Notes from art4place March Meeting

©2012 Noela Mills - Detail from Placemaking art path - HBC -created by art4place

• Promotion: art4place is re-developing the original DL card used for promotion; and is considering other promotional card options including postcard and business card formats.

• Placemaking art map: In the past art4place developed a placemaking art walking map for Maleny. We are investigating a DL card that combines promotional and the placemaking art map. This would be provided to information kiosks and art related outlets.

• Funding and support: art4place has demonstrated that it is making a contribution in the placemaking art sector in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. It is now time to put the organisation on a more stable financial footing so that it can take on larger projects and be in a position to independently sponsor minor community activities. To enable this consolidation and development process art4place is exploring additional funding and general support options, including:
o Local Council grants linked to economic development and tourism;
o Federal Government grants linked to festivals and special events such as World Environment Day; and
o Presenting to local Service bodies re our activities and possible sponsorship for community placemaking art activities.

• Insurance: art4place is investigating new options of covering ‘in the field’ activities in the future. Past activities were covered by the auspicing body’s insurance.

• Next art4place meeting: 4.30pm, HBC 38a Coral Street Maleny, 7th May – open to members and other interested people.

©2012 Noela Mills - Detail from Placemaking art path - HBC - created by art4place

Monthly updates from the art4place Committee

Noela Mills © art4place - creating cairns in Pecan Park - 2011

art4place meetings are held on the first Monday of the month at the Hinterland Business Centre 38a Coral Street Maleny at 4.30 pm.

All art4place members are welcome to attend.


At the last meeting, the Management Committee decided to post a short summary of the main points of each meeting on the blog site. This is the first of our monthly summary updates.art4place Meeting 12 March 2012

• art4place participation in the Bunya Dreaming Festival was well received, with seven of our members creating, organising and helping on the day. Artists were paid a small honorarium for their contribution on the day. The art4place Committee aims to apply for grant funding next year to enable us to stage a bigger and better event and pay our artists and helpers a small fee.

• Sunshine Coast Council has a new interactive website for arts and creative organisations called the ‘COMMUNITY HUB’. art4place aims to become a regular contributor to this site.

• Artslink Qld [Qld Arts Council] has funding to support 5 regions in 2013, to revitalize regional communities through the arts – the program is called Animating Places. Art4Place will submit a proposal to see if we can secure one of the 5 partnerships and use this opportunity to promote placemaking art and artists in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

• SUNSHINE COAST HINTERLAND CREATIVE SPACES – art4place is collaborating with Arts Connect’s ‘Open Studios, September 15th – October 7th, 2012, by proposing 6 activities/workshops/displays that complement the ‘Open Studios’ programme. We have applied to the Sunshine Coast Council for a Major Grant –‘Cultural development’ but won’t know the outcome until the end of June 2012

Noela Mills © art4place - Cairn of Peace and Hope in Pecan  Park 2011

Creative Spaces 2012

To promote art tourism in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and to complement the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Open Studios 2012 event, art4place proposes creating a program of 6 placemaking art initiatives across the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

Kim Schoenberger © Concept photos for installation of floating leaves

It is proposed that the overall placemaking event will be known as Sunshine Coast Hinterland Creative Spaces 2012; and will take place around the time of the SCH Open Studios 2012.


It is planned that 6 Creative Spaces placemaking art initiatives would take the following forms: 

• a sculptural development sandstone carving workshop and installation in the trees on at Maleny Retreat (Booroobin) using the 10-12 pieces created in the workshop;
• an installation of sails on Balmoral Ridge;
• a dynamic display by children in Russell Park to re-enact and celebrate the flight of the Glossy Black Cookatoo using wings they created from recycled cardboard;
• a community lantern making workshop that reflects the history, environment and community of the Witta area and an evening illumination that celebrates cooperatives as part of International Year of Cooperatives 2012 event in Maleny;
• an installation of floating pink heart shaped leaves in the Russell Park ponds to celebrate the connection of people, including the Kabi Kabi people, who have used these watering holes over many years; and
• a children's participatory community ceramic art event and display at the Maleny Library on the Obi Obi Creek to celebrate the Eastern Water Dragon and Platypus of the Obi Obi.

The placemaking art would enable the story/stories of the people and place that are in the proximity of open studios to be made visible and celebrated in the creative spaces. 

Noela Mills © Concept photos of installation of sails

At this stage the art4place Committee has received and accepted the 6 placemaking proposals from art4place member artists; and has lodged an application for art funding to implement the initiatives.


So it is a case of watch this space.

Reflections on placemaking art and public art in Canberra

My most recent trip to Canberra this week gave me time to reflect on the difference between placemaking public art and public art.  This came to me when Fiona and I were standing at one of the entry points to Reconciliation Place - a place dedicated to reconciliation between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.

