strategic Allocation Review Committee (SAREC).
Citation: Andrew Simpson, ‘Australian University Museums and Collections interfacing with COVID-19’, AMaGA Magazine, Vol. 29(1), Australian Museums and Galleries Association, Canberra, Summer 2021, pp. 28–35. 36 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine Making cultural connections Dawn Oelrich
I am slightly uncomfortable speaking about cultural sensitivity and the work of museums and galleries in Tasmania for a few reasons. First, I am still new to Tasmania at only three years of residency, which means I am about 150 years short of becoming Tasmanian. So I cannot speak generally for others of this state. Second, I have in the past done many things as a curator based on unjustified assumptions. I’ve guided people through exhibitions, spoken about ‘meanings and symbols’ in Indigenous paintings, developed didactic panels, lectured, created education references, and cared for and displayed artworks by Indigenous Australians. Interpreting artwork is what I trained for, and this has been a major part of my career for more than 20 years. Yet all of this of course was developed from a non-Indigenous perspective. What I am even more concerned about in retrospect is that it is, and always has been, glaringly obvious that it was inappropriate to assume any Indigenous above Dawn Oelrich. Photo: Rebecca Taylor. work’s interpretation when lacking the historical or cultural experience to do so. right I have glibly explained symbols in desert paintings, all the while Julie Gough, We ran/I am (detail). Photo: Julie Gough. growing to love the work more and more. Yet I also came to understand how the paintings were so much more than ‘artworks’ — that they represented a complex and vital culture, spiritual and familial belonging, storytelling and theatre. In my (rather long) lifetime, some artworks have made me gasp and forced me to sit down because my legs gave way. One such work is a Tingari cycle painting by Pintupi artist Thomas Tjapaltjarri, born in the Gibson Desert; another is a work by Julie Gough, We Ran/I am,1 first seen at the Devonport Regional Gallery in an exhibition called Here at earth’s end. The 1. The full title of the work is: We ran/I shimmer of Thomas Tjapaltjarri’s work exploded in my mind. am. Journal of George Augustus Robinson 3 November 1830, Swan Julie Gough’s work broke my heart. I still have so much to learn Island, North East Tasmania — ‘I from such works. issued slops to all the fresh natives, The important publication commissioned by AMaGA nationally, First gave them baubles and played the flute, and rendered them as satisfied Peoples: A roadmap for enhancing Indigenous engagement in museums as I could. The people all seemed and galleries — later shortened to ‘The Roadmap’ — is a text-dense and satisfied at their clothes. Trousers comprehensive guide that asks all of us in the museums and galleries is excellent things and confines their legs so they cannot run’ (2007). sector to rethink how we do things. We can only begin to redress Photo by Craig Opie. Kindly supplied injurious past actions through new understandings and resolve. by Devonport Regional Gallery. AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 37 38 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 39
below Thomas TJAPALTJARRI, Tingari, 2001. Synthetic polymer paint on linen, 122.5 x 213.5 cm. USC Art Collection, Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Donated in 2007 by Emeritus Professor Andrew Hede. © Thomas Tjapaltjarri/ Aboriginal Artists Agency Ltd. 40 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
‘I had and have no right to tell First Nations stories’ AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 41
While I was living in Queensland, I had the privilege for twelve years to manage a collection of compelling paintings, bark paintings, prints and sculpture from Indigenous artists from across Australia, and then to commission new public works by Murri artists, and work with Murri and Torres Strait Island artists. It was my joy to care for the University of Queensland art collection. Yet I had and have no right to tell First Nations stories, to interpret material from Utopia or Balgo, from Kintore or inner Brisbane, which can only be ‘spoken about’ from an inside position of prepared and rightful knowledge-levels. Today I am developing relationships with palawa artists in Tasmania, and I know this is going to take a long time. Auntie Lola Greeno (famous for her practice in inherited shell necklace traditions, fibre works and installations) has been generous with her welcome. Like all Elders of her experience and cultural authority, her presence anywhere calms everyone. A recent community meeting facilitated by Genevieve Grieves (via Zoom and supported by AMaGA TAS) has been important for underlining the community’s understanding (or non-understanding) of the Roadmap. AMaGA TAS took the view that before museums and galleries implement the Indigenous Roadmap, the broader community should be given the opportunity to understand what we are hoping to achieve. Some of the attendees at the meeting did indeed know about the Roadmap, and had contributed to the discussions with Terri Janke; left but those not working in the arts did not have such background. One Julie Gough, We ran/I am. Journal of goal of the Roadmap is that First Peoples are given control of their George Augustus Robinson 3 November 1830, Swan Island, North East Tasmania cultural material and AMaGA will support museums and galleries — ‘I issued slops to all the fresh natives, throughout the process by opening the dialogue and providing gave them baubles and played the flute, opportunities for new relationships-building. and rendered them as satisfied as I could. The people all seemed satisfied at their Any curator will tell you that building relationships is the most clothes. Trousers is excellent things important work we do, whether or not we are working with First Nations and confines their legs so they cannot artists or artists from more diverse backgrounds. We act as conduits run’, calico trousers, earth pigment, photographs and canvas, 200 x 750 x 5 between artists and the audience. When a younger arts worker, I struggled cm, 2007; collection Devonport Regional sometimes with interpretation. I persisted to explain, to discuss, and to Gallery, Tasmania. Photo: Kelly Slater. translate artspeak into plain language. In later years I realised that I simply need to step back and make a safe place for First Nations people to tell any accompanying stories — to tell their own stories in their preferred ways. This is so important for people who have previously had their stories interpreted, interrupted, rejigged and re-imagined over so many brutal generations of lost authority over their own cultural lives. If ever there was a time to begin healing and truth-telling it is now. Artist Julie Gough reminds us how difficult the process can be to transform past injuries into new and supportive relationships. She maintains that there can be ‘no reconciliation, because there was no conciliation in the first place’. The museums and galleries sector needs continually to be reminded how directors are ensuring that new spaces are opened for all people affected by issues of historical interpretation, to contribute their own agency in understanding historical experiences today. We have much to learn. ■
Dawn Oelrich is Director of the Burnie Regional Art Gallery, Tasmania. Her previous work and professional experience are indicated in the present article.
Citation: Dawn Oelrich, ‘Making cultural Working from her base as Director of Burnie Regional Art Gallery, in north-western connections’, AMaGA Magazine, Vol. Tasmania, Dawn Oelrich’s sharp attunement to the hospitality afforded by the lands on 29(1), Australian Museums and Galleries which she works, regularly supporting contemporary artists while not speaking ‘for’ Association, Canberra, Summer 2021, Palawa history or culture, has come to frame her work in an unusually direct manner. pp. 36–41. She has generously offered her reflections on changed practices as a curator. [Ed.]
AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 43
Beyond measure Five years of Tarnanthi in Adelaide and beyond
Nici Cumpston
Three young Anangu women are surveying the throng at an art exhibition opening. They can barely contain their excitement. They have recently experienced their first aeroplane trip and their first artist residency. Now they’re in a major city having their first exhibition, and the place is packed with strangers who have come to see their work. It is a career-defining moment for them, experienced as part of Tarnanthi. Tarnanthi is an annual celebration of excellence in contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, presented by the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) in Adelaide. It showcases the vigour and variety of leading-edge Aboriginal art by presenting new works, often created specifically for this project. It provides audiences with a direct experience of diverse Aboriginal cultures, and a prominent platform for Aboriginal views and voices to be seen and heard — both through the expressive richness of the art itself, and through an extensive public program that includes artist talks and an ideas conference. Tarnanthi has been made possible by a five-year funding commitment from principal partner BHP. Since its launch in 2015, Tarnanthi has proved immensely popular. It has attracted 1.3 million visitors to its exhibitions and events. These are presented alternatively as a festival in one year, at AGSA and partner venues across South Australia; and as a focus exhibition exclusively at AGSA the next year. With a six-year history, it has tallied numerous achievements. Tarnanthi has supported some 4,000 artists to create and show thousands of new works; and almost 25,000 students have seen its exhibitions. Its popular annual Art Fair has above Nici Cumpston in front of works by generated $3.4 million in income for artists and their communities. Milingimbi Art and Culture artists, Tarnanthi It has achieved national recognition and won major awards, including 2020: Open Hands, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. Photo: Saul Steed. in three AMaGA National Awards categories in 2020. And it recently became international with an exhibition shown in France. left Yet many of Tarnanthi’s important accomplishments aren’t so easily Kulata Tjuta, 2017, Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, South Australia, measured. Tarnanthi, for example, empowers artists as it increases wood, spinifex resin, kangaroo tendon, their opportunities to show their work and build careers. By reinforcing plus 6 channel DVD with sound; local production of art ‘on Country’, it assists remote communities Acquisition through Tarnanthi: Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait to remain culturally and economically sustainable. Matters such as Islander Art supported by BHP 2017, Art aspiration, opportunity and success are unquantifiably personal, as the Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. For young Anangu artists’ experience shows. Meanwhile the successive the complete list of artists visit
Artists lie at the heart of Tarnanthi’s thinking. Since its inception, our guiding principle has been to ‘let the artist’s voice shine’ — that is, to support artists as they create works of excellence in their own way.
Listening is critical to this process. As Artistic Director, I often speak with artists about their current practice and explore whether they want to expand it in more ambitious ways, then find out how Tarnanthi can help. Support might extend from covering costs of materials to arranging technical assistance or facilitating career development opportunities — such as providing mentoring or skills training through a partner organisation. Yet throughout each project, artists are always in control of their work and its outcome. This approach is vastly different to simply displaying existing works. It involves establishing mutual trust and building relationships over a significant period. It also encourages artists to be bold, to make works of daring and innovation, and to push creative ideas and boundaries. Importantly, because artists retain control, the exhibition’s method is empowering. Altogether, it provides a supportive environment in which artists can increase confidence, skills and opportunity on their own terms. The three Anangu artists mentioned in the introduction provide an example of how this works in practice. In their community of Pukatja (Ernabella), in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands of South Australia, senior women artists at Ernabella Arts had been looking to engage the interest of a new generation of artists. They asked young women what they might want to make, and they opted for jewellery. Ernabella Arts, Australia’s oldest Aboriginal art centre, has a strong focus on ceramics and painting, but it didn’t have the facilities to support jewellery-making. So the centre sought resource-support through Ku Arts and training through Adelaide’s JamFactory art and design centre. Both are regular Tarnanthi partner organisations. The results included jewellery workshops in Pukatja and studio residencies in Adelaide for young and senior artists alike; an exhibition outcome; a new direction for a long-acclaimed art centre; and an early breakthrough in the fledgling careers of the three young women: Jayanna Andy, Roxanne Carroll and Marceena Jack. Their exhibition Wanapari — in a line, following one another was held at the JamFactory as part of Tarnanthi 2019. Another example of the exhibition stimulus for new possibilities, also from the APY Lands, is the Kulata Tjuta project, initially developed in 2010 by senior Anangu men as a cultural maintenance program involving younger men. Its first significant collaborative artistic outcome, involving scores of kulata (spears) suspended over viewers, was shown at AGSA during Dark Heart, the 2014 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art. Then for Tarnanthi, the project grew in scale and scope, becoming in 2015 an inma (ceremony) and video performance presented against a circle of kulata on the lawn of Government House in Adelaide; and in 2017, an installation of 550 kulata suspended in the form of an atomic blast, like those conducted on Anangu land in the 1950s and 1960s. For both these works, Tarnanthi ensured that the artists were supported with technical assistance, such as an industrial design architect to work with them for the complex 2017 installation. Subsequent Kulata Tjuta iterations have gained international success. In 2019, an eight-metre-high work of 1,500 suspended kulata in the shape of a willy-willy was acquired by the Fondation Opale gallery in AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 45
Switzerland, and in 2020 a Kulata Tjuta painting exhibition, organised through Tarnanthi, opened at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Rennes, France. As the project has evolved, it has grown to include more artists across the APY Lands and now includes women as well as men. With each new iteration, the project has expanded both in ambition and audience reach: now telling global audiences local stories of the strength, resilience and endurance of Anangu people and culture in the face of ongoing western impacts. Credit for the project’s remarkable national and international success lies with the artists and the APY art centres. However, for these kulata, Tarnanthi has acted like a miru (spearthrower), helping them to travel further and reach their target with greater impact. It is not just exhibiting artists who benefit from Tarnanthi. above The accompanying Tarnanthi Art Fair shares significant economic Jayanna Andy, born 1999, Pukatja advantages broadly across Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Ernabella), South Australia, Roxanne Carroll, born 1997, Pukatja (Ernabella), communities. As a major fixture in the art calendar, the Art Fair South Australia, Marceena Jack, born now stimulates art production at remote communities, where art is 1996, Mparntwe (Alice Springs), Northern a vital source of income. As an event promoting the ethical production Territory, Vennita Lionel, born 1998, Pukatja (Ernabella), South Australia, and sale of art, every dollar from sales goes directly to the artists and Nicole Rupert, born 1987, Mparntwe (Alice their communities through the participating art centres. In 2019 alone, Springs), Northern Territory, Marissa this sum totalled more than $1.2 million, shared among hundreds of Thompson, born 1985, Pukatja (Ernabella), South Australia, Pitjantjatjara people, artists from more than 40 communities. This income increases the Liritja II, 2019, Pukatja (Ernabella), South economic viability of communities by supporting work options on Australia, ceramics, ininti seeds and traditional lands. In addition, thanks to the support of BHP, Tarnanthi stainless steel. Part of the Wanapari — in a line, following one another exhibition, funds transport for works of art, artists and art centre workers. This 2019. Photo: Grant Hancock. minimises costs to art centres, and enhances visitors’ experience by 46 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
Since its inception, our guiding principle has been to ‘let the artist’s voice shine’ AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 47
lefy Tarnanthi 2015 Art Fair. Photo: John Montesi.
top Janet Marawarr, image courtesy the artist, Bábbarra Women’s Centre and Art Gallery of South Australia. Photo: Nat Rogers.
