For a graduate with artistic aspirations, the transition from sheltered student to professional artist is a daunting and frankly terrifying one. Support organisation Artworkers knows this all too well, and has launched a series of free public forums entitled Life After Uni to help newcomers take that step.

Dealing with Galleries was the first of seven such evenings, and a very promising start to the series. While I have little personal background in the visual arts, I found a good deal of the advice given could easily translate into any creative field. It was an hour of very practical career guidance from those in the best position to provide it.

The three speakers represented the full scope of art galleries: public, artist-run and commercial.

Megan Williams

Megan is Public Programs Curator at the QUT Art Museum, and spoke from the public gallery perspective.

Her advice to those hoping for a foot in the door? "Keep us informed of what you're doing." The Museum's programs are decided two years in advance, and it's important that they are familiar with your work. Stay active, and stay known.

"Part of our jobs", she said, "is to know what's going on out there". A good gallery will be familiar with local art scene and its up-and-coming talent. That said, it can't hurt to keep them informed, invite them to your exhibitions, and maintain a regularly updated website.

Megan emphasised that all collections and curatorial policies vary from gallery to gallery. "Before jumping into bed with somebody, do your research".

For QUT students, her talk offered some extra hope. The Museum likes to support students, staff and alumni with sections dedicated to their work. Of course, high quality standards still apply, as do the usual obstacles of heavy competition and long waiting lists. While a solo exhibition requires as established career, their group exhibitions are likelier to take on emerging artists.

Megan Cope

The forum's second Megan represented artist-run initiatives. Her story presents an interesting and very viable alternative to emerging artists: if existing galleries won't show your work, why not start your own?

After finishing university in 2006, Megan and fellow graduate Mariam Arcilla had difficulty starting their artistic careers. They founded the Gold Coast space "tinygold" to network with those who had similar issues getting off the ground.

She described the support from both the arts and non-arts communities as "overwhelming". Tinygold was self-funded from "every bit of spare money" from day jobs, with friends providing maintenance and local and businesses donating printing, alcohol and other services. "It was very grass roots."

While the venture was not a financially profitable one, she says it helped her as an artist, and offered a chance to learn how the "other side" operates.

Would she do it all again? "Yeah! (Pause) Uh..." Cue laughter from the audience.

While creating an artist-run space can be a fantastic way to start as a serious artist, long-term sustainability can be a challenge. In time, reality kicks in, bills must be paid, and future prospects explored.

Megan suggests that continue the succcess would be to pass it on to a new creative team straight out of uni, with the passion and drive required to keep it running. (Sydney's Firstdraft Gallery has survived for 25 years under this principle, appointing a new group of practicing artists as directors every two years.)

Megan now works at Juggler's Art Space, another artist-run, newcomer-focussed initiative which has seen similar success. Tinygold continues under new management, but is currently "resting" for a year. It's a demanding project - but also, it seems, a potentially very rewarding one.

Bruce Heiser

Bruce is Director of the Heiser Gallery, part of the incredibly competitive commercial art sector. ("Commercially, it's a tough business... like having a newborn babe, it doesn't let go.") This is perhaps the most difficult field for a new artist to enter, and as such, his advice was of particular practical value.

His single most important piece of advice: get your foot in the door. When visiting galleries, connect with the floor staff. Get to know them. Be recognised.

"Be tenacious" was his catchphrase for the evening. "Don't take no for an answer," he stressed, citing an examples of artists who continued to show their work long after the first rejection.

One common mistake to avoid: emailing galleries. Emails are simply too easy to be dismissed and sink to the bottom of the pile. "We're all busy. We all have the best of intentions, but..."

While every gallery and individual will have different preferences, Bruce prefers a good old-fashioned phone call. Introduce yourself, express your interest in the gallery, and offer to post some samples.

Once again, the importance of research was emphasised. Know what a gallery has to offer before contacting them. "A good gallery will be mother, father (and) everything else to you... A good gallery will push your work between shows."

If a gallery informs you their calendar is booked out until 2016, don't give up. Offer artwork for their stock room, or as a reserve in case of cancellations. Think outside the box, and stay persistent. "Be tenacious".

Advice:

• This is a gradual process, and rejections are inevitable. (Bruce: "It's not a sprint, it's a marathon.")

• Do not cold call. (Megan Williams: "It's just not professional".) Visit galleries and be sure to know what fits with you work. All three speakers often hear from artists who obviously haven't looked at the style and standard on display, or even browsed the gallery's website. Always research.

