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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 as well as interstate. The first Birregurra art show was held in 1990 as a fundraiser for the Birregurra Primary School and acted as a showcase for the many talented artists living in the area. Nearly a decade later, the town's community Action Group, which included some of the mums involved in the Primary School art show, suggested re-establishing the art show within 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 gave further recognition to the district's art culture. In 2005, the Birregurra Art Show was transferred to the more central and larger Main Street Hall. The district 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 some 300 or so artworks. The Birregurra Art Show is now an award show as well as a community event. Our committee is made up of local volunteers. For our publicity and curation, we draw on the voluntary services of local art professionals and we invite outside artist-educators to act as judges. We pursue the best local voice we can find to perform as opening night MC. Over the two weeks it takes to stage the show, we are assisted by a host of helpers. These include electricians, those who constructed and maintain the display structures, those who set up and dismantle the exhibition infrastructure, those who are happy to be co-opted into our team of hanging assistants/gaffers (this huge show is usually hung in a day). Further help is given on opening night and over the weekend exhibition by those who prepare food, or act as barstaff, or generally assist in all kinds of matters arising in an event like this. The art show profits 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 2010 show offers $5600 in awards over eight categories of artmaking. Award 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 event has become an example of country sophistication at its best. |
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