Hello everyone.
I am sure you are all wondering about this beautiful image and what it means to the BMI! Well, this is just one of the many images you will see if you wander into our Williamson Foyer, which is now almost unrecognisable! As is explained later in this newsletter, the team at Human Designs (Zlatko Balazic and John McKee), have teamed up with local artist Melinda Muscat to deliver this fabulous and contemporary installation, A Fortunate Series of Events.
White Night saw the trio display their wares at the old information centre in Lydiard Street, but before this, there was a plan hatching to create a longer lasting exhibition at the BMI, which has now come to life. This is an example of what the contemporary can look like in a Heritage Building, the combination of which delivers something quite magical. You really have to see it to believe it. It will be available to view anytime the library is open, please check in with Rosemary at the desk, she is a big fan and we have the video to prove it!!
Thank you so much to Haymes Paint, Tony Matkov from IMD Tech, Walleed Askari from Steel it Engineering and our three talented artists for delivering this extraordinary addition to the school holidays in Ballarat! Our long term plan will be to transfer the genius into the basement and also highlight many other local artists in this way. As most of the colour in the room is via projection, we don’t have to fix anything to the walls which is so important in our building. But of course, you also have the 3D fascination that is the array of instruments created by Zlatko. These are made to be played and need to be experienced first hand.
We have already had lots of visitors in and have recorded some of the reactions:
- “Can I try playing this instrument?”
- “What happens if I touch this?”
- “It feels like we’re inside a painting!”
- “This instrument sounds like something from outer space!”
- “I bet this is what a magical world looks like.”
- “You have to see this!”
Thank you! Our end of financial year appeal has been well supported but it’s not too late to assist the BMI, your organisation, to meet the increasing cost of doing business. As promised in the last newsletter, we have extended the “ask” to assist with our fundraising, we have sent requests for financial support to over 70 businesses outlining the strong support of business leaders in the early days of the BMI and inviting current businesses to join the quest to support our independent heritage institution.
Our author talks continue! This program is attracting a lot of attention, both from authors and publishers and from the audiences! I know that Rosemary almost has a full “dance card”, I’m sure planning for 2025 is underway!!
Season 3 of Twilight Talks is being finalized, with another varied program of events about to be announced, thank you Phil Roberts.
And in breaking news, we can announce another year of partnership funding with the City of Ballarat. This has been central in our efforts to employ staff to enable us to develop wider programming and service our client and membership base more adequately over the last 6 years and we thank the City for their continued support.
We will be having a Vintage Book Sale during Rare Book Week at the end of July, in the Hooper Room. The sale will consist of older books extraneous to our needs. Thank you to the volunteer collection management group (Dani, Judy, Marion and Mary) for carefully curating this offering and for all their time in researching the books on offer to ensure the best financial outcomes for the BMI. Stay tuned for details and don’t miss out on these unique items!
We continue to have some very exciting enquiries from leading organisations wishing to hold events in our fabulous building. August and September will be very busy with Royal South Street Society and AMaGA amongst the clients that we are so thrilled to host. We can all be very proud of what we have achieved in continuing to provide a state of the art venue which continues to attract new members and new hirers!
We are planning many exciting events to add to this year’s Ballarat Seniors Festival and I thank all the staff and volunteers who have put forward ideas to enrich this offering.
We are in the throes of finalizing dates and sponsors for some of our key fundraising events for this next financial year, please come along and support these events, be it Fashion parades, Devonshire tea parties, Golf days or musical events. And don’t forget to bring your friends, there’s something for everyone!!
We have been working very hard to develop new collaborative partnerships to assist us to fund many of the essential projects, upgrades and material purchases that are essential in moving ahead. Your commitment to the BMI has provided us with the credibility and leverage to approach these new partners with confidence. Thank you!!
Paula Nicholson
Originally posted 2024-01-30 12:57:47.
