Belco Arts Annual Report 2023

Belco Arts acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land where we meet and work, the Ngunnawal people, and the many other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from across Australia who have now made Canberra their home. We celebrate and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of the ACT and region.

Board

PhilNizette Chair

JaneFearn Deputy Chair

MimiMusolino Treasurer

BrookeAnderson From April 2023

DamienHaas

JeremyHall

TracyIreland Until April 2023

HollyJohnson

AndrewSimon Until April 2023

JenWebb From April 2023

Staff

MonikaMcInerney Artistic Director and Co-CEO

JackLloyd Executive Director and Co-CEO

PatMiller Finance Officer

MicheleGrimston Gungahlin Programs Officer

LindaBuck Technical Manager

ShanCrosbie Marketing Manager

AnniDoyle Wawrzynczak

Production and Venue Hire Manager

StephenRose Technical and Operations Coordinator

KeziahCraven Visitor Services Coordinator

Image:JessikaSpencer leadingaweavingworkshop atNAIDOCintheNorth2023.

Photo:StephanieHorne, BenCalvertPhotography

We

collaborate, engage the community and develop arts practice.

Our artistic program is presented on-site and throughout the Canberra region. It is conceived, designed, developed and delivered through Community Arts and Cultural Development (CACD) practice

Our business and operations use three main strengths – our people, our facility and our brand – that we strategically develop and reinforce, and bring to bear to achieve our vision.

OurPurpose

OurGoals

To fuel a love of, and engagement in, the arts.

To be a catalyst for positive change through Community Arts and Cultural Development practice

To deliver outstanding arts outcomes

To be a meaningful part of people’s lives

To be a happy, healthy, high performing team

To offer cherished destinations that hum with activity

To be recognised, understood and valued by our communities

Image:DanielChampagneperformsin TheTheatreatBelconnenArtsCentre,as partoftheSmith’s@Belcolivemusicseries. Photo:AndrewSikorski.

Image:Visitoratthe100Canberraexhibition. Photo:AndrewSikorski.

FromtheChair

2023 was a testament to the creativity and spirit that define Belco Arts. With a new five-year funding arrangement in place, we sought to reach out and strengthen our connections and collaborations with partners across the ACT arts sector.

This year, we remained steadfast in our commitment to serving our diverse community. We strive, always, to be a warm and welcoming place, providing transformative opportunities to artists and outstanding experiences to visitors.

In the past year, we have welcomed three new resident companies in our workshops, rehearsal room and offices – CIT Solutions, blonde design and Marie-Cecile’s Music These superb organisations activate Belco Arts with participatory arts programs across the spectrum of practice and provide the community with wonderful arts opportunities in the heart of Belconnen.

This year, we have connected more closely with our colleagues in arts organisations across the ACT, with deeper dialogues around how we can collaborate to support one another and service our communities

I am very proud that our commitment to environmental responsibility has extended further this year, with Belco Arts becoming the first ACT arts organisation to be certified as Carbon Neutral by Climate Active

This Annual Report reflects a year of rapid change, resilience, and accomplishment. I would like to thank the ACT Government for its support of Belco Arts in 2023. I would like to thank the Board of Belco Arts for their service in 2023, as we farewelled Andrew Simon and welcomed Brooke Anderson to the team.

On behalf of the Belco Arts Board, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our staff, volunteers, partners and donors for their unwavering support and dedication Together, we will continue to inspire and enrich our community through the power of the arts.

PhilNizette

Chair, Belconnen Arts Centre Inc

Image:groundwhispersoftly byValerieSchoenjahn

Photo:AndrewSikorski.

FromtheTreasurer

This year, Belco Arts rapidly transitioned in business model and staffing profile, and moved decisively to attract and secure partnerships to deliver on its purpose and to meet goals for ambitious financial growth

Strenuous cost controls were maintained, and new revenue models were implemented with a shift towards activation of spaces by hirers. The Theatre is a premium hiring venue and we continue to actively attract new clientele while also seeking to retain existing hirers year-on-year.

Hirer business in the Dance Studio, Meeting Room and Workshops continues to grow following Covid-19 and with new initiatives, with an 85% increase in hiring revenue from these spaces year-on-year, and further improvement expected in 2024. Gallery and shop revenues were excellent, with $138,090 in sales providing artists with positive economic outcomes through their exhibitions in our centre

We continue to make targeted investment into capital assets to continue delivering an exceptional quality of arts experience, developing new revenue opportunities, and minimising recurrent costs of equipment hire We look forward to the completion of artsACT’s Strategic Asset Management Plan in coming months in identifying further priorities for investment.