• While it remains competitive with commercial galleries, there are currently 17 artist-run initiatives currently active in Brisbane, with plenty of room for more.

• Artworkers provide information and advice on starting your own space and finding funding, alongside general nurturing and support. (For more information, visit www.artworkers.org.)

• Entering competitions always helps, but as with choosing a gallery, be selective. Don't apply for every art prize, and once more, "be tenacious" - rejections are inevitable.

• If at university, utilise their resources. Find out what your institution offers you, because that resource is gone once you graduate.

• Funding bodies are likely to reject your first application. If you are opening your own space, it's good to take a DIY approach, and show them you're capable.

• Push the foundations and try something different. With so many exhibitions happening, and not enough galleries, originality and boldness will only work in your favour.

• If you do get into an exhibition, be sure to think about financial and insurance matters. Commercial gallery support will range from all-inclusive to surprisingly stingy, so be sure to know what you're getting into.

• Once again, stay active and stay known. If you're holding an exhibition, they're likely to know about it. However, it can't hurt to send an invitation to gallery staff. Always network.

• Megan Williams: "And nurture the networks you have, because you never know where people might end up.".

I left the talk with a shameless skip in my step. Starting in the creative industries is frequently difficult, but as the evening reaffirmed, it's far from impossible.

If this is the standard for the remainder of the Life After Uni program, emerging artists should consider attendance essential.

(If not, the sponsors provided free movie tickets. So it's win-win, really.)

Write-up by Alastair Craig

I don't usually reblog entries but in the spirit of TED and of ideas worth spreading, I figured that it'll be worth blogging this here from my personal site:

This is Part 2 of my TEDxBrisbane writeup. Part 1 was about the organisation of the event.

All you need is ... TO SEE

I missed out on the first speaker and first 'brainburst'.

Leonard Pattenden, Phillip Long, Florencia Camus - IGEM This group (International Genetically Engineered Machine competition or IGEM) aims to bring out the best in the fields of cross-disciplinary engineering and biology (synthetic biology) by facilitating these competitions.

Joel Gilmore, Physicist - ROAM Consulting Joel was a good public speaker (he actual does things with corporate communications when I spoke to him and is also on kids' show The Shak). Especially crucial for considering the fact that his topic is controversial - nuclear power. Check out his curated list of good public speakers on his blog.

There were feedback that the discussion presented was 'one-way' (I wasn't in the livestreamed room though - so am welcome to other people's opinions on this) but I think that there is only so much that you can present in a short timeframe. Had a look at his Twitter account and he is keen to get the discussion moving forwards beyond this event.

All you need is ... TO LISTEN

Robert Pekin, Founder - Food Connect Robert started the presentation with a very personal story that opens a window into his personality and his personal story which forms the basis of why he founded Food Connect.

When I was in high school, there was a girl who gave a very moving speech about her experience on the farm and the hardship associated with the drought near Toowoomba. Robert Pekin touched on suicide and depression that farmers faced due to a number of factors and he considered death before deciding that he wanted to live. It is always touching to hear stories like that - to understand that humans have the stamina and ability to move forwards.

Pekin's presentation was relevant to the session's theme in two ways - city folk listening to country folk, and on mental health.

Richard Slatter, General Manager - Wotnews / We Are Hunted First off - big applause to Richard for going to the 16th AIMIA Awards in Melbourne, partying till midnight and doing a TEDx talk! I have seen Richard speak about Wotnews and We Are Hunted once or twice before so some of the material wasn't new but there is always something very new and exciting to learn when it comes to talking about the journey!

I like the energy and vibe behind these stories - always a great buzz when people are doing something very innovative, exciting, new and potentially something that is off-centre. Richard's presentation was relevant with the theme - in this case, the act of listening online across various sources. It is something that I am aiming to work on in my projects - how can social media be used to listen effectively?

Timothy Hill, Architect - Donovan Hill Timothy Hill is a great public speaker - him and Brian Donovan did a really entertaining presentation at a Pecha Kucha Brisbane event when it was part of the IDEAS Festival last year. The presentation at TEDxBrisbane was entertaining as well but I think it was a bit more in-depth in terms of information and insight - where in Pecha Kucha Brian and Timothy focused a lot about their works (and also the visioning of future works), Timothy Hill had some great insights about the discourse that occurs between the architect, the client and even the building.

