MAHG's AGM

Graeme Akers. Photo: Jan Curtis......Sumie Workshop. Photo: Jan Curtis......Secrets of the Bush header......MCTC performance. Photo: Ray Curtis

Once again we held our AGM celebrating our successful year. Our President, Garry Hutton presented the following report...

President's Report.
This is our fourth Annual General Meeting but also the twelfth year since the first Arts Event with the inaugural Easter exhibition. We have won a National Volunteering Award in the past and prove to still be a strong volunteer group committed to bringing art to the area for the community to enjoy. The history component of our agenda is also being addressed.

Since our last Annual Meeting we have been involved in the following activities:

• November: MCTC's production of 'Cinderella' the pantomime. Steve and Gwynn invited the Moonambel school children to take part which brought a new dimension to the mix. It also gave the children a better insight into theatre craft. Of course the old crew hammed it up once again to the audiences' delight. 
  
• Australia Day Weekend: 'Faces, Places & Incongruities' was the title of the Photographic display by Graeme Akers. We were treated to a wonderful display of Australia in Graeme's work which was changing right up to the last week. Graeme's knack of capturing the unusual as well as the known delighted the visitors over the two day exhibition.
  

• Easter Weekend: The 'Secrets of the Bush' was a trial exhibition for us as we invited artists to interpret the term as widely as possible exploring familiar images in different ways. We received 2D and 3D work of a very high standard with exhibitors as far away as Melbourne. Most artworks were for sale and we charged the artists a commission fee.

• May: Our first workshop was trialled. Artist Gerard Mangel was invited to present a Sumie Zen Brush Painting workshop at the Moonambel Pavilion. Those who attended had a very peaceful day learning a new skill. This workshop was financed by the Pyrenees Presents Inc. donation.
  

• April: The Moonambel Community Theatre Company's staged a musical afternoon titled 'From Battlefields to Broadway'. The community was entertained with songs and skits over the years. This was part of the 2015 commemoration of the 100 years of ANZAC.   
  
• The websites mahg.org.au, unravelling.net.au and a page on the Ballarat ArtsAtlas website continued to keep our activities documented. 
  

• Market stalls, barbecue and devonshire teas, when we have events staged at the Moonambel Recreation Reserve. 

Projects on the go...

• The Moonambel Lockup Walk at the Common. We are determined to see this happen!
  

• Restoring Moonambel's Anzac Avenue to its former glory. It has been over 12 months of red tape but we are nearly there.
  

• Moonambel Ceramic Centre to be installed at the Primary School.
  

• Art workshops in varied media.
  

• MCTC play 'The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society's Production of 'Macbeth'' in November.
  

Once again our small team of dedicated workers make our projects work. The creative members need the level headed art & history lovers to make these things happen and vice versa. We have built up a wonderful reputation in the Pyrenees district basically due to our respect of our team and supporters. Well done all.

Our future projects, whatever they may be, are almost guaranteed success due to this dedication and wonderful harmonious community team spirit. I thank you all.

Garry Hutton.

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