above Tarnanthi 2019 Art Fair featuring Leonie Cullinan from Iwantja Arts. Photo: Nat Rogers. 48 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
below Yolŋu performers from Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre, Yirrkala, Northern Territory, during the Tarnanthi 2019 launch, Art Gallery of South Australia. Photo: Nat Rogers. AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 49
being able to talk directly to the exhibiting artists about their work, and boosts professional confidence, market understanding, and career opportunities for emerging artists and art centre workers. As part of Tarnanthi, AGSA has also developed an outstanding education program around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. An extensive array of online resources about Tarnanthi artists and their work is available for teachers and students on AGSA’s website. In addition, AGSA’s Education team has devised an award- winning program aimed specifically at teachers. This developed after our Education specialists found that many teachers were eager to incorporate First Nations art into classroom learning but felt they lacked adequate cultural understanding to do so appropriately or confidently. The ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art in the Classroom’ workshops now provide educators with cultural information, practical guidance, and best-practice tips on how First Nations art and culture can engage students of all levels in new learning — and even in non-art subjects, such as history, environmental studies, mathematics and astronomy. The Education team has since compiled the workshops’ content, activities and teaching tips into an Australian-first publication, available nationwide for teachers who can’t attend the workshops in Adelaide. After little more than two years, this program is estimated to have already benefited tens of thousands of students nationally — helping to broaden cultural understanding among an oncoming generation. As a festival, Tarnanthi delivers a unique experience for many different audiences, revealing the depth and diversity of contemporary Aboriginal art. It shows visitors and students that Aboriginal knowledges are deeply layered; and that Aboriginal cultures are multi-faceted, ingenious, adaptive, even revolutionary. I believe this ultimately expands our understanding of who we are, enabling us to grow as a nation. However, the essence of Tarnanthi is much more than is visible to those who visit the exhibitions. Tarnanthi represents opportunities and empowerment for innumerable artists, validation and viability for communities, and a vision of greater understanding for our nation’s future. Its successes are expressed as an atomic eruption of spears and in the euphoria of three young women. Tarnanthi’s true accomplishments are ultimately difficult to measure. Perhaps they are beyond measure. ■
Tarnanthi is led by Artistic Director Nici Cumpston OAM, the Art Gallery of South Australia’s Curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art. Of Afghan, English, Irish and Barkindji heritage, Nici is a descendant of the Darling River people of northern NSW and is culturally affiliated with the River Murray people in South Australia. Her career has been characterised by working closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists to bring new work and new ways of seeing to wider audiences.
Citation: Nici Cumpston, ‘Beyond measure: Five years of Tarnanthi’, AMaGA Magazine, Vol. 29(1), Australian Museums and Galleries Association, Canberra, Summer 2021, pp. 42–49.
AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 51
AMaGA Network rallies around Memory of the World bid David Tredinnick
Last year might have been a difficult time to meet certain KPIs, but I’m pleased to report that it hasn’t been a total write-off. For example, circumstances have certainly favoured sorting out that bottom drawer in the kitchen, getting one’s head around the US Electoral College system, or finally putting in that bid for UNESCO’s Australian Memory of the World Register. AMaGA’s Performing Arts Heritage Network (PAHN) represents the interests of museums, libraries, archives, galleries and tertiary educational institutions at local, state, and national levels. It interconnects colleagues who are engaged with collecting, preserving and making accessible Australia’s rich tradition of live performance. Members include collection professionals, researchers, writers, academics, performance makers, and students — while some members cover all of the above. PAHN works collaboratively in a lively community of practice, including the Australasian Association for Theatre, Drama and Performance Studies (known as ADSA), and AusStage, the research and resource discovery platform for Australian live performance. PAHN members are aware that no single institution can be above David Tredinnick. responsible for the country’s performance heritage. The Network has always recognised that performing arts heritage is preserved left Scenic photograph (detail) for production in a distributed national collection that reaches across the entire of The Silver King, Her Majesty’s Theatre, GLAM sector. Melbourne, 1904. Image taken from J.C. Since 1992, PAHN has acknowledged the disparate nature of Williamson Ltd Scene Book 1. Scene Books held by Scenic Studios Australia Pty Ltd. performance-related holdings by staging its annual conference in Digitised by Theatre Heritage Australia. a different city each year. Unsurprisingly, our members like to tell stories, and the conference has always been a great opportunity to rehearse, share, and re-tell those stories — both formally and informally — that help to define and enrich our understanding of this essentially ephemeral practice. We have been driven online this year, but that hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of our presenters or attendees. The PAHN 2020 Ghost Lightning Talks were facilitated via our website (www.pahn.org.au), with Q&A sessions taking place on Zoom. Registration was free for both members and non-members. Much chatter has taken place over the past few conferences in relation to UNESCO’s Australian Memory of the World Register. PAHN members have long held the belief that performing arts practice has been grievously underrepresented amongst the documentary heritage currently registered. In 2020 — after COVID-19 shifted the landscape and we’d tidied our respective kitchen drawers 52 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
below Production photograph from The Desert Song, His Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne, c.1928-1929. Image taken from J.C. Williamson Ltd Scene Book 1. Scene Books held by Scenic Studios Australia Pty Ltd. Digitised by Theatre Heritage Australia. AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 53
PAHN members have long held the belief that performing arts practice has been grievously underrepresented amongst the documentary heritage currently registered
— a sub-committee was formed to rectify this parlous situation, whereupon spirited discussion ensued regarding the worthy subject of our first bid. In recognition of PAHN’s belief in the essentially distributed nature of performance heritage holdings, we settled upon the business records of J.C. Williamson Ltd, colloquially known as ‘The F i r m’. From 1874 to 1976, J.C. Williamson Ltd and its associated companies bestrode Australia’s entertainment world like a colossus, touring an international repertoire of music hall, comedy, pantomime, opera, dramatic theatre, ballet and film to all parts of the country. It has been described as being possibly the largest theatrical empire in the world. Our nation’s live performance culture evolved either in lockstep with or in reaction to The Firm’s activities, which were a fertile training ground for many of our treasured live performers and creatives. The company’s reach, both geographic and temporal, has meant that related material resides in collections large and small across Australia. The PAHN sub-committee whittled down a longlist to six institutions whose holdings best represented the inner workings of The Firm over its lifetime. We were very pleased to receive total support from each institution included in the bid. The creation of the final bid for the J.C. Williamson Distributed Collection was the combined effort of nine sub-committee members from five states and territories. Each person gave of their expertise freely and willingly in support of a project that, in a time of great fear and uncertainty for our sector, came to represent the power and possibility of collaborative enterprise. It also created a unifying purpose for our network Committee, and a fine excuse to stay in touch regularly via Zoom. We’ll know if our bid has been successful early in 2021. Probably a little after we know the final decision of the US Electoral College. ■
David Tredinnick is an archivist, researcher, and audio narrator. He is currently Chair of AMaGA’s Performing Arts Heritage Network.