All you need is ... TO DREAM

Deborah Fleming, Founder - Australian Story Putting on my Brisbane Creative Industries hat on, I very much admire Deb in terms of doing something new, inspiring, something that is not yet offered in mainstream media outlets and her outlet for that is via ABC's Australian Story which is also the only show of its kind that is produced outside of the likes of Sydney and Melbourne. There is definitely a lot that I can learn from her in terms of their approach of reporting and interviewing and also in her role as the Executive Producer.

Sheldon Liebermann, Designer - bigfish.tv I love Sheldon and the Bigfish.tv animations. Have seen him present a few times and would definitely see more! I think that AGDA Queensland is doing a presentation in March 30 at the Brisbane Powerhouse - details aren't online yet but it should be soon if anyone is keen. I had a brief chat with him after the event. He used a normal-sounding voice...or is...it?

Chris Sarra, Executive Director - Stronger Smarter Institute His presentation grew stronger at around the second half when he started describing what Stronger Smarter Institute is about. Chris draws upon his schooling experiences (internal) and the needs of the Indigenous community in Australia (external) to lead this institute which is dedicated to shift the tide of expectations in Indigenous education into something more positive.

All you need is ... TO ACT

Misinterprotato This jazz band gave us the right entertainment as we burst into the final session of the day! I was paying close attention to the drummer who, as someone described, was like a surgeon with his drumkit and sticks.

Bronwyn Sheehan, Founder - The Pyjama Foundation Bronwyn founded The Pyjama Foundation as a way of giving back to the community, particularly to foster kids in Australia. Today her foundation helps a number of foster children in Australia, has great volunteers and patrons.

Nigel Brennan, Photojournalist It was only 100 days before his TEDxBrisbane, his first public talk since the ordeal, that he was released from being held hostage in Somalia.

"I would like to ask the media to understand that it is going to be some time before I am able to talk about my experience. In the interim I would greatly appreciate if you would all respect my wishes for privacy and space to come to terms with the situation I now find myself in. "My family is also going to need space, and privacy and I ask you to respect that as well." December 2 2009, Source

From the moment Nigel went on stage I could tell that he has gone through a great deal to have the bravery to share his story in front of a crowd of strangers (and even moreso considering online streaming). His voice seems deliberately controlled, the type of voice that I would use when I am trying to be calm and collected. Freedom, family, friends. That was the key message. To act:

Both families gave up on efforts by their respective governments a year after the kidnapping, turning instead to raising money to pay the ransom themselves. December 2 2009, Source

And the crowd thanked him for his bravery in sharing the story and passion for his work with a standing ovation.

A few of the three minute TEDxBrisbane brainbursts:

Michael Doneman, Founder - Edgeware Michael talked about the nature of seeing - in the sense of seeing opportunities or the entrepreneurial eye - and the nature of reality (how it can be bent, altered). Definitely check out the Edgeware programs.

Anthea Edam, poet Anthea gave beautiful reading about one of her poems about scientists who discovered a way to zap the corruption chromosome and what the future could be like.

Paul Fairweather, creative catalyst When I was in 2high Festival as an Online Coordinator, there was an artist called Emmanuel Hernaez who would do a lot of sketching at the event and Paul's sketches and enthusiasm for it reminded me of that. Paul shared some of his TED sketches with us before Timothy Hill's talk!

If you loved this: IDEAS Festival wrap-up, CCI Symposium Part 1, Brisbane's Bigfish.tv {Animation} {Festival}, BNE Pitch Club, Under the Radar Forum at Metro Arts, Global // Events and Livestreaming, Guide: How to be proactive in events, This week shall be grand, Creativity and Entrepreneurship: Michael Doneman and Edgeware

You could be forgiven for thinking you’d walked on to the set of a 1920s art-deco inspired movie. The air was fraught with anticipation; the standing lights on each side of the hallway cast a warm golden glow over the rich interior of the heritage-listed Brisbane Arcade….

Flanked on one end by a ceiling-high banner and on the other end by a centre-piece reminiscent of a bridal table opulently adorned with an array of white flowers, green foliage, and an assortment of mouth-watering lollies in quaint little lolly jars – the already lavish arcade was, last night, transformed into a set designer’s wet dream.

Photography credit: Red Eclipse PhotographyI was still picking my jaw off the floor when three waiters came out with the final showpiece and laid it on the table for all to admire. Imagine a three foot tall ice sculpture, with a pair of men's shoes also made of ice perched on top of the sculpture and the word Vein engraved into the translucent and gracefully thawing ice….

Welcome to the Vein Wear Cocktail Party. Also known as the launch of the second Vein Wear shoes store in Brisbane.