Our end of year surplus was $41,933, or around 3% of turnover Working capital at the end of 2023 was $237,568, which equates to 13% of projected 2024 expenses and represents an appropriate reserve for a complex multi-arts organisation. Adjusting for grants held in advance, Belco Arts’ Current Asset to Current Liability ratio is 2.69:1, well ahead of artsACT’s prudential guidelines

In late 2023, we engaged RSM Australia to review operational and revenue generation measures taken during the year, with excellent feedback across the board. RSM Australia have modelled several stimulus measures that will greatly improve Belco Arts’ capacity to serve the arts community and wider audiences, and we will advocate for these initiatives to be introduced by the ACT Government.

Treasurer, Belconnen Arts Centre Inc

MimiMusolino

FromtheCo-CEOs

The Belco Arts team embraced 2023 with determination and enthusiasm in our reimagining for all that is possible. It became a year reinforced through strong partnerships as we continued to present and deliver across the breadth of creative experiences to fuel a love and engagement in the arts

We are delighted to have forged new alliances which enabled hands-on learning opportunities for the community to feed their creative ambitions, through the diverse range of offerings through CIT Solutions and blonde design Looking ahead, a new partnership with Marie-Cecile’s Music will continue to grow the experiences offered at Belco Arts.

Our celebrated Gungahlin Arts program continues to embed itself into the heart of the region bringing the community together with artists through exhibitions, workshops, live music, and celebratory gatherings.

2023 was an outstanding year for exhibitions featuring a beautiful balance of loved locals, interstate, and international emerging and established artists It was with tremendous pride that we applauded the work of 530 artists throughout the year.

Congratulations to Linda Denning, Kim Mahood, Sally Simpson and Wendy Teakel and their exhibition Staying with the Trouble that was awarded a Canberra Critic’s Circle Visual Arts Award.

ImageLeft:VibrantLandscapes(detail)byKayannieDenigan

ImageAbove:VisitorviewingNightandDay(detail)byJohnDahlsen, intheWeneedtotalkexhibitionbythe UniversityofCanberra’sFacultyofArtandDesign. Photo:AndrewSikorski.

We are so excited to have joined with Smith’s Alternative to curate and launch Smith’s@Belco. With thanks to Live Music Australia, we kicked off this series with the fabulous Daniel Champagne supported by Alec Randles and looking forward to presenting a banquet of touring sensations supported by loved locals throughout 2024.

With thanks to our Donors, the community were able to experience Infuse, an imaginative free drawing program led by professional artists where participants explored a diversity of techniques and mediums enjoyed through the art of drawing. We extended our reach and capacity with the committed and generous support from our Strategic Partners: Maddocks, ASI, Yellow Edge and ABC Radio Canberra.

Heartfelt thanks to all the artists, groups, individuals, and collaborators who continue to trust in and share their journeys with us.

It is our enormous privilege to work with some of the industry’s finest in our Belco Arts team and Board. We are always inspired by how fearless and courageous they are in embracing all that is presented. We are enormously thankful to each of you.

We are looking forward to the year ahead with a sense of excitement and clarity in our purpose and bring the best of what the arts can provide to the community.

Artistic Director & Co-CEO

Executive Director and Co-CEO

MonikaMcInerney

ImageAbove:VisitorsviewingBodyofWorkbyAnnikaRomeyn. Photo:AndrewSikorski. ImageRight:InfuseworkshopwithJohnHart.

DeliveringOutstandingArtsOutcomes ThroughOurWorkwithArtists,CommunitiesandPartners

GungahlinArts–ThreatenedSpeciesPhotographicExhibition

Community exhibitions continue to be an important part of our program offering – enabling artists of all levels to develop connections with our programming and actively contribute as creative participants. In 2023, Gungahlin Arts presented the National Threatened Species Day Open Photographic Exhibition in partnership with the new Wildbark learning centre at Mulligans Flat We received 97 entries from photographers across Australia featuring some of Australia’s most vulnerable flora and fauna.