Citation: David Tredinnick, ’AMaGA Network rallies around Memory of the World bid‘, AMaGA Magazine, Vol. 29(1), Australian Museums and Galleries Association, Canberra, Summer 2021, pp. 50–53. 54 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
Career Spotlight
In this and coming issues of MaG, we wll be featuring articles written by AMaGA members, in which they share their career pathways, day-to-day work, highlights and challenges, and aspirations for their future career. In this Career Spotlight, we feature Nina Earl, Assistant Curator at Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney, Dr Grace Blakely- Carroll, Curator at the National Library of Australia, Canberra, and Cameron Auty, Manager of the Burke Museum in Beechworth, Victoria. If you would like to write about and share your own experiences in museums and galleries as either a professional or volunteer worker, contact us at
The Value of Support The Emerging Professionals National Network of AMaGA
Nina Earl
2020 has been a very challenging year for the arts, and the impacts will be felt for many years to come. Around the world we have seen the effects of Coronavirus shutdowns on all manner of institutions. Closer to home, many practitioners and organisations are uncertain of their futures, as ongoing outbreaks of the virus continue to have an impact on the arts and creative enterprises. These effects have been compounded by the ongoing impacts of last summer’s severe bushfires, which have had huge implications for our regional, rural and remote communities. These conditions, along with changes to university fee structures, have left some of the newest, and potential, members of our community with drastically diminished hope for their future careers. Against a background of such severe conditions throughout 2020, it is appreciated that the Australian Museums and Galleries Association (AMaGA) has reached out to the Emerging Professionals National Network to review our members’ experiences for this issue of the national Magazine. We had originally intended to poll widely and share our members' voices with you after collating them. Unfortunately — and in keeping with the current situation — time-poor colleagues and a mentally draining year have got the best of our Network (for now, at least). Instead, I hope that my story will provide a reflection on how we, as a sector and as individuals, can support those entering or considering a future in the cultural industry and museums at this complex time — and perhaps in years to come. Throughout my schooling, I was torn between my love of nature and science and the joy of creating through drawing, printmaking and photography. So, four years ago when I was looking for a career change, working in a museum seemed like a good opportunity for development. I have always loved the magic created by museums, which is probably why I gravitated away from pure science into science education and communication. It was not until a few months after working as an Assistant Curator that I really understood how important the support I received from others had been to my successful entry into the museum world. top I have no formal qualification in museum studies, and if it were not Nina Earl. Photo: Jessica Maurer. for my managers insisting on the addition to the application of ‘or above equivalent’ next to required degrees, I might never have considered ‘Omeio Deli, MacDonald St, Paddington applying. I also had no practical concept of what a curator was showing Peter Drew’s ‘Together Soon Enough’ print, 28 May 2020’ by Katherine expected to do — however, the challenge excited me. I will always be Lu. This commissioned photograph was grateful to those who not only responded to my questions, but took acquired as part of the Powerhouse the time to offer constructive feedback on my application. Through Museum’s COVID19 Collection strategy, developed by Nina and Katie Dyer, that interaction I was better able to understand how the role would Senior Curator Contemporary. suit my interests and helped solidify my desire to work for a museum. 56 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 57
I now know that asking for feedback is a valuable way to reflect and learn from those around you. Since then, I have time and again been grateful to members of my team and retired curators who have generously shared their knowledge and worked collaboratively and openly with me. That generosity has taken many forms — from unofficial mentorships through to providing a sounding board to discuss new acquisitions or exhibition content. In each instance, it is a colleague’s willingness to take time out, and to be responsive in their conversations with me, that have meant so much and enabled me to grow. Whilst I now feel comfortable in my role, I still know there is so much more about this sector to learn. This is why I see so much value in the connections and learning opportunities afforded through my membership of AMaGA and participation in the Emerging Professionals National Network. However, I am acutely aware that it is a privilege to be able to attend museum events and learn from diverse colleagues. As someone who identifies as an emerging professional in the GLAM sector, I am also aware that there are many people in Australia similarly engaged in our cultural industries, but who have not had comparable opportunities or the ability to pay for memberships and conferences as I’ve enjoyed. Or in light of fee increases across the humanities degrees — the main avenue into museums employment — many could be discouraged or prohibited from pursuing a career in this area. It is for these people, whose circumstances do not allow them to be participants in our communities, that I wanted to write this piece. After the stress and financial crisis experienced last year, the museums field is in jeopardy of losing the richness and transformative potential that diverse voices bring. I hope that my story of generous mentors and supportive colleagues will help others in the sector to understand that our simplest actions — even in times of great challenge — can have a significant impact on emerging professionals in the field. I invite all colleagues, in these times of radical change, to broaden your horizons and think critically about how you can step up and help build a diverse and resilient future for our cultural heritage sector in Australia. With your help we can continue to re-imagine and re-invent our historically exclusive institutions by supporting not only those existing voices, but new ones that can and will enrich our Australian context. If you are an emerging professional and reading this, we at AMaGA Emerging Professionals National Network would love to hear from you and understand how we can better support you. This includes colleagues who may not hold a current membership of our organisation. Our doors are open to all — so we can support and respond to your needs, hopes and desires for the future of our sector. ■
left Georgina Bromley-Smith admires Nyirrma Nina Earl is an Assistant Curator at the Powerhouse Museum, where she Yidjal, an installation by Bernard Singleton works with the Health and Medical collections. She has served on the that expresses a journey and decline in AMaGA Emerging Professionals committee since 2018. the Indigenous languages of our nation. Nina Earl worked as assistant curator alongside Marcus Hughes to launch Citation: Nina Earl, ‘The Value of Support: The Emerging Professionals National this exhibition, Linear, in November of Network of AMaGA’, AMaGA Magazine, Vol. 29(1), Australian Museums and Galleries 2019. Photo: Marinco Kojdanovski. Association, Canberra, Summer 2021, pp. 55–57. 58 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
The vantage-point of work in our National Library
Grace Blakeley-Carroll
What attracted you to the museums field or working with collections? I’ve always been fascinated by history and the arts. Working in the GLAM sector enables me to pursue my passions while also sharing collections, culture and history with the community.
How has your work in the sector stimulated you to develop and grow professionally? Working as a curator at the National Library of Australia continually exposes me to diverse social, cultural and historical perspectives. I draw on these perspectives in my work, striving to curate inclusive and engaging exhibitions.
What are some key values that guide your work? Open mindedness, honesty and respect.
Could you comment on how you hope your work is an encouragement and benchmark for others to follow or find their own paths? I hope my work history serves as an example of one of the many paths that can be followed to pursue a career in this sector. I also hope my work introduces others to different ideas, stories and perspectives.