Marvin Gaye and other crooners set the mood as champagne began to flow and gourmet canapés made the rounds. Skilfully illustrated A4 page flyers providing a brief overview of various Vein Wear design hopefuls and their respective design entries hung neatly on the glass windows...just in case we didn't know what the Vein Wear shoe design competition was all about. I, for one didn’t, so I was very thankful for the flyers.

Photographers clamoured for the best shots, many a curious passer-by stopped to gape in wonderment, though attempts to gatecrash the red-carpet affair were promptly thwarted by elegantly clad hostesses manning the entrance – this was an exclusive event by invitation only. I suddenly felt very important.

That feeling of course, didn’t last long, as the who’s who of Brisbane Fashion industry began to make their entrances. It was almost like being at a fashion show in Paris, their styles were as bold as they were varied from street wear to avant-garde; I suddenly felt insignificant in my drab work getup. Note to self – must remember to wear my best cocktail dress at a fashion launch.

In the space of 10 minutes, the arcade had gone from practically empty save a couple of reporters and photographers to hardly any elbow room. The arcade was now alive and buzzing with excited chatter.

There were appearances by exceptionally tall, skinny, beautiful women whom I could only pray were models (the alternative was just too hard to contemplate for my fragile ego), and whom I’d never seen or heard of but seemed very much at home amidst the Fashion elites of Brisbane as they hugged and air-kissed their way around the arcade.

Chris McCallum on the right, winning design on the centre, Lindsay Bennett his PR agent on the left. Photography credit: Red Eclipse PhotographyAt 7pm, Vein Wear owner and designer Christopher McCallum took centre stage and the official part of the evening began. His speech was short and sweet and surprisingly, didn’t make my eyes glaze over.

Then there was the announcement of the winner of the Vein Wear design competition. Apparently, the competition was a big deal; they had entrants from around the world. Even as far as Turkey. The three finalists were chosen by public votes from Taiwan, Australia, and The States. The award went to Taiwan’s Yu Chih-Chieh who, sadly, couldn’t make the event but his winning design will be sold in the Vein Wear store.

The crowd cheered, signalling the end of the formalities. Then it was back to more cocktails, champagne, wine, and scrumptious canapés. Who knew there was such a thing as risotto balls?

The Vein guys sure know how to throw a party and generate buzz. It was enough to make me Google Vein Wear store as soon as I got home just to see what the fuss was all about.

I’d like to invite Vein Wear's PR agent (if he happens to read this) to dinner with little ol' me so I can pick his brains!  Yes it was that good!

Easily the best two hours of my week.

Special write-up by Foluke Abigail Zrobok

If you loved this: Highlight // Red Eclipse Photography (Photography credit for the Vein Wear launch by Red Eclipse Photography!), Follow The Fashion, Does Fashion Drive Music? Does Music Drive Fashion, Curating and Collecting Fashion by Foluke Abigail Zrobok, BNE Fashion // {Promotions} {A Single Man}, Soul by Juniper Group Show, Mercedes Benz Fashion Festival, Behind the Scenes with Valiant Hire (and their event simulation software), Green Earth Festival // {Sustainability} {Film} {Design} {Art}, Strategies for a Creative Industry Wiki (from Co-Founders of Wikifashion.com), Top Creative Industries QLDers in SOYA 2009

Australia’s first licensed video game venue, the ‘Mana Bar,’ will open its doors to the public on Saturday, 20th of March in Brisbane’s biggest nightlife and entertainment district, Fortitude Valley.

Brisbane’s partygoers are invited to take advantage of our strict “no cover charge” policy and join us for a cocktail whilst they enjoy some of the best latest releases and nostalgic games classics on our array of games consoles. What’s more, you can leave your small change at home: it’s free to enter AND free to play!

The venue caters for all tastes – the Mana Bar welcomes all, and patrons will be delighted by the wide range of games on offer, everything from Wii Sports to Guitar Hero to Street Fighter IV.

For our launch weekend special, The Mana Bar is also proud to offer exclusive early code of the new Xbox Live game “Raskulls,” currently in development by acclaimed Brisbane-based games developer Halfbrick Studios.

With hourly prizes, giveaways, live entertainment and special guests, the Mana Bar will open its doors from midday to midnight, and will be operational every night thereafter.

