SPARK! is Deans Marsh’s response to an opportunity that came our way in October last year, a new State government Creative Victoria initiative, The Regional Coworking Spaces and Creative Places program, to “support new regional creative hubs and breathe new life into creative sites for the benefit of creative practitioners and visitors”.
Our local artists saw the opportunity of forming an alliance with our local sports clubs to see how existing buildings and facilities around our Reserve could be made better use of as workshops, studios and exhibition spaces, as great new assets for our community and artists to enjoy.
Surf Coast Shire, our local Primary School, the Deans Marsh Cricket Club and our Community Hall and Recreation Committee all supported the SPARK! project and in February Creative Victoriachose SPARK! as one of 13 projects across Victoria to benefit from this new initiative, and the spark! was ignited!
So, what will SPARK! be doing?
The Creative Victoria funding we have received is primarily for the renovation and re-purposing of buildings and facilities ($10,000), the purchase of new equipment ($34,000), and engaging a part-time Coordinator for a year to help SPARK! Committee manage these developments.
Deans Marsh Community Hall and Reserve Committee has contributed a further $10,000 to fixing the acoustic problems in the Hall and supporting new textile art works to revitalize the acoustic and aesthetic experience for all Hall users ~ for music, plays, films, displays, readings, guest speakers and suchlike. Most of all, of course, for the delight of our community.
Deans Marsh Cricket Club has also committed $10,000 to resolve a whole range of equipment storage needs on the Reserve and to support re-purposing the Spinning Wheel storage shed into a quality ceramics workshop.
When the work is done, we will have four revitalized places: the Footy Shed Art Gallery, a vibrant new Hall Textile Arts workshop and performance space, the Spinning Wheel Shed Ceramics Workshop, and an Artist’s Studio and workshop space for much of the year in the Tennis Rooms. The Footy Shed, the Hall, the Tennis Rooms and the new storage facilities will be shared between arts activities and sports activities according to season and need. Hence the (K)coalition between Sports and Arts – SPARK!
The professional standard new equipment for the use of artists and community alike includes an electric pottery wheel and large electric kiln, an etching press for print making, a range of quality sewing machines and equipment for the textile arts workshop, and professional equipment and materials to support quality exhibitions in the Footy Shed.
SPARK! will make all this happen over the coming months and as these new spaces are transformed and the equipment arrives, there will be much art-making to be done! There will be workshops, master-classes, local and visiting artists to meet, performances to stage and enjoy, a Hall interior to be transformed with amazing textile creations, music to be made, exhibitions for and by folk of all ages and talents, from beginners to makers of the highest calibre.
SPARK!’s first adventure was a joint exhibition of the work of local artists in conjunction with Deans Marsh Festival – which became yet another victim of Covid. But we brought the Exhibition back to life in virtual form – see it here Festival / SPARK! Art Show
And SPARK!’s website has just been launched. For more information on SPARK! and the opportunity to join in, visit us here deansmarshspark.org.au
Deans Marsh SPARK! is for everyone!
Tony Watts
Deans Marsh