Barry Smith © Detail - Entry bower Reconciliation Place

Barry Smith © Entry bower Reconciliation Place - Fire and Water - Judy Watson

Barry Smith © Entry to Reconciliation Place- entry to National Library -  both hold the stories

Close by was another place dedicated to science and discovery ( Questacon). All the sculptural works we were looking at were in one of our favourite mediums - rusted steel.

Barry Smith © A place for science and maths sculpture

Barry Smith © Mobius - twisted loop (artist not referenced)

Barry Smith © Szilassi Polyherdron - maths creates beauty  (artist not referenced)

Though the reconciliation and science art works were of the same medium (rusted steel) as Pear, Angel of the North and Virginia 1970 that are sited in various vantage points around the National Gallery, I think there is a significant difference.

Barry Smith © Pear Version 2 - Baldessin

Barry Smith © Virginia 1970 - Meadmore

Fiona Dempster © Angel of the North (front) - Gormley

Barry Smith © Angel of the North (back) Gormley

Reconciliation Place is in  the Parliamentary triangle, the heart of our democracy and foundation as a nation where many of our most important buildings are found. The sculptural artworks here told the story of Indigenous people of the local area; why there was a need for reconciliation; and recognised the actions that had been taken towards reconciliation.

The science related sculptures referenced Questacon and let you know this is a place of science and discovery.

Whereas the art works around the National Gallery recognised certain artists and important pieces of sculptural art. Whilst they are beautiful and interesting in their own right they do not tell a story of the place or people in the locations they are located.

The reconciliation and science art is placemaking art - it tells the story of the people and place where it is. The National Gallery sculptural works are public art - they entertain and inspire but don't tell a story about the people or place in which they are displayed.

Bunya Dreaming 2012

South East Queensland got off to a pretty wet start this year so the Bunya Dreaming gathering at Baroon Pocket Dam was postponed by two weeks - therefore held on 11 Feb. 2012.


"The day generates an understanding of Indigenous culture providing a forum for networking and information sharing and strengthening of community partnership. Activities include Bunya feasting, competitions, bushfoods, bush medicine, challenges, dance, ceremony, fire, yarning, workshops and more." - Barung

Barry Smith © Bunya Dreaming gathering

Beverly Hand, a Gubbi Gubbi elder, is the initiator of and driver behind Bunya Dream; she is also a member if art4place. Over the last few years art4place members have assisted Beverly with the art challenge at Bunya Dreaming. 

Barry Smith © The BD art tent

This year special recognition was paid to Beverly's mother who passed away last year. art4place offered to manage the art challenge; and also offered a special Best Totem prize in recognition of Beverly's mother.  Children and adults registered for the challenge - 3 art prizes for each category were on offer. 

The theme of the day was 'mother' - storm; and the totems included wedge-tail eagle, carpet python, king parrot, sand goanna, turtle, grass tree. All art need to be created from natural materials. art4place collected and provided some materials and string, glue and tape; but people were invited to gather materials especially Bunya Nut cone husks from the site. About 40-50 art pieces were created on the day. 

Barry Smith © 'art materials'

Barry Smith © "art materials' - seed pods supplied by Jenny

Amongst the children's art pieces there were wedge-tailed eagles, goannas, nests with eggs, turtles, grass tree men and dragonflies. The ages of children ranged from about  5 to 14.

Barry Smith © Bird on nest

Barry Smith © Wedge-tail on nest

Barry Smith © Goanna up a tree

Barry Smith © Wedge-tail with spread wings

Barry Smith © Bark and bunya nut turtle

Barry Smith © Wedge-tail  - leaf feathered wings - and nest

Barry Smith © Mini turtle

Barry Smith © A flight of bunya butterflies

Barry Smith © Mother and baby dragonflies

Barry Smith © 'Bunya eggs' on a nest

Barry Smith © Scary face of a 'grass man'

Adults pieces tended to include stories: the beginning of Bunya Dreaming and place; Biril the one legged mythical bird; Biami - birth of the Bunya baby and the Carpet python. Lots of inspired use of the shucked remnants of the Bunya cone.

Barry Smith © Goanna Team - women artists - the birthplace of Bunya Dreaming?

Barry Smith © Women out Front Team - Carpet Python

Barry Smith © The story of the birth of the Bunya baby

Barry Smith © Biril - mythical one legged bird

Barry Smith © Tracy working on woven cane turtle

The art challenge is such a tangible way for participants to learn about Bunya Dreaming; the Indigenous totems; and to celebrate the people and place where the original Aboriginal Bunya feasts and gatherings took place and take place once again. A magnificent ephemeral placemaking art event.  art4place members Christine and Barry 'judged' the works and selected the seven people who were awarded art prizes - not an easy job!!

Thanks to Beverly for inviting art4place to facilitate the art challenge. Thanks to art4place members Noela and Edith-Ann for their background work. Thanks to the following art4place members who facilitated the event on the day: Jenny, Mieke, Christine, Jacinta, Tracy, Kate and Barry.