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AimsFacilities Benifits Ways you can be involved
The Poatina Community Arts Centre is a new facility to be located in the natural bush surrounds of Poatina Resort Village, Fusion's model community nestled on the edge of the Great Western Tiers World Heritage area in Tasmania.
The centre will provide much needed studio facilities for Fusion’s growing arts community and wide variety of arts activities rising out of its youth and community work internationally. The centre will also make accessible specialised art making facilities, support, training opportunities and services for artists and members of the wider Northern Midlands, Tasmanian, Australian mainland and International communities. The facility and the community of artists that will form around it will be an international model and centre of excellence for artistic exchange and community arts development. A distinctive feature of the centre’s facilities will be its hot glass (blowing) facility, the only one of its kind in the state to offer hire access and tuition to a growing group of Tasmanian glass artists and prospective glass students. The centre will also offer educational programs to Tasmanian schools and the general public who wish to experience or learn the spectacular skills of glass blowing and other glass processes. The centre and its glass facility in particular is expected to attract world class artists from the Australian mainland and internationally, creating a major glass destination in Tasmania and generating a significant tourist attraction for the Northern Midlands and Central Highlands regions on the alternative route between Launceston and Hobart.
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Aims
The goal of the Poatina Community Arts Centre is to nurture creativity and artistic excellence in individuals and groups by creating the physical and communal environment necessary for people to develop their artistic work and grow as productive creative individuals - practically, emotionally, socially and spiritually - with the ultimate aim of generating a positive, dynamic and mutually rewarding relationship between artists and their communities.
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Facilities
The centre will be located in a newly reclaimed and restored Nissan Hut style aircraft hangar which was recently donated by the North Esk Rowing Club of Launceston. The building has a historical connection to Poatina in that it was once used to house the “mole” drilling machine that bored the Hydro Electric Scheme’s nearby pipeline through the mountain to the Great Lake. The building with its distinctive curved roof is 30m long and 12m wide and will be re-erected with a new mezzanine floor over two thirds of its floor area. The remaining third, a two story space, will be become the hotshop.
Fusion is an international youth and community organisation which emerged as a creative response to socially-at-risk young people in suburban Sydney, Australia in 1960. Its founder, Mal Garvin, is a well known author, broadcaster, communicator and therapist. Today, Fusion has over 250 staff and thousands of volunteers in 30 centres around Australia, European bases in the United Kingdom and Germany and work in Albania, Canada, Ghana, Greece, India, Indonesia, China, Nigeria and the Caribbean. While it began its work among youth, the importance of a healthy and caring community to nurture each new generation has led Fusion into extensive community work in Australia, developing models of community that are exemplified in its centres around the globe and in the resort village of Poatina in Tasmania which is now Fusion’s international headquarters and training centre.
Artist’s Studio Spaces: The centre will provide between 10 and 15 local artists of various media with affordable studio spaces on the mezannine floor. Artists will utlilze these spaces to make their work, generate income and develop their professional practice in the context of a supportive community and shared resource environment. Internet, phone and other office facilities will be available.
Communal Meeting Space and Kitchen:
Adjacent to the studio spaces on the mezzanine will be a multi-purpose communal area and kitchen for artists to relax, meet, listen to presentations, and share meals together.
Hot Shop (Glass Blowing Studio): One third of the total building area (120 square metres) will be a two-story space dedicated to hot glass equipment, including a 100kg pot molten glass furnace, 2 benches and glory holes and related equipment. Both glass blowing and hot-forming processes will be catered for including glass sand-casting.
Kiln Area: A variety of kilns for firing both ceramic and kiln-formed glass items will be located adjacent to the hot shop under the mezzanine. Kiln types will include Pottery Kilns, Slumping and Fusing Kilns, Glass Casting Kilns and an Architectural Glass Kiln.
Lampworking Area: A dedicated space for lamp-worked glass (including glass beads) using gas torches will also be located adjacent to the kiln area.
Multi-Purpose Workshop and Teaching Space(s): A large central workspace will be located on the ground floor which can be divided into two rooms if desired. The workspace will provide ample room for classes and workshops as part of the eduction program and for artists working on larger projects and those accessing the facilities on a daily basis. Workshops of up to 12 participants will be accommodated.
Print-making Area: The centre’s facilities will include a printing press and related equipment for those working in print media, including prints from glass plates.
Sculpture Area: For those working sculpturally there will be a specific workshop area with basic wood-working and metal-working tools and machinery available for use.