For more information, please keep an eye on the Mana Bar website at http://www.manabar.com.au

If you loved this: The Future of (Serious) Gaming, Games Pt 2 // {XMediaLab} {Eidos}, Mark White of White Crow Productions // {Production} {Design} {Online Learning}, On Storytelling // {XMediaLab} {42 Entertainment} {Animal Logic}, Brisbane's Bigfish.tv {Animation} {Festival}, Kelly Chapman in SPAA Fringe // {Keynote} {KCDC}, Tim Hill of Hoodlum // {Q&A} {Braindump} {Film & TV}, Public Sphere #3: Australian ICT & Creative Industries Development

Photo credit: Elleni ToumpasI first met Kate Eltham during one of the IDEAS Festival sessions.  I forgot the name of the session but it was pretty interesting - from what I recall we had to come up with a random story and act it out in front of the whole group (wondering if Kate remembers this?).  But I know of her before April 09 as I am always listing Qld Writers Centre events in the BCI Calendar and I also remember going to one of her talks at an intellectual property seminar a couple of years ago.  Whatever it may be, Kate is passionate about the professional development of others around her via the Queensland Writers Centre, Clarion South Writers Workshop and Fantastic Queensland.
 

Qld Writers Centre, Clarion South Writers Workshop, Fantastic Queensland, your own writing practice and not to mention the recent US trip.  How do you fit it all in?

 I have no idea. It’s a spinning plates kind of deal. You just have to remember to rush back and wobble a stick before the plate crashes down. Somehow they all stay spinning!
 

What did you get up to in the US?  I saw some snippets of tweets that seem to look like it relates to interesting events.

 I was attending the 2010 Tools of Change for Publishing conference, organised by O’Reilly Media (of web 2.0 fame). The annual conference explores publishing futures, digital media, e-books and new business models for book publishing. It’s aimed at trade publishers but attracts attendees from across the industry including tech companies like Google and Apple, retailers and distributors, agents and author organisations, and digital printing services.
 
This is the second time I’ve attended and, as with last time, I came away inspired, awed and motivated. There’s a mind-boggling amount of activity going on in the digital publishing space. So much of it affects authors and yet I feel that most authors have a poor understanding of these changes and opportunities and how they are affected by them. My mission through QWC and if:book Australia is to address that, and assist authors and small publishers to experiment with new models.
 

Both of us are on Twitter (@kate_eltham / @briscreative).  We communicate in tags and tweets, @'s and #'s, we are hyperactive with the hypertext, we like to Google it up and Facebook it out.  In 2007, I would have no idea what it's all about. Thoughts on this or what is the first thing that comes to mind?  

I think the key to enjoying and getting value out of these platforms is to be kind of zen about the fact that they change frequently. It took me a while to understand the value of Twitter, and now I consider it an essential tool for professional networking and idea exchange. Yet, I’m certain a completely new platform will be the dominant one in another 2-3 years. Remember how massive mySpace was? And yet hardly anyone mentions it anymore. Did anyone even use Friendster in Australia? It lived and died before parts of the world even heard about it. I don’t really spend a lot of time trying to figure out why or how we are so consumed by various new media platforms. I tend to let that wash over me and just concentrate on using the tools that are most valuable to me for communication at any given moment.

Queensland Writers Centre has recently moved to a new space at Level 2 in the State Library of Queensland and there are some exciting plans regarding new, strategic initiatives such as if:book and upcoming 2010 professional development programs.

Yeah, it’s all going on over here. 2010 is our 20th anniversary year and it seems like we’ve never been busier. if:book Australia is QWC’s new centre of excellence for digital literature. It joins an international fellowship with the original Institute for the Future of the Book in New York, founded by Bob Stein, and if:book London, led by Chris Meade. if:book Australia won’t officially launch until late May but we’re kicking off with a national event series called Next Text, which will feature seminars and workshops for writers about digital markets. The program for that will be available by the end of March, but it will feature a number of international guest speakers include Chris Meade and Richard Nash who will both be presenting here in Brisbane. We are just putting the finishing touches on the first three-year strategic plan for if:book and finalising partnerships.
 
Our move to the State Library is not so much about finding a new physical home as it is about building a vibrant strategic partnership with SLQ. We are having a lot of fun connecting with different sections of slq and imagining programs and initiatives we can pursue together to foster reading and writing cultures throughout Queensland. Underpinning all of that is a State of Writing, a new model for bringing the Queensland writing sector closer together as a network and nurturing cross-pollination between organisations, communities and projects.
 
On the professional development side, we continue to focus on partnerships with industry and will be announcing new manuscript development programs in 2010 with trade publishers, to help support pathways for Queensland writers.