STAYINGWITHTHETROUBLE–

LindaDenning,KimMahood, SallySimpsonandWendy Teakel

Staying with the Trouble was a deep investigation for this collective of artists’ practice over some time. It took each out of their comfort zones, challenging their methods, concepts and use of materials, resulting in powerful dialogues between the works and stunning presentation. Warmest congratulations to this very deserving exhibition in receiving the 2023 Canberra Critic’s Circle Visual Arts Award

WISEPARLIAMENT–SallyBlake

Sally beautifully captured the world’s owl species through her exquisite drawings. It is without doubt that owls capture the human imagination. Their silent flight, nocturnal habits and night vision play in our psyches, creating myths and symbols of wisdom, death and renewal, intuitive vision, and transformation amongst others. The community embraced Wise Parliament with immense enthusiasm and sense of real connection to the work.

SHIVER–MichelleDay

Michelle’s installation Shiver drew visitors into a place of its own, mesmerizing audiences through her beautifully created cloud-like iceberg forms. Walking through the installation sparked imaginations and ignited expressions of delight. It became a delightful place of calm and contemplation.

ImageLeft:PalmCockatoo(detail)byRyanColley

ImageTop:MurdochCliffs,TanamiSaltLakeCountry(detail)byKimMahood

ImageMiddle:WiseParliamentatBelconnenArtsCentre.

ImageBottom:SHIVERatBelconnenArtsCentre. Photos:AndrewSikorski.

Image:ArtistGregJosephatNAIDOCintheNorth2023.

Photo:StephanieHorne,BenCalvertPhotography.

ACatalystforPositiveChange

Exemplaryprojectdesignandprocessesthrough CACDPractice

GungahlinArts–MigrantWomen'sArtGroup

The Migrant Women’s Art Group continues to be a cornerstone of the Gungahlin Arts program. In 2023, 54 women participated in the program throughout the year, with an average of 11 participants per session After a very busy year of group projects in 2022, this year participants decided to keep the focus on the weekly Tuesday meetings, and the opportunity to share creative skills in a low pressure environment. Members taught each other traditional techniques from their home countries as well as exploring contemporary art techniques such as jelly printing and watercolour

This refocussing also allowed for a deeper focus on the group’s important role in building and maintaining social connections and confidence. The development of these bonds is evident in the way that past and present members regularly stay connected through the group’s Whatsapp chat – offering support and advice on all topics from art and beyond.

Image:MigrantWomen’sArtGroupmembersat2023endofyearcelebration. Photo:GungahlinArts.

GungahlinArts–WithOneVoiceCanberraChoir

In 2023, the With One Voice Canberra Choir, which has been supported by Gungahlin Arts since its inception in 2020, took a number of huge steps in its development. The choir moved to a new home at Palmerston District Primary School in October With the enthusiastic support of the school principal and community the choir has continued to grow as it embraced this new connection. Then in December, the choir took another big step, with Gungahlin Arts taking a step back from management of the project. The committee members elected a volunteer coordinator, as well as four new organising committee members. With over 30 members at the end of 2023, the choir is in a great position to transition to being community run in 2024.

Infuse–Freedrawingworkshops

In response to artist and participant feedback, the structure of these free workshops was refined to provide a deeper experience for participants and a better supported opportunity for artists. In 2023, Infuse engaged eight artists to deliver 24 free workshops focussing on different drawing processes and techniques. Three hundred and twelve participants engaged in these workshops – breaking down creative barriers and exploring new media and ideas As well as being supported by our generous donors, this year’s program was also delivered in partnership with Woden Community Service to deliver workshops off-site in the Whitlam Community Hub, opening up the program to new audiences and providing creative opportunities to more members of our community.

Exhibitions

It is always a great honour to work with First Nations artists who have made Canberra their home. With support from the Regional Arts Fund, we were able to commission Kayannie Denigan, Rebekah Lane and Josh Evans to develop new bodies of works over the previous year which culminated in three stunning exhibitions, all of which provided them with their first solo show experience.

ReflectionsofCountry –KayannieDenigan

Was inspired by Kayannie’s dual connections to Central Australia and Cape York, family and distance. She realised a vibrant new body of work through new mediums and perspectives, taking her practice to another level. Just beautiful!

ngadhimurangidyal:MyHealing –JoshEvans

Brought together Josh’s stories of connection to country, culture and his ancestors through a series of beautifully crafted and carved weapons and tools Using traditional practices that he had learnt from Elders and other significant individuals.

