They may not have been characterised as 'artist run initiatives' but exhibition spaces run by artists have been around, in one form, or another for a long time.
The Thousand Handed Hydra has been an experiment of difference and opposition in practice. Hydra began in May 1993 as a one year pilot program of education, transition and introductin for migrant artists to the professional networks of Australian (Melbourne) art, culture and practice. Includes the work of artists Fernando Ronquillo, Anita Lorina and Rafael Rojas.
Ipswich City Council in Queensland is recruiting artists and designers from their large regional base and assisting them to create their own incomes through the work they are already trained to do.
Brisbane has been and continues to be well served by artist run spaces and access galleries, particularly in the last 2 years 1993-1994. Can there ever be an over supply? Looks at Dogget Street Studios, QAA, Metro Arts, Inkahoots, Loading Bay, Isn't Studios and Fireworks Gallery.
Bark painters of Arnhem Land are experimenting with a new medium - canvas- and in so doing both increasing their output and responding to market forces.
Review A sad thing has happened to the once vibrant visual arts component of the Festival of Perth - the oldest arts festival in Australia. It has become tired if not downright tiresome. The whole event needs a good shake - up.
How do artists survive when they are not able to sell work in galleries -- sales are at a record low and many galleries have folded-- or get commissions through State agencies -- because these are few and far between?
Every State has one - a local council that is outstanding in its commitment to the arts and in Western Australia, the credit for innovation and energy goes to the City of Gosnells, who have arguably led the pack for the last 5 years in interesting community arts projects...
Exhibition review Jemmy
Mehmet Adil, Craige Andrae, Johnnie Dadie, Simryn Gill, Richard Grayson, Linda Marie Walker, Paul Hewson, Shaun Kirby, David O'Halloran, Bronia Iwanczak, Andrew Petrusevics, Bronwyn Platten, George Popperwell, Jyanni Steffensen, Steve Wigg
Curated by Alan Cruikshank
Ebenezer Studios Basement
February 18 - March 13 1994
Written with Lee Salomone exploring the utilisation of prominent billboards on the tram track in Adelaide for the term of one year at no cost for them to be used as public art spaces.
Artists were left out in the cold at the 1994 Festival of Arts. Examines issues facing organisers of events such as Artist's week in the context of the Adelaide Festival of Arts.