Highlights of 2018 included the opening of The Exchange, our first international artist-in-residence Lupe Gallo, workshops with UN photographer Martine Perret and the inaugural Act Belong Commit Harvest Festival and Under the Stars evening.
2018 was an incredible year for the North Midlands Project.
We were honoured to promote the Act Belong Commit message through sponsorship from Healthway, and to expand parts of our Creative Community Program to Geraldton and Mullewa. A picture is worth a thousand words, and those included in this report most certainly do the program justice.
During our second Heritage Festival we officially opened The Exchange in Carnamah. Our thanks to CBH Group, Lotterywest, the Shire of Carnamah and so many community members who helped transform this former garage and showroom into a vibrant, inviting and useful place to bring people together for a range of formal and informal activities, programs, workshops and events. It is very much on track to become the heart of the community and is already being coined "the community’s lounge-room".
We welcomed our first international artist-in-residence Lupe Gallo and were delighted to work with and profile Mid West artists Marina Baker Gabrielle Butler. The exhibition 10863 Bushranger had been such a success in 2017 and it was a delight for the community to see it further develop with its lead artist Di Taylor contracted to return to the region to collaborate with local indigenous artist Delys Fraser.
Our inaugural Harvest Festival and Under the Starts events brought multiple communities together to celebrate the arts, local heritage and the forthcoming harvest. It was a favourite for many, from over 200 activities we ran through the year.
I'd like to thank our volunteers, employees, everyone on our dedicated Management Committee, our Regional Advisory Boards, our group of passionate Artistic, Cultural & Wellness Directors and all creatives. We can be justly proud of everything we have achieved together in 2018. Tom Vilsack’s quote continues to summarise our intent: People working together in a strong community with a shared goal and a common purpose can make the impossible possible.
– Andrew Bowman-Bright, Chair
In 2018 our Act Belong Commit Creative Community Program delivered 210 activities encouraging creativity, positive mental wellbeing and vibrant, liveable towns. 4,405 participants and 27,749 spectators engaged with our activities including workshops, exhibitions and events in Carnamah, Coorow, Geraldton, Greenough, Mingenew, Morawa, Mullewa, Perenjori and Three Springs. Thank you to all of the partners and supporters who worked with us during the year.