Inherited–RebekahLane

Took Rebekah through a profoundly personal journey of identity. It was intimate yet powerful and clearly resonated with many, reflected in her selling out her first solo show

ImageLeft:WithOneVoiceCanberraChoir. Photo:AndrewSikorski.

ImageTop:BimayKa(detail)byKayannieDenigan.

Image Middle: ngadhi murangidyal: My Healing (detail) by Josh Evans

Photo:AndrewSikorski.

ImageBottom:Aftertherain1(detail)byRebekahLane.

Image:AlecRandlesperforminginTheTheatre aspartoftheSmith’s@Belcolivemusicseries.

Photo:AndrewSikorski.

Smith’s@Belco

Thanks to Live Music Australia, we were able to join forces with Smith’s Alternative and begin realising our vision to become a new destination for live music, attracting touring artists and generating opportunities for local artists to elevate their presence and practice in the region. The powerhouse of Smith’s Nigel and Beth have skilfully curated an eclectic program of live music experiences to tantalise the musical appetite of audiences with each month taking them into another genre. We are looking forward to where this latest alliance takes audiences into the future and bringing more live music into the region.

20

Image:DanielChampagne performsaspartofthe Smith’s@Belcoseries.

Photo:AndrewSikorski.

Image:

Photo:AndrewSikorski.

MeaningfulPartofPeople‘sLives

NAIDOCintheNorth

After a five year hiatus due to building renovations and the COVID-19 pandemic, NAIDOC in the North returned to Belco Arts on the shores of Lake Ginninderra on Saturday 8 July 2023 This year's event was extremely well received, with many people – including collaborators and audience members – commenting that they felt as though the event was coming home.

Despite the rainy conditions, 835 people braved the weather to be part of the celebrations, which featured a welcome to country and smoking ceremony, live music, free bush food and catering, workshops, exhibitions, children's activities, artist stalls and community stallholders

A total of 41 artists, businesses and organisations were involved in the presentation of this year’s event, including the project working group made up of representation from Belco Arts, Yerrabi Yurwang Child and Family Aboriginal Corporation, ACT Child and Family Centres, Child Development Services and Northside Community Service.

“It was a wonderful and extremely orchestrated event. I was so overwhelmed, humbled by the special treatment all your staff provided to me on the day Please give my sincere thanks to them all, particularly the young girl that was waiting for me to arrive in the rain. (Bless her).” – Auntie Vickie Bradley, Ngunnawal Elder

Image:NAIDOCintheNorth2023.

Photo:StephanieHorne, BenCalvertPhotography

DancingLandscape(detail)byLoisMoir. earthUNFRAMEDexhibition.

ImageBottom:

Exhibitions

We are always delighted with the response from across Australia we have had to our open call out exhibitions They always promise a wealth of diversity in approach and perspectives, making for eclectic and vibrant exhibitions. Purposefully devised to be inclusive, provide focus and a voice to people and topical issues.

In 2023, we proudly presented three impressive open exhibitions, each with an offering of a People’s Choice Award. We have found this to be an effective vehicle for connecting participating artists with the broader community.

earthUNFRAMED

Artists were invited to explore their concept of the ‘earth’ on A3 paper unframed with a record number of entries in response. This clearly demonstrated the topical theme sung to the hearts of many across Australia

HOLD

Ceramic artists from across Australia came together through their investigation of beauty and sense of intimacy experienced when using hand crafted functional ware. Always popular, assorted in their interpretation and loved by audiences

KALEIDOSCOPE

Following the success of our inaugural exhibition, we wanted to continue celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community and all the richness found in the multi-layering and diversity in ideas of what it means to be part of the LGBTQIA+ collective. Once again enormously popular, heartwarming and profound in its messaging, diverse in perspectives and bursting with a contagious positive sense of energy.

Image:UriarraBowlbyClydeArnott, HOLDIIexhibition.

Photo:AndrewSikorski.

Thanks to our

118 Emu Bank, Belconnen ACT 2617 belcoarts com au (02) 6173 3300

Opening hours 10am-4pm Tues-Sun

Closed public holidays © Belconnen Arts Centre Incorporated 2023-24 All rights reserved

Front cover images: ‘SHIVER’ exhibition by Michelle Day Photo: Andrew Sikorski

The Theatre entrance, Belconnen Arts Centre Photo: Andrew Sikorski