Page 5140 - Week 12 - Thursday, 27 October 2011
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Since the opening of the glassworks, 14 glass artists have now moved to Canberra to engage with these national, if not international, facilities. Those glass artists now live in our community, along with the existing large numbers of artists, many of whom can trace their training back to the ANU school of arts.
Following the establishment of the Canberra Glassworks in the old Canberra powerhouse, Megalo Print Studio + Gallery was identified as an ideal organisation for the second phase in the Kingston arts precinct to build a critical mass of artists and activities. Megalo has for many years and in good faith held discussions with the ACT government to be a part of the Kingston arts precinct. The organisation will bring a comprehensive open access printmaking facility to this developing arts hub, providing artists, students and the general community with access to specialised facilities and programs.
The government committed $2.5 million in 2011-12 and another $1.4 million in 2012-13 to refurbish the Fitters Workshop for Megalo. A DA for the Fitters Workshop was lodged on 7 July, and notification closed on 8 August this year. In the 2010-11 budget, $150,000 was allocated to develop the Kingston arts precinct strategy. It is worth noting, again, that the Greens supported both the 2010-11 and the 2011-12 budgets and agreed to them in whole.
The Kingston arts precinct strategy identifies opportunities to expand and create arts activity at the Kingston Foreshore and future needs required to make it a viable arts precinct. It identifies the use of the Fitters Workshop by Megalo print studio as well as the potential need for new purpose-built facilities and develops a staged approach for its implementation to provide for a range of uses that will complement activity already occurring at the Old Bus Depot Markets and at the Canberra Glassworks.
The development of the strategy involved significant community conversation, and that strategy was released in July this year. The LDA has also commenced planning for the future development of section 49 of the site, and I think it has been referred to here. But this has been a comprehensive conversation with the community.
The LDA is consulting with the community about the future directions of the master plan. The first stage included workshops and drop-in sessions that were held in September and October, and the second stage will consider options for the development of the area that comprises three community drop-in sessions concluding on 30 October.
It is worth noting that the Fitters Workshop has only been used a handful of times since 2009, and the decision to relocate Megalo Print Studios + Gallery to the site will provide a full-time, 50-weeks-per-year facility that will align closely with the neighbouring Canberra Glassworks and provide constant exhibitions and accessibility to the whole community. It will also provide a strong foundation for what we expect to be a thriving, dynamic arts hub. By making the Fitters Workshop a permanent home for Megalo, we will be returning life to this historic building.
I have received much support from the broader arts and general community about the government’s decision to relocate Megalo, imploring me to realise this move. I know
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