Queensland: what is the state of publishing here in Queensland?  What can we do (as a state, as organisations, as business owners, as individuals) to further improve upon the creative industries within the writing space?

Writing and publishing is alive and well in Queensland, even though most of the traditional publishing infrastructure in Australia resides in Sydney and Melbourne. A lot of opportunities in creative industries come from the disintermediation of the supply chain, and there’s plenty of that going on in publishing right now. That creates niche opportunities for micro-publishers, digital distributors, authors who want to go direct to audiences and creative businesses who are supplying services and tools to individual producers. Digital distribution also makes it easier to reach out to international markets.
 
In Queensland, I think we should focus on enterprise skills for individual authors and small presses, particularly in the area of digital rights and licences and digital distribution. We should also encourage collaboration and cross-pollination between industries. There are professional writing roles emerging in creative industries that traditionally didn’t employ writers before, such as the games industry. There are also companies exploring transmedia storytelling projects that are pulling in writers but also film-makers, web developers, musicians etc. These have tremendous potential for writers who are looking to work outside the traditional book publishing model. I also think we should try to identify and support those start-up companies and entrepreneurs looking to exploit niches in the publishing value-chain. A big growth area in the publishing sector in the next few years will be software, tools and services that help authors and publishers to produce and distribute digital content.

Emerging writers (university level and recent graduates) - what are your top tips for this group?

The number one piece of feedback we get at QWC from publishers and agents is that they are rejecting manuscripts that “just aren’t cooked”, works that have the potential to be great but are not ready to be submitted yet. So my top tip for writers is usually to re-write the bejeezus out of their manuscripts before they even think about submitting to a publisher or agent. One or two drafts isn’t enough. Four or five drafts probably isn’t enough either. The bar is just so much higher for unpublished authors because the field is so competitive. It’s not enough for manuscripts to be good, especially fiction. They have be to excellent to get the attention of a publisher these days. QWC has intensive editing programs for people who are past the first draft stage with their novels, so give us a call.
 
Emerging writers really need to arm themselves with up-to-date industry knowledge and build professional networks. Submitting to the unsolicited manuscript slush pile at big publishing houses is a highly inefficient way to break into professional writing. This is an industry of relationships, so participating in events and programs that enable you to build relationships with publishers, editors, agents and influencers will open up more and better opportunities to get your manuscript in front of someone who can make a decision about it. Develop networks. Participate in communities and conversations, both face-to-face and online. Get to know who are the key people in your genre or area of writing. Keep in touch with those who are talking to publishing professionals on a regular basis and who can recommend you or put you in touch with the right opportunities. (That includes Queensland Writers Centre, by the way, so consider joining if you’re not already a member.) It’s amazing how many opportunities can come your way from this.
 
After that, it’s a case of persistence. Write and submit, rinse and repeat. It might be a cliché, but through my job at QWC I’ve seen it proven again and again. Those writers who submit regularly and stick at it are far more likely to get published, no matter what genre or type of writing.
 

Finish this sentence "In 20 years time, the type of [cultural/creative/urban/etc] space that I would like to see..."

seamlessly blends the physical and digital and enables creative expression by anyone at anytime through any medium.

Thank you Kate for these informative and inspiring responses! 

I attended the Queensland Writers Centre SLQ launch/20th birthday party (I wish my that 20th was as good as this) last night.  There was a really great point that was made last night which recognises the vision behind the founders of QWC in Queensland 20 years ago.  Congratulations on this new, strategic partnership with the State Library of Queensland and in the upcoming initiatives that will help foster the growth and development of the industry, community and the association. 

Hannah

We chat with Moneth Montemayor (love that name!) about this Handful of Fragments Collective, creative spaces and their thoughts on the creative industries...

What is your role in the Handful of Fragments Collective?

In October 2009 I was voted into the role of Artistic Director of the Handful of Fragments Collective. I’m also a project-coordinator. The role of Artistic Director means I’m responsible for the direction of the collective, organisation of the collective and delegation of tasks within our executive team. It’s a huge role to take on and I’m humbled that my peers trust and support me in this role. As project coordinator I work alongside Tamara Mcguigan our second project coordinator. We work together to ensure that our projects and events go according to plan. We liaise with venue managers, our executive team, performers, artists, industry professionals and volunteers.

What prompted the group to start?

