COLLABORATIVE ARTS COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
Ipswich is experiencing unprecedented growth and major change unmatched in South-East Queensland. Due to progressive government initiatives at all levels, this has created investment and business opportunities, attracted tourism, and increased the availability of quality education in the region. At the same time Ipswich has managed to retain its relaxed lifestyle, heritage, spectacular natural environment, and supportive community attitude. Clearly Ipswich is booming, and in the process of changing outdated perceptions.
We believe that the integration of contemporary art into public spaces is a key strategy in changing people’s everyday experiences of space and place, and ultimately transforming perceptions. Through our Collaborative Arts Community initiative we encourage innovative and creative partnerships to facilitate the development of the city into a thriving regional arts centre. Our projects include:
• Transforming Spaces
• Ipswich Contemporary Arts Network
• Artist and Business Registers
The Transforming Spaces project is founded on the idea of creating alternative visual art spaces that complement established exhibition and creative working spaces like art galleries, museums and studios.
The spaces are not permanent galleries located in a particular place. The idea is to transform under-utilised, vacant, and pre-development properties, as well as community and Council owned venues into temporary spaces to be occupied by contemporary artists for the purpose of conducting art based activities accessible to the general public, such as workshops and studios, and the display and sale of original works.
Transforming Spaces projects rely on the collaborative efforts of artists, creative thinkers, local government, and innovative business people in order to build partnerships to fund and develop visual art spaces that create a vibrant atmosphere, and therefore revitalise the city and enhance its appeal. This has the potential to attract pedestrian and commuter traffic, as well as publicity, which will benefit local businesses and the city’s cultural scene.
The spaces are not permanent galleries located in a particular place. The idea is to transform under-utilised, vacant, and pre-development properties, as well as community and Council owned venues into temporary spaces to be occupied by contemporary artists for the purpose of conducting art based activities accessible to the general public, such as workshops and studios, and the display and sale of original works.
Transforming Spaces projects rely on the collaborative efforts of artists, creative thinkers, local government, and innovative business people in order to build partnerships to fund and develop visual art spaces that create a vibrant atmosphere, and therefore revitalise the city and enhance its appeal. This has the potential to attract pedestrian and commuter traffic, as well as publicity, which will benefit local businesses and the city’s cultural scene.
