ANDREW BAINES

Surrealist painter

Henley Beach based artist Andrew Baines has gained national and international recognition for his surreal photo shoots and inspired paintings. I met Andrew in what he calls his office, Joes at Henley Beach, to enjoy an inspiring conversation with a talented and established artist.

How would you describe your art practice?

It goes around in circles I come up with a concept My trademark is to have people in the ocean with bowler hats and umbrellas, reading papers or doing something corporate, and I invite the community along to a big photo shoot I then create the paintings from the photo. It keeps evolving, from business men, cows, dash hounds and sheep. I also involve high profile people, such as Alexander Downer, Malcolm Turnbull and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. I work with several charities and my work is often driven by social themes. The beauty of it is that I bring so many people from different areas to one place and it helps attract people to the local cafes.

What has been key to your success?

Doing what I want to do I have my own niche ideas and don’t chase dollars, and people come on board because they can relate to it. That is the secret to art, to have a niche. Mine is cows and business men. The International dairy convention approached me to have a cow exhibition, but I said that we could make it more interesting by putting cows in the ocean and give them a bit of rest and relaxation and a break from their milking. The cows loved being in the ocean. They were in there for an hour and didn’t want to come out.

How do you see your art practice evolving in the future?

Keep going and hoping for better ideas. It is about making people step away from reality - forget about the football for one weekend or the shopping and forget about all your problems and get lost in my world.

What actions would you like to see included in an ambitious arts and culture plan for the city?

A surreal exhibition on the beach. We could have easels lined up of individual artists and they create a work that responds to the theme of coffee and make it a competition. The winner could win a year of coffee from a local café like Joes at Henley Beach. Imagine a Sunday morning and 100 easels lined up with paintings of coffee and everyone dressed up like they are going to an exhibition opening. It is such our culture. It could be an annual competition and Council could hang the winning artwork in their reception area. It is so quirky and so simple.

To celebrate significant days, such as Harmony Day, we could also highlight food precincts through organising a cultural food march along Grange road or other precincts where there are numerous multi-cultural eateries The event could include chefs followed by school students dressed as mini chefs, along with music performances from different cultures.

One idea I had is to put a concrete cow under the Jetty so when the tide goes out people can see it, or when it is submerged dive into the water to view it. It is about life changing. In theory these ideas sound good but there are often several different boards and people to gain approval from that it becomes impossible to do. What is needed is someone in Council that can advocate on behalf of artists and connect with State or other boards to gain approval.

What do you see is the role of the arts in our community?

Artists working with charities can raise awareness of the charities in creative ways. Creativity is also like mediation I speak to loads of people who have lost their jobs and they start painting on a canvas and five hours later come back to the world and they feel great. Art is great for the soul. http://andrewbaines333.bravesites.com/

Key Messages

Artist led projects can assist us to raise awareness of community issues as well as celebrate significant days in creative ways.

Improved connections across our creative sector, artists and Council can assist our community to grow creatively and help to shape our spaces and places.

Questions

How can we partner with our local galleries and creative businesses to support emerging creatives to build their creative talents, skills and sustain their art practice?

What unique, high profile art initiative can we deliver with our creative community to attract visitors, raise our profile as a liveable city and increase civic pride for people living in Charles Sturt?

Martha Lott

Holden Street Theatres, part of both the Adelaide Fringe and the Edinburgh Fringe festival landscapes since 2003

Martha Lott is the founder of Holden Street Theatres housed in the heritage Church complex in Hindmarsh. Since the first production in 2003, Martha has toured over 75 shows from Edinburgh Fringe to the performing arts theatre complex. I met Martha in the recently refurbished creation hub at 32 Holden Street. An hour with Martha was clearly not enough to capture the countless stories and insights from over 30 years' experience as an Actor, Director and theatre founder in SA, NSW and the UK.

How and why was Holden Street Theatres (HST) created?