Your strongest hopes for the future in the way museums are developing/changing today? Museums continue to adapt with the times, invest in staff, and collect important materials through which diverse stories will be shared. ■
above Grace Blakeley-Carroll. Dr Grace Blakeley-Carroll is an exhibition curator at the National Library Photo: Craig Mackenzie of Australia, Canberra, and serves as Treasurer of AMaGA’a ACT Branch. right She recently curated the National Library of Australia exhibition, Birds of Ellis Rowan, most likely The Empress of Paradise: Ellis Rowan in New Guinea, which is on display at the Library Germany’s Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea raggiana augustavictoriae), or Raggiana until 8 March 2021. More information can be found on the Library’s Intermedia Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea website: https://www.nla.gov.au/exhibitions/birds-of-paradise-ellis- raggiana intermedia), c.1917; rowan-in-new-guinea. nla.cat-vn2687227. AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 59 60 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
Mid-career spotlight A Victorian regional heritage vantagepoint
Cameron Auty AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 61
What attracted you to the museums field or working with collections? I was fascinated with history from childhood. The search for who we are, where we came from and why the world is the way it is, always seemed to frame for me the most important things that I could do with my life. During tertiary studies I became fascinated by the power of objects to connect directly with audiences, and to break down the barriers between academic history and the general public. Somewhere along the line, many kids who grow up obsessed with fossils and pyramids lose interest in history – but I felt that if I worked in museums, I may be able to help to keep this wonder alive for people.
How has your work in the sector stimulated you to develop and grow professionally? Working in the museums sector has given me life-changing opportunities. I’ve held in my hands relics from Pompeii, the Kelly Gang’s armour, and Luke Skywalker’s Lightsaber. I’ve escorted cultural items across the world, and worked to repatriate cultural material to First Peoples. Personally, my work has increased my levels of admiration in surveying the world and its cultures. Professionally, it’s a wonderful feeling to be responsible for preserving and interpreting these collections. Museums-sector work has helped me develop in a number of ways. Creating sector networks is a critical part of career development. The people I’ve met form an important sounding board and support network, and this has helped me with many challenges. Attending AMaGA events has been a really important element in the expansion of these networks and contact with colleagues. The museums sector is a highly professional industry, and working in it has stimulated me to continually learn and develop new skills. I have gained experience in working with government funding bodies, in major projects management, in public speaking and media appearances, and in working with communities. Each day is different, and to adjust flexibly requires the capacity to roll with the unexpected and wear different guises by the hour.
What are some key values that guide your work? For me, the key values that drive success at work are the ones that I believe are most important in all interactions – kindness, calm, respect, and purpose. The best way to accomplish a task is to be the sort of person whom others want to work with. I always remember that I’m there to support my organisation and to empower my staff, and take satisfaction in helping others achieve their goals. Museums sector work instills some key ‘life-values’, such as flexibility and openness to others’ ideas and voices. Much of our work is collaborative, and involves museum professionals helping to carry the stories of communities or individuals out to a wider audience. Some of the most powerful professional moments I’ve experienced have come from using the social impact of the museum to help individuals or groups tell stories that they thought weren’t relevant or important. It can be a cathartic process that often helps people to cope with big events in their lives. left Cameron Auty with a photograph and Working with objects also helps to instil a sense of patience and service medals of Beechworth ANZAC, process. Nothing can be hurried, and each object must always be Richard Wong, as well as the Dead Man's Penny issued to his next-of-kin respected, regardless of whether it’s a national treasure or a family after he was klled in the First World photograph. Learning to treat every object equally, and with the War. Photo: Rural Press Pty Ltd. respect that it’s due, flows through to many areas of life. 62 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
Could you comment on how you hope your work is an encouragement and benchmark for others to follow, or help find their own paths? The museum industry is a challenging sector to start out in. I had little guidance when I began, and have been lucky in my career opportunities. I pass this on by making sure to offer openings for students and early career professionals whenever I can. I institute volunteer programs, speak at schools, take part in mentoring programs, and make sure to seriously consider early career professionals when hiring. These things can make all the difference in someone’s career path, and ensure that we create opportunities to give back some of the benefits we’ve experienced. I’ve also moved regionally and overseas for work. Museum opportunities can be few and far-between, and taking a leap into the unknown can be a great way to supercharge your career. I often discuss the need to be willing to move in tune with younger people who are struggling with sector employment or opportunities for their own development. Museums can often find themselves held back by exclusionary narratives, dated work practices, or a fear of change. I try to remain image open-minded, and push for an embrace of new stories, new voices, Beechworth Courthouse, Beechworth, new technologies, and new ways of working. It can definitely be Victoria. Photo: Epsom Rd Studios. challenging, but I believe that the sector benefits from regular change and a willingness to take on new practices rather than fearing them.
What are your strongest hopes for the future in the way museums are developing/changing today? The two most important things happening in the sector from my perspective are increased inclusivity and innovative uses of technology. Museums have a history as key players in the shaping of culture. Our institutions have often collected and displayed objects in the service of power, and our sites can still be shaped by this legacy. While large, urban museums have been critically engaging with change-processes for decades, many smaller regional and volunteer museums are only just beginning their journey. It’s an exciting time to be working regionally, and taking the first steps to question and challenge the colonial stories of male, European pioneer settlement. We find ourselves on the fault-lines of rapidly changing regional mindsets, with the capacity to be leaders in resetting cultural and social expectations in our communities. Technology is moving into the museums sector rapidly, but it faces many challenges because it can be seen as an ‘inauthentic’ substitute for ‘real’ objects. Breaking down the fear of technology within museum communities is one of my strongest hopes. Martin Hallett, an important mentor of mine, introduced me to the dream of a distributed national collection held across hundreds of organisations, all accessible and centralised on a digital platform. When museum communities start to see things like this in action through the applications of technology, it can be a great ‘Aha!’ moment. Breaking down the barriers between heritage and technology is really important. Who knows what amazing experiences we’ll be able to share in the near future, as new and exciting programs and technologies allow us to help many more people engage with our authentic collections? ■
Cameron Auty is Projects and Strategy Manager, Cultural Heritage, for Indigo Shire Council (Victoria). He manages the Burke Museum and Beechworth Historic Precinct, and is currently leading a multimedia and exhibition project to bring the trials related to Ned Kelly at Beechworth Courthouse to life. AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 63
Museums can often find themselves held back by exclusionary narratives, dated work practices, or a fear of change. I try to remain open-minded, and push for an embrace of new stories, new voices, new technologies, and new ways of working. 64 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
The view from...
