Art Survey off agenda for 2015

Prominent South West artists have expressed concern about the impact of Bunbury Regional Art Galleries’ decision not to run the South West Survey this year.

The South West Survey has served as an annual fixture in the South West arts calendar for years, but moved to a biennial schedule this year, alternating with the Bunbury Biennale.

The decision was announced on BRAG’s website in August, but City of Bunbury corporate and community services director Stephanie Addison-Brown said the change was made before the City assumed management of BRAG on July 1.

Last year’s South West Survey overall prize winner Janet Leigh said the absence of the South West Survey in 2015 was “devastating” for the region’s art community.

“It’s such an isolated community — without these centrally-located venues or events I don’t see how you can showcase your art and learn from other artists, ” she said.

City of Bunbury Collection Acquisition 2013 winner Monique Tippett said the Survey was important because it showcased South West artists in particular.

“Those artists are going to miss out, ” she said.

Ms Tippett said artists would look beyond Bunbury to the Busselton Art Awards and Vasse Art Awards.

However, Ms Leigh said South West artists would be forced to look even further afield.

“I think it’s going to cause people to look beyond WA if your own region can’t even support you, ” she said.

“I just entered a prize in Sydney and I’m looking to Asia in terms of where I next exhibit.

“If I can pack it up and send it to Sydney then I may as well send it to Hong Kong.”

Thomas Heidt, who won a Teede Acquisitive Award at last year’s Survey, said the decision reduced an already small range of opportunities in Bunbury.

“The Survey and Biennale are all we have here,” he said.

Bunbury City Council approved a Creative City Strategy last month, but Ms Addison-Brown said BRAG director Julian Bowron had made the decision independently.

“While the City of Bunbury’s Creative Bunbury strategy seeks to enhance opportunities for artists and creative businesses, the strategy had no influence on the director’s decision to change the frequency of the Survey,” she said.

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