Arts Project Australia ANNUAL REPORT 2013 Patron’s Foreword Arts Project Australia provides the environment and support to unlock the creative power of artists. And not just any artists, these people have a unique gift, and, a disability. Their tools are paint, clay and collage, and through that, they create a vision of their world for all to appreciate. Arts Project Australia’s social impact evaluation is featured in this year’s Annual Report. It is clear that the Arts Project has a powerful positive impact for its artists, their families, art lovers, collectors and the broader community. Thérèse Rein front cover: Miles Howard-Wilks Magpie eating the leaves of the branch Inkjet print on Hahnmuhle photo rag 30 x 45cm left: Jordan Dymke Not titled 2013 pastel on paper 29 x 38cm above right: Terry Williams Not titled 2012 material, cotton, stuffing, wool, texta 25 x 75 x 100cm Our Mission To be a centre of excellence that supports artists with intellectual disabilities, promoting their work and advocating for their inclusion within contemporary art practice. About Arts Project Australia Founded in 1974, Arts Project Australia was where artists with an intellectual disability The gallery stages an annual program of conceived as a dedicated space for visual are treated with sincerity, their creative exhibitions featuring work by Arts Project art, to promote authentic self-expression direction is supported and their art work artists. Increasingly, there has been a and to provide access to professional is promoted on its artistic merit amongst trend towards collaborative projects with quality materials and support from the wider arts community. external artists. practising contemporary artists. Following The studio and gallery are located in Arts Project is a registered charity and years of incremental growth, Arts Project Northcote, Victoria. The studio is attended non-profit organisation, which is governed established the first full-time arts studio by over 100 artists each week, some of by a volunteer Board and managed and in Australia for artists with an intellectual whom have been coming for more than staffed by a small team of qualified, disability in 1990. In the nearly four 20 years. Artists attend between one and experienced and committed professionals. decades since its inception, Arts Project five days a week and are supported by It is an independent organisation which has won numerous awards and has built qualified artists to develop their own art is supported by the sale of art work, a reputation nationally and internationally practice. Here, art is not taught, but rather donations and bequests from private as a leader and innovator in both the arts the innate creative direction of each artist groups and individuals, as well as and disability sectors. is nurtured to elicit works of personal grants from government and a range of Arts Project advocates through its provision meaning and style. Media include painting, philanthropic trusts and foundations. of a dedicated studio and gallery space drawing, ceramics, printmaking, puppetry and digital art. 1 Board of Management Staff Catherine Easton President from February 2013 Sue Roff Executive Director Vice-President to February 2013 Sandy Fernée Business Manager Jonah Jones President (resigned February 2013) Sim Luttin Gallery Manager & Curator Neil Twist Vice President from March 2013 Pierrette Boustany Studio Manager Sean Gaskell Secretary James McDonald Team Leader – Studio Mashelle Parrett Treasurer Cheryl Daye Projects and Development Manager Wendy Foard Member (resigned June 2013) Penny Hunt Registrar Damien Hodgkinson Member Melissa Petty Gallery Assistant Bronwyn Johnson Member Allison O’Callaghan Studio & Gallery Assistant Norman Rosenblatt Member Brad Rusbridge Gallery Technician / Artsworker (casual) Silvana Scibilia Member Adriane Hayward Gallery Assistant Life Members Emiko Davies Gallery Assistant Cheryl Daye Glenn Dalton Artsworker – Ceramics Peter Fay Rachael Guy Artsworker – 3D Kitty Ginter Jessie Imam Artsworker – General and Digital Media Rita Mantell Ching Yee Ng Artsworker – Digital Media Sally Shrimpton Ben Walsh Artsworker – Printmaking Lyn Young Artsworker – General / Gallery Technician Members Nicole Macdonald Artsworker – General 99 (Includes Life Members) Elyss McCleary Artsworker – General Suzanne Brown Artsworker – General (Casual) Peter Douglas Artsworker – General (Casual) Camille Hannah Artsworker – General (Casual) Volunteers Leila Costa (2012-13) Margaret McIntosh (2013) Special Thanks Elyse De Valle (2008-12) Kate Parker (2013) Fintona Student Placements: Kate Barker (2013) Kerstine Elliott (2009-12) Olivia Parr (2012-13) Sylvie Le Couteur Leila Boakes (2011-12) & Bridget Cochrane-Holley Louise Fabre (2012) Michael Pearce (2011-13) Lainie Cann (2012) Australian Catholic University Todd Harrison (2013) Ciara Price (2012-13) Prue Capell (2013) Student Placements: Gabrielle Hingston (2013) David Russell (2012) Jessica Riley & Lloyd Maliakal Christian Clegg (2012) Debra Howlett (2011-13) David Thomson (2012-13) RMIT Student Placement: Lois Coleman (2013) Olivia Jackson (2012) Meg Williams (2012-13) Catherine Millar Lois Conlan (2013) Jodie Lee-Miller (2011-13) Marlene Zammit (2013) Supporters Council of Adult, Community and Corporate Partners Fowlers Flowers Further Education - Northern ARA Consultants Beraldo Coffee We are grateful for the generous Metropolitan Region Leonard Joel Andrei Davidoff and continued support of our Arts Victoria government, philanthropic and Leeuwin Estate Rydges Bell City Philanthropic corporate funders. Dining With Art Sponsors SOFITEL Luxury Hotels Besen Family Foundation Government Merricote Leonard Joel The Amelia Eliza Holland Trust Department of Human Services 3sidedsquare Glenn Tebble Homewares The Bob Jenyns Endowment Department of Families, Housing, Carlei Wines Glencross Woodworks The William Angliss Community Services and Melbourne Community Paper-Go-Round Charitable Trust Indigenous Affairs Farmers Markets Web Prophets Third Drawer Down and Bryan Dawe as MC Donors Antony Aristovoulou Damien Hodgkinson Anne Stonehouse AM Gerry Costigan Robin Kentley Neil Twist Arts Project Australia is grateful Myra and Zev Degen T & S Mantalvanos Mark Veitch to those who have made financial or in kind gifts to assist our Catherine Easton Clinton McQueen Mitty Williams important work. Peter Fay Sassy Park and Karl Schwertfeger Dennis and Tauba Wilson Lynne Farrell Ian Renard Housing Resource and Support Helen Gargan Norman Rosenblatt Services David and Linda Gold The Scovell Gardner Family Lowensteins Arts Management Debbie Comben and Alan Rimmer at the offices of ARA Deputy Lord Mayor Susan Riley presents the Abaf SME Partnering Award to Volunteer, Debra Howlett, Consultants with an artwork by Alvaro Alvarez Arts Project President, Jonah Jones and Gallery Manager & Curator, Sim Luttin gift wrapping at the Annual Gala 2 ARTS PROJECT AUSTRALIA INC | ANNUAL REPORT 2013 President’s Report As Arts Project Australia moves into its 40th In addition to achieving excellent audit outcomes year, it is with great pride that I reflect on the against state and federal disability standards, importance of our organisation to the lives of a number of other significant governance activities artists, their families, staff, volunteers and the have taken place this year. The Policy and Board. Our very existence today and long history Planning Sub-Committee completed an overhaul of providing a space for artists to develop their of the organisation’s policies and procedures, individual art practice, is testament to the many, to streamline and enhance the content with many people who are passionate and committed consideration to the Departments of Human to our place in the community and contemporary Services and Family and Housing, Community art world. Services and Indigenous Affairs requirements. The Board was led by Jonah Jones until February Following a Board review and mandatory 2013. Jonah has been a supporter of Arts Project amendments to comply with the new for many years and through his leadership we Incorporations Act, at a Special General have experienced significant positive changes in Meeting members endorsed changes to the the organisation’s culture and profile in the arts. Rules of Association. In addition, it was Jonah’s vision for our 40th year With increasing competition for funding, Arts that has been the catalyst for the planning activity Project Australia continues to be focused on undertaken to date. diversifying its income streams with contributions Plans for our 40th anniversary in 2014 have from government, philanthropic trusts and continued to take shape with a range of celebratory foundations, the corporate sector and individuals. events and exhibitions that will occur throughout We thank the Victorian Department of Human the year. We have secured a partnership with the Services, the Adult, Community and Further University of Melbourne to conduct an International Education Board and the Federal Department Outsider Art conference in October 2014. The of Family and Housing, Community Services and conference program is under development with Indigenous Affairs for their ongoing support. highly regarded international and Australian In addition, we are supported by many keynote speakers already locked in. philanthropic organisations including the Besen I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate Family Foundation, the Amelia Eliza Holland Peter Fay, an important friend to Arts Project Trust and the William