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BIRREGURRA WEEKEND FESTIVAL
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BIRREGURRA ART SHOW
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Birregurra Art Show is one of the major cultural events
in this region, and attracts interest and artwork from
all over Victoria and beyond. The first Birregurra art show started as a fundraiser for the Birregurra Primary School Council in 1990 and became a showcase for the many talented artists living in the area. The town's community Action Group, which included two of the mums behind the Primary School art show, suggested expanding the art show in conjunction with a weekend festival of music, local food and stalls. The first Festival Weekend art shows, from 2000 onwards, were held in the beautiful and atmospheric Birregurra Anglican church hall with marquee attached for additional space. This was cramped, sometimes cold, but always friendly. From the start, and to the surprise of some, the event was a great success. Not only did it fill a gap in the local Colac/ Surf Coast art show scene at the time, but it provided a wonderful social network that culminated in the excitement of the opening night, encouraged sales and confidence in the buying of local artwork, and was the start of recognition for the district's art culture. In 2005, the Birregurra Art Show was transferred to the more central and larger Main Street Hall. The annual buzz about the art show now proclaims the charms of the historical Birregurra Hall which, with its spacious ceilings and elegant spaces, is well suited to the showing of artwork. In 2010 more than 400 works were put on display. The Birregurra Art Show is now an award show as well as a community event. It is still run by local volunteers (and yes, the inaugural mums who set the ball rolling, their children long grown up, are still members of our committee and with plenty of energy – something to do with the country air.) We draw on the voluntary services of local artists/art educators for our publicity and curation and invite outside artist-educators to act as judges. We pursue the best local voice we can find to perform as opening night MC. We make use of the varied and marvellous talents of our committee members, and, over the two weeks it takes to do the show, we are assisted by a host of other helpers. These include the electricians and others who set up and dismantle the hall infrastructure, those who regularly act as barstaff on opening night, and those who are happy to be co-opted into our ready team of hanging assistants/gaffers with this huge show usually hung within a day. The art show profits, derived from entry fees and commission on sales, are central to the funding of the Weekend Festival, which, in turn, benefits a wide range of community projects and clubs. Through the generous support of local business sponsors and private patrons the 2011 show offers over $6300 prizes awarded over nine categories of artwork. Prize winners are announced on the opening night. With its affable crowd, speeches, drinks bar, finger food, amid all the compelling and sometimes sublime experience known as art, this night promises to be, yet again, country sophistication at its best. |
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