Griffith Artists Unite To Form The Griffith Art Collective

In a landmark gathering on Wednesday, June 26, local artists, art lovers and creatives came together to discuss forming a united front to showcase just what Griffith has to offer the wider community.

Councillors Shari Blumer and Jenny Ellis have championed the initiative, which aims to foster a vibrant arts community in Griffith through connection, communication and collaboration.

“Our plan is to eventually form a Griffith Arts Council which would draw from all the different areas of the town’s arts community - the Muso’s Club, Griffith City Band, GRAPA, performing arts, dance studios and literary groups,” Councillor Ellis said.

Councillor Ellis said the proposal involved forming the Griffith Art Collective and meeting four times a year and connect on what the large umbrella of arts is doing, not just visual arts.

“We had a lot of people turning up, and a lot more who weren’t able to make it,” Councillor Ellis said.

“There are a lot of people that have no idea of how large the art community is around here.

“Artists make life more interesting, more colourful.”

Stakeholder engagements associated with the completion of the Griffith Cultural Precinct Masterplan last year underscored the urgent need to celebrate local artists and educate the public on the numerous benefits of a thriving arts scene.

Benefits including cultural enrichment, economic development, community engagement, educational opportunitie4s, improved quality of life, innovation and creativity, and the promotion of diversity and inclusion.

“My experience on the Western Riverina Arts Board and attending local government conferences has shown me the successes other regional communities have achieved with a unified arts approach,” Councillor Ellis said.

“We believe Griffith can achieve the same by forming the Griffith Art Collective.”

The meeting and two previous Think Tanks, revealed three central themes essential for the development of the arts community Griffith.

Connection - facilitating, networking and relationship-building among artists to create a supportive and dynamic artistic environment;

Communication - establishing effective channels to communicate what local artists are working on, the events they are organising, and where their work is displayed to raise awareness and appreciation of the arts within the community; and

Collaboration - encouraging artists to collaborate on public projects, participate in local festivals, and partner with other creative forms to enrich Griffith’s cultural fabric.

The Griffith Art Collective will kick off its activities with a collaborative presence at the upcoming Banna Lane Festival on July 20.

Visit The Art Collective Facebook and Instagram pages for more information, updates and membership details.

Contact Councillor Ellis via jellis@griffith.com.au for further inquiries.

• Topics:

• Arts and Media
• Community Groups