In late 2008 three second year QUT drama students (Samuel Green, Daniel Maloney and Kimie Mizuno) came together with ideas for their own shows and discussed the possibility of running a mini performance festival to produce the aforementioned shows. This idea over a couple coffees soon became a reality when I heard about it and volunteered to help with the administration of the festival. This role soon turned into overall project coordinator allowing the three directors to individually focus on their shows. The mini performance festival was renamed and publicised as the Handful of Fragments Performance Showcase. This entire collective formed all because a couple drama students with a desire to showcase their work and their ambition, taking an idea and turning it into a reality. Now we have an official executive team and have added the “All Sorts” event to our calendar as well as producing our annual Performance Showcase. I encourage all

"Failure to Care" directed by Daniel Maloney performed at the Redcliffe Cultural Centre

emerging artists to be proactive about their work because in this industry your dreams won’t come true unless you make them. It’s hard work but it’s worth it.

What do you think the Creative Industries in Brisbane (or Queensland) need from the more established organisations to foster the growth and development of emerging creatives?

The Creative Industries in Brisbane and Queensland in general are in need of opportunities for our emerging artists to showcase their work. There is so much talent in this city of ours and even more so in the state. We need to foster and nurture this talent and claim it as our own. Too often we see our talent travel down south to seek out opportunities there. However, I feel that we are in a movement, a proactive shift, to keep our artists here. With Brisbane Festival including a Fringe Festival (Under the Radar) into their program and other festivals (2High, Short and Sweet and BITS Fest) provides local artists with opportunities. Producing work that is local and promoting these festivals as local projects will instil pride in the cultural sector of our region.

What we do need is more venues offering affordable packages to produce work. Metro Arts has Independents, Judith Wright Centre has Fresh Ground, Redcliffe Cultural Centre has Your Group on Stage and La Boite now has Independents but these packages are aimed to more established emerging artists as oppose to emerging artists. There needs to be a platform for those who are still studying the art form or are fresh out of university/tafe/college. This is where Handful of Fragments comes in. We produce work for those who are in the transition from emerging/establishing. We have an incredible line up of six productions we’ll be showcasing in our annual Performance Showcase however we are still in search of a venue. As an emerging production company we have also added “All Sorts” as one of our events on our calendar, which will be showcasing visual artworks, roving performers and musicians at Alloneword in the Valley.

The cast and musicians of "Little Worlds of Love" directed by Samuel GreenThere needs to be affordable packages available for emerging artists to be able to showcase work at some of the big venues or more grants/funding for production companies. We are, as mentioned, going through a proactive shift and the more proactive so the future of the Creative Industries in Brisbane is looking brighter.

What about suggestions in terms of space?

I strongly suggest Visible Ink as a rehearsal and meeting space. We are in need of more free rehearsal spaces like Visible Ink. We have fantastic spaces here in Brisbane in terms of theatres and galleries. What we need more of are workshop/rehearsal spaces for performance groups, artists and musicians.

Handful of Fragments on Vimeo:

Handful of Fragments Performance Showcase 2009 from Handful of Fragments Collective on Vimeo.

Thanks Moneth!

Hannah

In your own words - who are you and what do you do?

I'm an emerging freelance designer specialising in interior design, external concept design, visual merchandising and styling! I recently started up my own studio, Innovante Design, in 2009 and am working on a number of projects at the moment as well as studying Architecture at QUT University. I'm also a songwriter and guitarist, although my original music has taken a backseat while I get my design business established. I have also started an online networking group and blog called Gloss Posse in 2009 which is a dynamic group for emerging female designers & entrepreneurs.
 

As someone who has recently moved to Brisbane (from the Gold Coast), what is your concept of space like in terms of creative and cultural space?  What would you like to do in the Brisbane space?  What about in other spaces?

Living at Mermaid beach on the Gold Coast was beautiful and there was always that feeling of open space right on my doorstep. I was really lucky to live so close to the ocean and it influenced me creatively as I love to be around nature. As a designer I draw a lot of influence from nature as well as my surroundings.
Moving to Brisbane was quite a big change from the coastal lifestyle on the Gold Coast, but I've found it exciting as my experiences with Brisbane's city space around me has opened my mind. I'm constantly being inspired by the city, its architecture and its energy. I would love to be involved in designing a public space within Brisbane that reflects young emerging designers and musicians in some way.
 

Tell us more about your interior design project at Base Backpackers aka Palace Backpackers in Brisbane!  Sounds really interesting.