After studying acting in London I moved to Sydney before returning to Adelaide in 2001. I watched the industry for a year to see how, as an artist, I could fit back in. During Fringe 2002 I created the first temporary multi–time slotted theatre venue. It was very successful, so I thought I would build a theatre and in November 2002 we signed a lease at Hindmarsh

What has helped HST succeed?

Holden Street Theatres is a family, consisting of hundreds of artists both local and international, an active volunteer group of 60 people and over one hundred of Friends of Holden Street Theatres. We support emerging artists to do experimental work during the fringe, providing four weeks free rental and a Holden Street Theatres Edinburgh Fringe Award that tours an outstanding piece of theatre over to Adelaide - the only award to tour work to Adelaide from any Fringe in the world.

The original vision for the theatres was to create work for local artists but it has become much more than that. Our community get to be part of the process, they meet the artists, can work with them and help on productions. Every time we have had an issue, like COVID-19, we find people flock to the Arts because it makes them feel better It speaks heavily to mental health and wellbeing and makes people hopeful and positive about the future. http://www.holdenstreettheatres.com/

What makes HST unique?

We have toured over 75 shows from Edinburgh Fringe, shows from America, South Africa, New Zealand, UK, Ireland, Norway and Scandinavia. Our local artists have been exposed to those techniques and artists, developed friendships and created work together. We also exchange workers between Adelaide to Edinburgh Fringe and have won over 80 Fringe Awards.

What is the hope for HST’s future?

Our hope is to create more work in-house and offer the venue for emerging artists, unfunded or mid-career artists so they could get a step up and we would still be the venue for hire and continue to do the fringe program. We are also hoping, during Fringe, to live stream international performances in a deluxe lounge area so people can have a glass of wine, dinner and watch a beautiful piece of theatre from Chicago Shakespeare company, followed by a live piece of theatre from a local artist.

What actions would you like to see included in an ambitious arts and culture plan for our city?

If we want to become the Council to move into for Artists, arts workers, creativity and community connections then we need to advertise the attractions of the area. The Arts then become part of the everyday vocabulary.

There is a lot of trepidation for artists and people in the industry at the moment to take risks and be entrepreneurial because there is no surety over what is going to happen. The arts and culture sector as an industry is important in the landscape across the whole city and we need to understand why it is important and Council to take a lead role, be behind us and use the arts to encourage people to keep or setup businesses here to create a vibrant city. It is a big city. If everyone has a little bit of the arts resources then everyone will struggle, perhaps focus on key areas. For instance, in Hindmarsh, celebrate and concentrate efforts to build the reputation, impact and attract more arts into that area.

REBECCA MAYO & NESCHA SARRA

Rumpus Theatre, community of professional independent theatre makers facilitating thrilling and innovative new theatre in Adelaide

Rumpus takes me back to an aesthetic of old Australian suburbia, picture RSL hall meets your grandmother’s living room. Sitting amongst the welcoming and inviting eclectic mix of vintage furniture I met with two of the theatre creators of this artist led space, Rebecca and Nescha to hear how their first two years of operation has gone and their hopes for the future.

How, why and when was Rumpus created?

In 2018 a group of artists and theatre practitioners got together to work out what was missing in our industry, specifically as independent artists, and what we could do as a community to fill those gaps. Something that came out of those meetings was the desire for a home ground, a shared space that could house independent theatre. The opportunity of this space came up and it was a great deal, so we took the plunge and launched a season of 4 shows of independent artists in mid-2019

How does rumpus connect creatively with the local community?

We have a membership of roughly 50 artists who help contribute to make us run and pay the bills. From those artists we branch out to the broader community. For instance accountants that can help us out and have a desire to see the space succeed and see a need for it in the arts ecology. Everything we have is thanks to our community that have helped make this happen. We have provided a space for people new to the industry looking to find their feet in the professional world, anchor in a community or start a company

Rumpus is an accessible space for them during those initial years that are particularly hard, a space where they can make connections with other artists and learn skills. Bringing a community of people together that otherwise would have been isolated.

What is the hope for Rumpus’ future?