Another spot we hope to feature regularly in MaG is The view from... in which we ask our resourceful AMaGA State and Territory Branch and National Network representatives to share some of the current issues or challenges facing their particular jurisdiction or professional networks, as well as highlighting key successes or significant new developments in their part of the sector. In this issue, the spotlight falls on two AMaGA divisions that have been impacted greatly in the year of COVID-19 but have rallied to continue their important work for members and the sector: the first is CAUMAC (Council of Australian University Museums and Collections), representing institutions dealing with a rapidly and (in many cases) drastically changing university sector; and then the Victorian State Branch, whose staff spent the major part of 2020 providing member and state sector services from their homes. AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 65
CAUMAC museums responding to COVID-19 impacts on university collections
Narelle Jarry
As President of CAUMAC (representing Australian University Museums and Collections), I certainly felt that our sector was somewhat protected in the early stages of the pandemic, with our core business often more internally facing, focused on servicing the teaching and research needs of our institutions. Our museums and collections might not have been able to open to the public, but we were buffered from the shock by the more diverse institutions that we form part of. Now, however, many universities are undergoing restructures to cope with the changing economic environment nationally, and colleagues are under pressure to do more with less. Times like these force us to streamline our processes and articulate our priorities, and that can have benefits. Noteworthy COVID-triggered experiences: Unlike the small and state or national museums sector, which nimbly adapted to closure with many and varied online offerings, our priorities shifted to getting the house in order. UNE (University of New England, Armidale) recently developed a university-wide policy to support museums and collections governance. 2020 became the year to implement the policy and put theory into practice. The experience has been very rewarding. Working across campus with collections staff, who tend to work independently of other collections in the University, has been a highlight of the year. Despite enormous differences in the use, focus and impacts of the collections that we care for, our shared purpose and motivation have had significant impact within the University. Concerning innovation: It would be preferable if good action was not driven by a crisis. But this year, circumstances forced us to focus on implementing a new database for the N.C.W. Beadle Herbarium at UNE. Over the past three years Herbarium Director Prof. Jeremy Bruhl had been advocating for change, but the database transition was not considered a sufficiently high priority to justify the investment — or it was perhaps just too massive a task to face implementing. A number of issues recently converged, which imposed a deadline of December 2020 to migrate to a new database system. Despite the sudden pressure, this gave us the positive impetus to move forward. With staff from various areas of the University working together, and a near impossible deadline, miracles can happen. ■ 66 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 67
Unlike the small and state or national museums sector, which nimbly adapted to closure with many and varied online offerings, our priorities shifted to getting the house in order.
Narelle Jarry is the Associate Director, University Collections, at the University of New England, Armidale, NSW. A professional paper conservator with a career focused on modern and contemporary art, Narelle worked for many years in international art museums including MoMA (New York), SFMoMA (San Francisco) and LACMA (Los Angeles). Her current job is her first in a university.
Citation: Narelle Jarry, ‘CAUMAC responding to COVID impacts on university collections’, AMaGA Magazine, Vol. 29(1), Australian Museums and Galleries Association, Canberra, Summer 2021, pp. 65–67.
left Narelle Jarry undertaking an item-by-item audit of the UNE Art Collection, Armidale NSW. Photo courtesy Mollie Jackson, UNE. 68 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
State Branch Victoria: Surviving through a viral lockdown
Sarah Morris AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 69
Many months on from the initial lockdown, Victorian museums, galleries and community collecting organisations are now adjusting to the ‘new normal’. This has required a focus on the challenges of planning a return to work and reopening while maintaining the health and wellbeing of visitors and staff; and ensuring immediate sustainability and longer-term viability. During lockdown, we have found that parts of the sector adapted innovatively behind closed doors. While staff and volunteers may not have been permitted onsite, some pivoted their programming to online delivery, or have taken the opportunity to undertake vital collection management work, or turned to improvement/maintenance works that could be achieved without a visiting public. For other colleagues the adaptations have been more challenging. In many cases, small organisations have not had the resources either to convert their programming to electronic delivery or to digitise their collections; other colleagues meanwhile lacked any internet access or online platforms to adapt and maintain public engagement offsite. While the Coronavirus might have highlighted strengths and opportunities, it has also underlined historical deficiencies regarding equity and access, which need to be addressed by all levels of government. As a state branch, the Victorian office of AMaGA has been advocating strongly for the needs our sector throughout this year — through lockdown, to reopening, and addressing long-term sustainability into the future. Of particular focus are concerns regarding mental health and community connection, along with ongoing financial sustainability, equity and access, and reliance on largely volunteer staff who fall within the vulnerable worker category. We are all navigating challenging circumstances. But there is much to admire in the spirit and determination of Australians, including those in the creative arts sector who, while having suffered greatly through the pandemic impacts, have continued to create and inspire others through their work. In recognition of these significant achievements, we added a new category to our annual Victorian Museums & Galleries Awards to include ‘Innovation, Adaptation & Resilience’. This category proved to be the most popular. The award winners, announced on 8 December 2020, are available at
Sarah Morris joined the Victorian Branch as Executive Director in 2019, and has worked in the arts and cultural sector for more than 20 years, above serving in state and tertiary institutions, local government, and as a Sarah Morris. consultant. left Citation: Sarah Morris, ‘State Branch Victoria: Surviving through a viral lockdown’, AMaGA-VIC state team celebrating AMaGA Magazine, Vol. 29(1), Australian Museums and Galleries Association, Canberra, National Volunteer Week, 2020. Summer 2021, pp. 66 – 67. 70 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine Submission Spotlight
An important part of AMaGA’s role is to prepare evidence-based submissions and advice on significant national, state and local policies, programs, proposals and enquiries. All our national submissions are available to read on the national website. Along with keeping members informed of our advocacy activities, the data and arguments are there for members and other organisations to draw upon for their own advocacy and communications. The spotlight for this issue of the magazine is on AMaGA’s Submission to the Standing Committee on Communications and the Arts Inquiry into Australia’s Creative and Cultural Industries and Institutions, submitted on 22 October 2020. The following extracts are the specific recommendations and key comments which address each of the five Terms of Reference. Reports and data to support these claims are at the end of each Term of Reference. For links and references please see the complete online version at
Terms of Reference
1. The direct and indirect economic benefits and employment opportunities of creative and cultural industries and how to recognise, measure and grow them
Specific Recommendations: 1.1. Include relevant questions in the Census and improve the Australian Bureau of Statistics datasets that inform the Cultural and Creative Satellite Accounts. 1.2. Support the establishment of a Centre for Cultural Value that brings together researchers with expertise in areas such as education, employment, health and community regeneration, with cultural organisations, historians, artists, audiences, participants and local communities. It would collaborate to advance understanding of the value of Australia’s creative and cultural industries and their potential and develop rigorous evaluation of the benefits. 1.3. Use the inclusion by Infrastructure Australia of social infrastructure: arts and culture as key components of national, state and local integrated infrastructure planning to prioritise, fund, measure and grow the economic benefits of the creative and cultural industries. AMaGA Magazine Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 71
1.4. Investigate the feasibility of a new nationwide Vocational Education and Training (VET) scheme focused on the creative and cultural industries, with, for example, collaborations to help more artists upgrade their skills for management and business entrepreneurship.
Key Comments: Australia’s museums and galleries are part of a significant cultural and creative sector which is a $111.7bn industry that employs about 600,000 people. There are well over 2,500 museums and galleries throughout the country. The sector is diverse, with distinct segments, comprising: — the 22 state and national institutions — the 250 or so public galleries and museums operated by local governments, both regional and metropolitan TOR 1 links to supporting information: — over 70 university-run art, historical, archaeological
1. UK Centre for Cultural Value,
2. A New Approach, Insight Reports One — over 2,000 volunteer-run, community organisations acting to Five,
7. American Alliance of Museums, particularly evident in and important to regional Museum facts and data,
2. The non-economic benefits that enhance community, social wellbeing and promote Australia's national identity, and how to recognise, measure and grow them
Key Recommendations: 2.1. Support the implementation by museums and galleries of the relevant goals, strategies and performance measures set out in the United Nations’ Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030 — which is endorsed by the Australian Government. Australia’s cultural collections sector has identified particular priorities in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. See https://bit.ly/35bv8UP 2.2. Support the promotion and implementation of the 10-year Indigenous Roadmap for reconciliation with museums and galleries: First Peoples: A Roadmap for Enhancing Indigenous Engagement in Museums and Galleries (2019).
