Emu Park Community Arts Centre celebrates project milestone at official opening
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Emu Park’s newest community building, the Community Arts Centre, celebrated its official opening today, marking an exciting milestone for the coastal township.
The new arts facility features an exhibition gallery, workshops space, and commercial space, providing a vibrant new premises for local and regional art communities and a functional gallery space in which to host travelling exhibitions.
Council was successful in obtaining $1.1 million in Works for Queensland (W4Q) funding to undertake the major project, with $200,000 funding also allocated to the space by Council.
Livingstone Shire Council Mayor, Andy Ireland, said today’s opening was a significant occasion for not only local artists, but the wider Livingstone community.
“This project is a wonderful achievement for everyone involved, and will certainly become another drawcard for Emu Park and the Capricorn Coast,” Mayor Ireland said.
“Arts and culture is a huge part of our region’s identity, and this new centre will continue to play a key role as a community hub that assists in facilitating the growth of many local artists, while also showcasing exhibitions for the public to enjoy.
“Council would like to thank the Queensland Government for its valuable funding support towards the project through the Works for Queensland programme.”
Member for Keppel and Assistant Education Minister Brittany Lauga said the new centre will boast multiple opportunities for learning, entertainment, leisure, personal growth, and communicating with others.
“The Palaszczuk Government understands the significance of arts and culture to our communities and is extremely proud to contribute to this important project,” Ms Lauga said.
“Art and culture is a wonderful way of preserving and strengthening a strong community’s sense of place, forging an identity, and showing creativity.
“That’s why we invested $1.1 million from our successful W4Q program, which supports job creating projects in regional Queensland.”
Councillor Rhodes Watson, Portfolio Holder of Vibrant Communities (Tourism, Arts Culture), said the arts centre will be a welcome addition to our coastal community.
“The new gallery space marks a new beginning for the local artists, who now have a dedicated space to display their own works while also helping to promote community wellbeing, increasing tourism, and stimulate the local economy,” Cr Watson said.
President of the Emu Park Art Gallery, Sue Head said Emu Park Art Gallery Inc. members had been without a space for two years were very excited to move in to the new purpose-built facility.
“The gallery allows us to exhibit our work, have our gallery shop open again, run workshops for the community and extend the opportunity to other artists or groups who wish to have an exhibition in our gallery space,” Mrs Head said.
“Already, with the new location of this art space, members of the local community are embracing its potential and what is on offer to them. Their enthusiasm confirms that an art gallery is important to them and we are very happy to be able to share this space with them.”