GBMCAN Grand Finale Event @ The Edge

by Aug 19, 2024Featured Article, Uncategorized0 comments

GBMCAN Grand Finale Event

The Edge Cinema Gallery Katoomba
3pm – 6pm+ 19 October 2024

The Greater Blue Mountains Creative Arts Network will be winding up its Blue Mountains Artists Company by December 2024, due to loss of financial viability through 2024-2025 to meet all our fixed costs. To celebrate our more than 20 years of effort in supporting the Blue Mountains arts community, we invite you all to join us for our Grand Finale Event at The Edge Cinema in Katoomba, on Saturday 19 October 2024 from 3pm.

At the event, we will also be announcing various new initiatives being undertaken to continue our collective engagement with the world of the creative arts.

Event Program

3.00pm

Launch of the 2024 Regenesis Anthology: Weaving Connections

Barbara Lepani & Zac Quinn

  • Talks by winning entrants
    • Short Story
    • Poetry
    • Artwork
3.30pm
Open discussion about the works
4.00 pm Opening of GBMCAN Art Exhibition
– Curated by Corinne Hemsley
Detais for enering the Art Exhibition
4.30pm Opening of Mountain of Youth Exhibition
 Documentary Loop of Student Engagement
– Discussion with Kalani and Helena and student MOY crew
5.00pm

Cinema theatre showing of short films, Dream Link and Soles

– Introduced by Kalani Gacon

6.00pm + End of an Era Legacy Party
Schmooze and booze gathering in downstairs gallery area
Drinks from the bar and light refreshments provided
Live music
Thank you and Outline of new pathways forward across the arts

We take this opportunity to thank our Patron, John Chapman and the current members of GBMCAN’s Management Team: President, Barbara Lepani; Vice President, Sharon Howard of Gang Gang Gallery; Company Secretary, Tim K Jones; Treasurer, Melissa Chambers; Media Manager, Brad Diedrich; Art Exhibitions, Corinne Hemsley; Live Music, Willem Hendriksen; and Performing Arts, Marty Bright. During recent times, other community members who have put their hand up to serve on the Management Team include: Graham Tribe, Warring Neilsen, Julie Ankers, Peter Shoemaker, Brooke Broughton, Ian Brown, Deborah Sheehan, Simon Hearn, Wendy Tsai, Sabine le Tourneau, Jo Kot, Selena Seifert, Robyn Gurr, Beverly Taylor, and Virginia Franken.  We thank them, and all the other members of the creative community who have been part of the GBMCAN family over the last 20 years, for all their efforts.

 We would also like to thank all the creatives in our community who, over the years, have supported us through becoming financial members and contributing to our various art exhibitions and multi-arts events. In particular we would like to thank our Network Partners who have formed a vital part of our cultural ecology in the spirit of our commitment to co-creation: Gang Gang Gallery, The Edge Cinema, Mountain of Youth, the Regenesis Collective, Rosey Ravelston Books, Janelle Randelle-Court, BANC, Kindlehill School, Blackheath Neighbourhood Centre, Gallery H and Mark O’Carrigan in Dargan, Radio Blue Mountains, Talking Artz, Retro Rehash,  the Bowerbird Collective, Lithgow Arts Trail, Hotel Etico, Australian Earth Laws Alliance, and the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative.

We also remember all those who helped with our pre-COVID efforts to run an annual Creative Arts Award program across the different artforms, and to our collaboration with Trish Doyle MP and Susan Templeman MP for a series of Round Table discussions with the community arts sector to provide a collective voice on the arts in our community. This included a meeting with the now NSW Minister John Graham MLC at an event hosted by Victor and Sharon Peralta at Gallery 188, also sadly no longer, as galleries succumb to the safe forces impacting across the arts.

 THE LEGACY

Those of us who have been active in developing and running GBMCAN events are now busy developing plans to continue our efforts to support the community of creatives who contribute so much to our quality of life. You’ll hear about our plans at the Grand Finale Event on 19 October.