Key Comments: An increasing body of evidence shows that ‘museums can bring benefits to individual and community health and wellbeing in their role as public forums for debate and learning, their work with specific audiences through targeted programmes, and by contributing to positive wellbeing and resilience by helping people to make sense of the world and their place within it…’ (Dodd and Jones, 2014) Most museums in Australia are small, volunteer-managed community organisations that are embedded in their local communities and provide a range of social and economic benefits, including a sense of belonging to their community, and of contributing to society. These museums are generally significantly under-resourced. One of the most useful and cost-effective actions that governments at all levels could take for enhancing social cohesion and inclusion is to provide professional advice and an adequate level of funding support for these organisations. TOR 2 links to supporting information:
In the UK, there is significant support for public investments in 1. AMaGA, Submission to the Senate social participation and inclusion through the arts. The All-Party Inquiry into Nationhood, National Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing carried out an Identity and Democracy, 2019,
Most museums in Australia are small, volunteer-managed community organisations that are embedded in their local communities and provide a range of social and economic benefits, including a sense of belonging to their community, and of contributing to society.
community galleries and museums would be an invaluable contribution to Australians’ social engagement as well as historical understanding. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) draw on a number of activities and targets that are central to museums and their roles as outlined in this submission. AMaGA, as co-convenor of GLAM Peak, has identified and adopted key focus areas and targets within the SDG for Australia’s museums and galleries to work towards over the next decade. Museums and galleries provide valued and safe spaces to promote national identity, exploring Australians’ connected experience and aspirations, as individuals and as members of communities and the nation. Operating as spaces of civic trust, museums ‘promote historically informed discussion of national ideas, and strive for a fundamentally inclusive understanding of the many facets of the Australian story’. As such, ‘they largely avoid the accusations of 5. Telling Australia's story - and why it's populism and self-interest that have come to plague contemporary important: Report on the inquiry into political fora’. (Breynard, 2019) Canberra's national institutions, 2019,
8. Shane Breynard, pers comm 2019 launched in May 2019. It is being adopted and implemented across the country, and promoted world-wide. 9. Jocelyn Dodd and Ceri Jones, Mind, Body, Spirit: how museums impact The Roadmap is about helping to build more respectful and trusting health and wellbeing, 2014,
3. The best mechanism for ensuring cooperation and delivery of policy between layers of government
Key Recommendations: 3.1. Initiate the development of a confident and aspirational national cultural framework that sets aims and priorities, delineates roles, undertakes research and enables funding for implementation. As with other national policy making (for example in regional or social policy) a national cultural policy both demonstrates the public value of culture and provides a structure for strategic investment and impact. The Framework should: — set out a coherent Roadmap for Recovery and future Resilience that understands and supports the interconnectedness between industry policies/programs such as tourism, regional development, health and education — link with recommendations and decisions coming out of the Bushfires Royal Commission and the Senate Inquiry into the Impacts of COVID-19 — include cross-governmental strategies and programs — support local/community/place-based recoveries as well as investment in touring — provide new and expanded grants programs to help with adaption to any 'new normal' that arise from COVID-19 impacts — have sustained, strategic investment over the next decade including doubling the funding available to the Australia Council for the Arts and expanding its remit to include museums and galleries — support massively increased digitisation of collections and public programs — include a public campaign to state the value of Australia’s culture and to rebuild confidence — engage with and support associations and peak bodies to deliver services, advice and support.
3.2. Provide Commonwealth funding directly to local governments to enable them to ‘increase its involvement in the support of local, regional and community museums and historical societies’ in line with the Australian Local Government Association’s Arts and Culture Policy Position (2020). In addition, include full local government representation on Ministerial Councils for arts, heritage and culture.
TOR 3 links to supporting information:
Key Comments: 1. AMaGA, Submission to the At the Commonwealth government level, the lack of a national cultural Australian Infrastructure Audit, 2019,
Arts Plan for 2019-2024, and Victoria and Queensland have Creative 3. NAVA, Submission to the COVID- Industries Plans. 19 Senate Inquiry, 2020,
At the Commonwealth The think-tank, A New Approach, found that there have been unsettling government level, the lack significant shifts in publicexpenditure on arts and culture: ‘Without strategic and co-ordinated effort across all levels of government, of a national cultural Australia risks deterioration in its cultural fabric and a loss of the policy framework and benefits it provides’. inadequate associated Australia’s cultural infrastructure is a wellspring of creativity, resourcing, data imagination and innovation — it is in the national interest to support it with coherent long- term investments. This includes both capital management, strategic and capability investment in the national institutions and joined up planning and support for strategies and programs with the states and territories, which includes cultural infrastructure more support for local governments and their communities. has significant negative effects across the country. 4. The impact of COVID-19 on the creative and cultural industries
Key Recommendations: 4.1. Following consultation with the sector, the Commonwealth government to invest in a culture/creative-led recovery as part of the overall Government response to the crisis over the longer term. 4.2. Establish a new Commonwealth grants program for volunteer/ community museums, galleries and historical societies to facilitate their survival and post-COVID-19 re-opening and recovery. These organisations are in every electorate and local government region. 4.3. Provide exemption for the national cultural institutions from the Efficiency Dividend. 4.4. Provide new or additional support to national and state arts and heritage services and professional organisations, such as AMaGA, to enable them to provide informed and targeted advice and support to different segments of the cultural and creative sector. 4.5. Investigate the USA model of the Heritage Emergency National Taskforce to protect cultural heritage from the damaging effects of natural disasters and other emergencies, and establish and resource a similar public/private partnership of museums, galleries, national service organisations and government agencies. See:
Key Comments: The impacts of COVID-19 upon Australia have been and will continue to be extreme. The pandemic has also created a destructive cumulative impact on those organisations, regions and communities who are reeling from the bushfires and extreme weather events in late 2019 and early 2020. In Australia, along with the tourism industry, hospitality and higher education, the cultural and creative sectors are the most affected by the current coronavirus crisis. Museums and galleries — of all types, sizes, funding sources and governance arrangements — are no exception. Data from AMaGA’s Membership Surveys in May and August on COVID-19 Impacts shows that: — 86% of organisations have been or anticipate to be financially affected — through loss of income (events, visitation, rent, donations, sales, education visits, sponsorship and budget cutbacks by the funding organisation). — When organisations were asked whether the Commonwealth government’s economic packages were available to them, 67% replied No to Job Seeker and 66% replied No to Job Keeper. 76 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
