SPEECH MADE BY ISABEL SCOTT AT THE LAUNCH OF THE WEBSITE ANF ARTS TRUST

My fellow community members

Welcome to the Arts Centre.

To clarify how this Centre works the complex is owned by the Cootamundra Shire Council

The Cootamundra Creative Arts and Cultural Centre Committee or CCACC is a Section 355 Committee of Council charged by council for the vision, planning, construction, maintenance and administration of the Arts Centre Project.

I was reading a guide to Theatre and between the great names of Shakespear, Plato and the origins of Roman Theatre I found this

“Play_ creative play is central to the health and growth of the individual and community. Through play human beings both celebrate and shape their world. It is the dynamic which permeates culture, relationships and attitudes; play is a process, a relationship and an attitude rather than a thing in itself. For the player - absorption leads to an altered sense of time and space, it is a fusion of action and awareness, and results in an enhanced feeling of competence, energy and discovery. The activity of play makes the different and is set apart from everyday life." (Ref: Cambridge Paperback guide to Theatre - by Sarah Stanton & Martin Banham)

Throughout medieval and Tudor times live performance, that unique meeting between artist and spectator was known in the vernacular as a play or “game”. For this sport a playground or play house was required.

Ladies and gentlemen Cootamundra now has such a playground and playhouse. - 'The Arts Centre'

Where have we come from and where are we going with this Arts Centre Project

•  In 2004 this complex was a eyesore. The building was derelict and home to all manner of vermin. By the beginning of 2005 and the removal of 5 and half semi trailers loads of rubbish the refurbishment was ready to begin.
• By 2006 Council won their first Local Government and Shires Association Capital Infrastructure Cultural Award for the first 4 stages of the project.

The clean up and redevelopment of the central carriageway into 2 large visual arts studios for workshops and regular classes and one studio space for an individual artist.

It also included the refurbishment of the origional architect’s office block into two music studios for learning and practice.

• In September 2007 work was completed on the restoration and refurbishment of the Laneway Carriageway creating an Exhibition Space with reception and office.  Mr Robert Adby Director General for the Dept of Arts Sport, Recreation & Planning in the presence of Ms Elizabeth Rogers CEO Regional Arts NSW opened this facility on the 14^th Sept 2007.
• In 2009 Council received its second Local Government and Shires Association Cultural Award for Capital Infrastructure for this latest development and the catering facility.
• In January 2009 work began on the Theatre at the back of the Laneway carriageway. By March the volunteers had completed insulating the walls, ceiling and established the lay out for the theatre. In April the Rod Knagge construction crew moved in finishing off their work by the end of May.
• There are several people besides the CCACC volunteer work crew who need to be mentioned for their enormous gift of expertise to this THEATRE stage of the Arts Centre development.

Graham Nixon who drew up the seating construction plans

Sing Wong who tirelessly drew up concepts for consideration and whose ideas and understanding of acoustics focused the attention of the work force.

Ben Pepper - The Arts of Light and Sound - who has worked on what we require for lighting and sound and then over the past month could be found in his purple box till after midnight putting it all together.

Ian Cooper whose welding skills meshed together the complicated egress accesses and welded the trays for the several hundred wires and cables for light and audio.

Rod Knagge and his crew who followed ever changing instructions and amendments all in good humour and Todd Basham who pushed the limits of sleep depravation to accommodate our building schedule.

• For all who have worked on this project from the beginning putting in the huge hours and sweat (approx 8,000 volunteer hours in total) THANK YOU. This is your success and and your achievement CONGRATULATIONS.

NEXT STEP: is the completion of the Theatre

• The Floor
• The lighting grid
• The curtins
• Film Facility
• Lighting board and more lights.

THEN: ceiling and insulating the work shed and finally the dressing room facility with extra storage space.

Thank you all for attending today. This is a PROJECT IN PROGRESS and we still have a way to go. I implore artists and arts orientated businesses to put your heads together and run some activities to assist with financing the final stages of the Arts Centre Project. If dance is your love the ballet and physical theatre accredited flooring needs your financial assistance to become a reality. Run events to make this happen sooner rather than later. If Film is your passion the same. Run events raise the necessary funds to make this possible.

Thank you all for coming . Please enjoy this fantastic facility.