Ceramics and Mould-Making Area: For work in clay and mould making for glass casting processes, a dedicated wet area with appropriate equipment will be provided, including pottery wheels.
Cold-working Area: This area is adjacent to ceramics and mould-making area will contain wet grinding and cold-working equipment for glass such as linishers, lathes, engravers and flat-bed grinders.
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Benefits
The establishment of the centre will:
Create diverse opportunities for young people and other members of the community to explore their creativity and develop excellence in artistic practice through a range of training programs and initiatives.
Provide between 10 and 15 local artists of various media with affordable studio spaces in which to make their art work, generating income and developing their professional practice in the context of a supportive community and shared resource environment.
Provide ongoing access to glass blowing and other specialised glass making facilities and equipment for glass artists, accommodating up to 2 glass blowers and their assistants, 2 glass flame-workers and up to 12 kiln-formed glass artists (in workshop/class situations) at any one time.
Provide access to general visual art making facilities and equipment for artists including up to 12 particpants in ceramics, sculpture, painting, drawing, and print-making (in workshop/class situations) at any one time.
Initiate and stimulate involvement of local artists in community arts projects designed to foster community particpation in the arts.
Create diverse opportunities for young people and other members of the community to explore their creativity and develop excellence in artistic practice through a range of short and longer term education programs and initiatives.
Provide access to specialised art facilities and hands-on experience (including Glass Blowing) for Tasmanian school students, in groups of up to 25 at a time.
Provide a range of ongoing training opportunities for the general community, including access to glass related courses and workshops, accommodating up to 12 particpants at a time in glass, ceramics, sculpture, painting, drawing, and print-making.
Increase the profile of Tasmanian glass artists and their work in Australia and overseas by creating a Tasmanian centre of excellence for glass.
Create opportunities for school students and young people to interact with practicing artists of various disciplines through excursions, work experience placements and a mentoring program.
Encourage entreprenuership and develop small business skills in artists so they can earn a living from their artistic practice.
Provide Tasmanians with access to mainland and international glass artists of renown through an Artist-in-Residence program and other education initiatives.
Provide a platform from which artists can reach out to their local region and develop programs that build the capacity of communities by providing support, facilities and practical assistance for community based arts projects.
Create opportunities for cultural exchange with Indigenous artists and their communities.
Further establish Poatina and its Community Arts Centre as an excellent model of community well-being and a premier tourist attraction in the Northern Midlands region of Tasmania and internationally.
Increase tourist flow on the alternative route between Launceston and Hobart and help build the region's economy by providing an exciting tourist attraction (ie: glass blowing) for the Northern Midlands and Central Highlands areas of Tasmania and raising the profile of Tasmanian artists and Fusion's International work with communities.
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Ways you can be involved
Now:
Writing a Letter of Support: At this stage of the project, the best way you can be involved is to write a letter of support to help us secure funding, outlining any of the following ways you foresee you might like to get involved either now or in the future. Email
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Contributing your skills, expertise or time: The project needs a great variety of helpers to make it a reality and whether you are an artist, builder, accountant, supplier of materials, or simply someone who likes to help in whatever way your generosity will be greatly appreciated.
Telling others about the project: We want as many people to benefit from this project as possible, so please help us by telling your friends and colleagues who could benefit or find a way of being involved.
In the Future:
Visiting the Centre: There will always be something happening at the new Poatina Community Arts Centre, including the exciting and fascinating process of glass blowing, so plan to drop in next time you are in Tasmania or the region and at the same time enjoy the scenic highlands route between Launceston and Hobart.
Hiring Equipment and Facilities: All the specialised equipment and facilities in the Arts Centre will be available on an hourly and daily basis for hire at reasonable rates, including the glass blowing studio, kilns, cold-working equipment, ceramics and print-making facilities.
Studio Rental: For artists permanently residing in the village or local area, studio spaces are available for ongoing rental at reasonable rates.
Artist Workshops and Education Programs: Either sign up to learn new skills in a range of media or contribute your skills as an educator in our Artist Workshops or Education program.
Artist in Residence Program: Our Artist in Residence program operates year-round and provides a unique opportunity to be part of the Arts Centre community for a specified period of your choice from just one week up to 2 years. Accommodation is available in Poatina Village and there is opportunity to be involved in all aspects of village life.
School Groups: Plan your school excursion to visit the centre and allow your students to experience the ancient and spectacular art of glass blowing first hand.
For More information:
Email
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