Artists typically end up working for free, so we are trying to avoid that. As an organisation we are working toward getting multi-year funding or other modes of becoming more sustainable. Whilst maintaining it as an Artist run space, where artists are the decision makers and pay people for specific organisational roles to free up the Artists to work on their practice and build the industry.

What actions would you like to see included in an ambitious arts and culture plan for our city? Visibility of the opportunities available and appropriate names of Council grants so Artist are aware the grants is for them. At a State level it is easy. They have an arts department and that is where you go for funding information.

Promote external opportunities on Council website and Council grants on art social media channels, like Helpmann academy or Carclew. Artists often don’t think about Council funding and that Councils are willing to help.

Understanding what arts means to community life and culture building that a show can have. We talk a lot about community, but when we look at funding guidelines, we often don’t fit community criteria because we charge audiences to come to our shows.

In funding environments where it is not art specific an understanding of how much it costs to put on theatre sometimes isn’t there. A one person show still has at least five people working on it and the need to pay people properly, resulting in a better understanding of what artists are asking for when they apply for funding.

Access to unused spaces is another Our calendar is filled with artists wanting affordable rehearsal space and we are having to turn people away. The demand is there.

https://www.rumpustheatre.org/

Melissa Tonkin

The Governor Hindmarsh (The Gov), award-winning live music hotel hosting artists of every genre

Melissa Tonkin’s family have supported the live music scene for decades and Melissa continues this legacy. The Gov has resisted installing tv screens and pokies, instead we are greeted with a timber bar, cosy lounges and a fireplace, maintaining the charm of this iconic live music venue.

Why was your family attracted to owning and running The Gov?

After moving from Victoria in 1980 and running various hotels, my parents really wanted to give something back to the music scene. It was 1993 and a lot of music rooms were being transformed into night clubs. My parent’s plan for The Gov was to have a pub with a big music room to give something back to all the musicians that had supported us over the last 12 years. In 1997, my sister Jo and I started to take over the running of the hotel and the potential was there to bring more variety of music. We also extended our venue, built a new stage and put a state-of-the-art system in. Paul Kelly and other east coast artists started to realise what a great room it was and how dedicated our family was to live music.

How does the Gov connect creatively with the local community?

We really wanted to have a melting pot where musos from different styles of music could come together in a hub and share ideas and jam with each other. Whether it is blues, jazz, Irish players, ukulele players, Blue grass Cajun jammers, they come weekly or monthly and have their regular events here. We encourage anyone who wants to play to pick up an instrument and join in

What has helped The Gov succeed and unique?

Success is in its longevity and passionate people, this has been our life’s work because we love live music. A lot of our smaller events lose money but that is what makes The Gov what it is. The big touring acts that come through are what helps us to get the funds to support a lot of the smaller community events we want to do. People have known us for a long time. We care about all the musos that step through the door.

We have 3 performance stages going on at once so at any given night you can come through and there will be an acoustic duo in the front bar, Irish players jamming on the upstairs balcony, an open mic night and then in the venue you might have rock and roll with 3 bands. We have people from all walks of life, we don’t seem to attract just one type of person, always different age groups and interests. You never know who you are going to bump into at The Gov.

What is the hope for The Gov’s future?

We also have a lot of schools do their annual show at the pub, and that is something I want to more of here. I think having young people play on the stage at the Gov, they know that musos they admire perform here and tour here and for them to be able to do a show on the same stage is inspiring. Next generation of our family is coming through, who are taking on different roles in the Hotel, and we are wanting to do more to bring young people through to experience music. Work with schools and run workshops to make it available to more people who haven’t had a chance to access it.

What actions would you like to see included in an ambitious arts and culture plan for our city?

Working with local musicians to bring music to areas of the community that otherwise wouldn’t have access. It gives employment to the musicians and benefits people in that situation. We are not educating young people enough on how to appreciate music and need to develop that passion at a really young age and they will be the ones supporting live music in the future.

A map of local attractions that lets you do your own journey, how to plan your perfect day in Hindmarsh, ride your bike along the river and see an exhibition, coffee at plant 4 and then a pint of Guinness at The Gov. https://thegov.com.au/

Key Messages

Arts and Cultural organisations that connect artists and develop creative potential are the incubators of our vibrant, creative and liveable City.