When they were asked whether the amount of government assistance was sufficient, 53% said they did not qualify, or were unclear at this stage, while a further 26% said No. Only 21% replied Yes. — Most museums in Australia are small, volunteer-managed community organisations which are embedded in their local communities and provide a range of social and economic benefits, including a sense of belonging to their community, and of contributing to society. Thus it is no surprise, but deeply troubling, that in May 77% of responding organisations were concerned by their lack of engagement with the community (for example, through cancellation of events/exhibitions or no online engagement), and in August, over a third of the respondents stated long-term sustainability would be an issue for them. — When asked what support they needed now and over the next 6-12 months, the standout was immediate and ongoing financial support, along with public statements of their value. — For many museums and galleries at all levels, uncertainty about their future operations and viability is a consistent concern. — 75% asked for AMaGA to provide skills development at this time. This we have done through a greatly expanded national webinar program — funded by members, not government. During this period, many organisations are also recognising opportunities to rethink business models and operating processes, and experiment with new modes of community engagement. 66% of surveyed organisations highlighted increased online content as a key adaptive strategy. The national and state museums and galleries have demonstrated great flexibility in re-purposing programs to deliver experiences and education online, as well as developing new materials, such as virtual tours. Those smaller regional and metropolitan galleries and museums who have retained professional staff in their primary roles are undertaking a range of innovative public programming (both digital and offline) as well as managing their collections and supporting artists and their local communities. Their resilience and creativity is contributing to community health, wellbeing and continuing education during this extended period of stress and disruption. The community/volunteer museums, galleries and historical societies continue their unsung roles. ‘We are a small, rural based, volunteer run, Historical Society and were burnt out before this, it is hard to remain positive at times, then I look at one of our brilliant 10,000 digitised glass plate negatives, think of all that hard work and take a deep breath and start again.’ TOR 4 links to supporting information:
Longer-term impacts 1. AMaGA, Submission to the Senate Select Committee on COVID- A critical concern is the loss of young, early-career museum and 19, 2020,
Many volunteer-run community organisations are likely to lose their workers and possibly not re-open at all if there is not careful and targeted support and safety for them to return. AMaGA and the Federation of Australian Historical Societies (FAHS) have proposed a collaboration to administer a new Commonwealth funding program for these organisations, to cover shortfalls in income and stimulate new commitment, projects and accessibility. In all these cases, if unaddressed, there will be inestimable damage to the mental health of individuals, to the institutions, and to Australia’s cultural industry and cultural life. These sorts of disastrous events will recur. National co-ordination in disaster recovery for cultural organisations will be required. A proven model is the United States’ Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF), which is co-sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Smithsonian Institution. It is a partnership of 60 national service organisations and federal agencies. Ramped up investment in this type of national co-ordination is supported by the Disasters – Cultural Response Roundtable – National Service Organisations which was established by AMaGA in January 2020 in the midst of the rampant bushfires season. This unfunded Roundtable provides advocacy, information-sharing, communication materials and support through the Australian disaster season on behalf of the cultural and creative arts sectors. Since March, it has also focused strongly on the impacts of COVID-19 and the compounding effects of loss and stress, while now preparing for the next season of natural disasters.
5. Avenues for increasing access and opportunities for Australia's creative and cultural industries through innovation and the digital environment.
Key Recommendations: 5.1. Develop and resource a National Investment Plan for digital access to cultural collections. A Plan would include: — strategies and funding for the Digital Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at tertiary level, new collaborative research infrastructure through the Department of Industry, and steady support for Trove — the adoption of national, state, territory and local government digital access to collections strategies and plans, which link to the new collaborative research infrastructure plan — initiatives to help build the capacity of smaller cultural institutions — dedicated funding for digitisation and digital access at every level.
Key Comments: The work of GLAM Peak (the network of peak bodies in the galleries, libraries, archives, historical societies and museums sectors) over the last three years has revealed the power of digital discoverability and access to collections for increasing participation and social connection by people with a range of capabilities. Strategies and support for the digitisation of collections in regional and community galleries and museums would be an invaluable contribution to Australians’ social engagement as well as life-long learning. 78 Vol. 29(1) – Summer 2021 AMaGA Magazine
It is important to note that ‘Australia has always been one of the leaders in this area, from Australian Museums On Line (AMOL) in the late 1990s to the National Library’s Trove and, for natural history collections — the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA) — collection sharing and collaboration has been a part of the cultural sector’s digital innovation here for well over 20 years hampered by uneven funding and national network connectivity.’ (Seb Chan, ACMI 2017) Providing digital access is the most effective way of ensuring access to Australian arts, scientific collections, and heritage. There are many stories about the positive impact digital access has had on the lives of We are specialists in: individuals and there are a number of examples of how digital access has led to important scientific and policy outcomes. National and state galleries and museums are strong leaders in this arena. The National Portrait Gallery has an award-winning application • Facilitating Change in • Cultural Capability for school visitors using iPads, and has largely digitised its collection. Questacon is collaborating with CSIRO’s Data 61 on gamification of Organisational Culture • Inter-cultural Environments research in biodiversity and Australian stories. Questacon has also taken a leading role in boosting the teaching • Indigenous Education • School Leadership of STEM in schools across Australia through the Smart Skills Initiative • Community Development • Engoori in the Classroom which delivered online as well as hands-on inquiry based workshops as well as virtual excursions. A longer-term investment Innovative use of new technologies such as Virtual Reality and in helping museums, Augmented Reality are also used to achieve heightened emotional responses in museums around the world and in Australia. See galleries and historical MurriMatters has a faultless reputation Strength-based Approach for example, the ground-breaking Dome Lab — Travelling societies to provide digital for delivering a unique program both on A common focus on ‘problem thinking’ Kungkarangkalpa — developed as a digital sanctuary for the National access would power a wave the national and international stage, and and ‘can’t do’ restricts organisational Museum of Australia’s award-winning Songlines exhibition
• Facilitating Change in • Cultural Capability Organisational Culture • Inter-cultural Environments • Indigenous Education • School Leadership • Community Development • Engoori in the Classroom
MurriMatters has a faultless reputation Strength-based Approach for delivering a unique program both on A common focus on ‘problem thinking’ the national and international stage, and and ‘can’t do’ restricts organisational has enjoyed over 15 years of experience in development and constrains eff ective delivering eff ective online and face-to-face implementation. We believe that the leadership programs to organisations such source of solutions lies in the existing as Beyond Blue, National Indigenous knowledge and capability of your Australians Agency and the Australian organisation’s greatest asset — its Rural Leadership Foundation. people.
Engoori Engoori harnesses client strengths to MurriMatters draws upon new approaches enable you to formulate local and to organisational change, strength- sustainable strategies to achieve your based pedagogy, complexity, and confl ict objectives. resolution processes through an authentic Indigenous approach to collaboration Countering Defi cit Discourse termed Engoori. Traditionally Engoori® Engoori provides an eff ective strength-based was used by the Mithaka people Far process to counter the dominant discourse Western Queensland, as a set of diplomatic of defi cit that pervades thinking about protocols to create and maintain robust Aboriginality and Aboriginal issues. Defi cit challenging cultures that embrace diversity discourse adds another layer of complexity to enable forward movement on the big to challenges in the inter-cultural space. issues impacting on local communities.
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