I'm currently working on the interior design fit-out for Base Brisbane Central Backpackers, 308 Edward Street, in the city and it's a very exciting project! The building is heritage listed and turns 100 years old this year so as a designer its a privilege to work on such a historical and iconic building. Backpackers and guests can expect the new interior to feel fresh, fun and compliment the history of the building as well as Brisbane. I really wanted to create a unique experience within the space and have based my concept on sub-tropical Queensland and the natural elements.
 

As a professional, what is your concept of space in terms of meeting client needs and project briefs?

It's important to listen to my clients as well understand the spatial relationships between the external and internal areas of the project. The quality of space has an impact on people and the environment. As a designer you can alter someone's perception of a space by adding or removing elements and therefore create a new atmosphere and experience.  I am always aware that space is affected by chosen materials, sound, colour, lighting and temperature and how one chooses to manipulate it.

A favourite quote of mine:

"Space constantly encompasses our being. Through the volume of space, we move, see forms, hear sounds, feel breezes, smell the fragrances of a flower garden in bloom....Its visual form, its dimension and scale, the quality of its light - all of these qualities..."

Ching, D.K, Francis. (1996, p92). Architecture, form, space & order. New York : Van Nostrand Reinhold

What about your personal concept of space - what makes good space work-able/live-able/beautiful?

I believe that good space is created through the function and harmony of forms and materials. I also think that space is more beautiful when we bring the outside in. By simply bringing some greenery inside, or allowing more natural light and breeze into a room the atmosphere in that space is lifted.
 

What would be your ideal work space?

My ideal workspace would be a loft style studio apartment with amazing views over Brisbane city. I'd love to have a dynamic and collaborative-style studio working alongside other designers such as graphic artists, industrial designers, architects and even fashion designers with room for a stage to have live original bands perform and space to host special events.


Thanks Arielle and congratulations on getting involved across various spaces here in Brisbane.  Definitely keep us updated with what you have been up to in the future.

Feel free to contact her via email, her site or Twitter accounts @glossnrock and @glossposse!  Also check our her band's MySpace at www.myspace.com/arielleband

Hannah

Today I attended the launch of the new Billy Blue College of Design college based in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.  The launch included inspiring talks from Claudio Kirac (Gold Coast based designer), Louise Bannister (founder editor of Frankie Magazine) and the Head of College Andrew Barnum. 

Claudio Kirac shared us his story and how he turned his passion into a career.  Born in Coffs Harbour and now living in the Gold Coast, he started as an illustrator due to the love of drawing.  Later on in his career, he has moved to video editing and photography but it is the love of graphic design which has harnessed these worlds together.  After leaving high school, Claudio finished a Diploma of Graphic Design and focused on skateboard designs and other freelancing work.  It was not until the iMac, and skills associated with learning the programs, where he was able to learn about layouts to create prints for mediums such as clothing. 

Claudio's current "day job" is via Billabong and working with this group to produce and construct designs for their clothing - the showreel that he showed us had designs which looked familiar!

And interesting point that he brought up is that he saw his own way of working as similar to the "Renaissance Man".  Taking on and excelling in different areas (or "attach the different bits"!), to study new skills and to harness these into a professional and creative career.  He also had some interesting quotes which I'll share here too

You can look around you and see creativity.

What you see if what you get.

(look at the world around you with an) infinite eye of design.

The next person to speak was Louise Bannister who is the founding editor of Frankie Magazine.  She was only young, age 24, when she and her friend Lara Burke started the magazine. After deciding that they didn't want to be involved in the creation of children's magazines for a media group, they thought about the idea of Frankie and of doing a magazine that was visually stimulating, let the "content speak for itself" and to speak from a voice of their own age.  While Louise sees herself more as a publisher and editor rather than as a designer, she had some good points which I think were great hints for designers when it comes to working in the publishing industry.  Frankie Magazine has a unique design and this is reflected throughout the issues.  Louise talks about the different types of designs in the publishing world - there is

• Design as content
• Design as distraction from the content
• Design that amplifies the content
• Design that lets the content breathe

Louise sees the role of design as not to judge but to provide a platform, perhaps, for the content.

Today, Frankie Magazine is looking at 40 000 issues in terms of figures which is a big thing for a magazine such as Frankie! Louise and Claudio has an entrepreneurial spirit of starting up projects like this and it reflects in the "Billy Blue story" recounted by the Head of College, Andrew Barnum.

In the same way that William Billy Blue, described as a "gourless, enigmatic young entrepreneur", helped shaped not only Sydney but also the creative and design industries we hope that 2010 is an exciting year for the first Brisbane batch of Billy Blue College of Design.

Hannah Suarez