Performers need affordable spaces for rehearsal.

Questions

How might we engage the next generation to get involved in the Arts?

How might Council use its marketing resources to enhance the visibility of our cultural and creative life, encourage people to connect to the arts and build our brand as a creative and liveable city?

How can we creatively encourage visitors to explore and experience local arts and cultural attractions across our City?

How can we improve the promotion of our funding opportunities and funded projects to raise awareness of how we are supporting the arts and attract applications from artists and local venues?

Daniel Phillips

Sunlive Studios Adelaide, largest privately-owned film studio complex in the country

We are fortunate to have Australia’s largest privatelyowned film studio complex in our neighbourhood. There is a hive of activity as I stepped into the studios, as sets are being taken down and stories being shared of the latest film production to be supported by this creative and innovative place.

Tell us about Sunjive studios?

From approximately 1981 until 2013 the studios were run by the South Australian Film Corporation. An advertising agency I own called Anomaly then took over the running of the facility until that business was subsequently split up. Then, at the end of 2020, the building was sold to Victorian investors. Mid this year I was brought in as a consultant to the new owners, as with the growing issues with travel due to COVID-19 they needed someone on the ground in South Australia that understands how the studio works and understands film production.

The studios support a range of productions from small scale one-day commercial production and corporate videos to large scale TV series such as Wolf Creek and Anzac Girls, as well as films such as I Am Mother; the Hilary Swank film. We are currently expanding our post production from foley work to include picture editorial and post sound in the broader sense with a new Dolby Atmos near field mixing theatre, which will be the best of its kind in the state and will allow streaming and home video mixes that do not require a big theatrical mixing theatre. It will be a great resource for local and interstate filmmakers to produce mixes for Netflix and Stan amongst others. In addition to the two studios, we have 25 offices and we would like to bring in all kinds of businesses - not just artists - who want to work in a building that is fun, exciting and different every day.

What has helped the studios to succeed?

Private investment, as the facility has seen no support from the government thus far. Everyone sees the potential of the studios, but you inevitably run into the problem that is across the industry in South Australa; that we do not have a lot of crew here and have a serious skill shortage problem. So, we lose a lot of South Australian productions to interstate because we don’t have the crew to service them, or we lose interstate productions that don’t come here because we just don’t have the crew, or crews just leave because there isn’t enough work here. https://sunjivestudios.com/

What actions would you like to see included in an ambitious arts and culture plan for our city?

The scope of the finances required and what we are trying to achieve in the film industry. For instance setting up a film school to begin to address the skills shortage is probably beyond Council’s reach. Certainly one thing that could help is to assist us to fill the office spaces here, as that baseline revenue helps us invest more in the arts and assists smaller films get made that otherwise would never get made.

To unify the arts sector in Charles Sturt, the studios should be a centralised arts hub, as we have a lot of space, resources and networks to help things come to life. It doesn’t have to be film. We have had artists create murals on huge canvasses who just need the space to do that, or whether it is space to do workshops, dance rehearsalsanything at all.

The gap in the market here is skills. Some plans we have are to cross skill people who have been displaced from the theatre industry because of COVID-19, as they have a lot of transferrable skills that can be applied to the film industry with a minimal amount of training. This helps the artists, the film industry and the state because of the economic multipliers of having films in South Australia is about three times of the spend that we get back. Everyone wants to work here but we can’t support that work. Our crew depth at the moment is around three, which means we can run three 5-million-dollar scale feature films at once, so our five-year plan would be to get this up to around ten.

Key Messages

Tailored training for new and existing production crews could assist to strengthen the local screen industry position to secure more local, interstate and international projects.

Questions

How can we support cultural and creative sectors to work in an inter-twined way with different sectors adjacent to their own, with completely different sectors, or in a cross-sectoral way, to develop entrepreneurial and innovation potential of the sector and nurture innovation and skill development?