We’ve asked 3 questions of the candidates for mayor and councillor at the current KI Council election:
Dear council candidate
The Art Museum of Kangaroo Island, is a visionary and adventurous proposal which would reveal Kangaroo Island art to the world and draw world art to Kangaroo Island. For more information about the value of AMKI for Kangaroo Island, please see the AMKI Business Case. Arts and cultural tourism is the strongest growing sector of global tourism and tourism plays a major role in the Kangaroo Island economy. The wellbeing benefits of the arts in practice and consumption are also clearly documented – benefits the fire-affected community of Kangaroo Island will continue to need.
The Art Museum of Kangaroo Island committee would appreciate candidates’ responses to these questions: 1. Do you believe that Council should be an active supporter of and advocate for the arts on Kangaroo Island? 2. Do you support the community-based Art Museum of Kangaroo Island proposal? 3. Do you support AMKI being built near Kingscote on Lot 460 Seaview Road overlooking the Bay of Shoals.
The Art Museum of Kangaroo Island committee is back with a splash. We are showing en plein air films’, Island to Outback, which features KI artists at a Cowards Spring art camp and at home on the island.
The fundraising event also includes supper, a bar, an auction, a raffle, historical art and a few surprises (i.e. we are exploring a few other bits and pieces).
Please join us and help all Kangaroo Island artists on 9 October.
Many thanks to everyone who has encouraged and supported the Art Museum of Kangaroo Island committee throughout this year. We continue to be dedicated to bringing a regional gallery to Kangaroo Island because we know island artists, and the whole community, deserve it.
The Art Museum will be a catalyst for our artists to gain the widespread recognition and acknowledgement that they deserve. And it will bring the art of the world to them – through travelling exhibitions and the artists-in-residence program to help them to become even better artists.
It’s not just Island artists who will benefit – this is something for the whole Kangaroo Island, and South Australian, community. Imagine how life will change for island school students, who struggle to get to the Art Gallery of South Australia, let alone to the great galleries of the wider world.
However, our elected representatives at Kangaroo Island Council are not supporting our project in principle, nor our preferred site. We are very disappointed by their lack of vision but more determined than ever to see this project through to its completion for the artists, community and businesses of Kangaroo Island.
We are pursuing every thread of a possible alternative to make this project happen. The community told us in large numbers they wanted the Art Museum of Kangaroo Island, and that’s what we shall do.
Please enjoy the holiday season – we hope you are visiting our beautiful island. With an Art Museum, there would be even more to enjoy!
The Art Museum of Kangaroo Island will be a community space on community land.
A grant from the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund has allowed the AMKI committee to prepare a business case for the Art Museum project. This business case, prepared by high-calibre consultants, shows a strong case for cultural, social and economic benefits to the Kangaroo Island community.
The Business Case for the Art Museum of Kangaroo Island is off and running with a crack team setting out the reasons why this project would be a boon to Kangaroo Island and to South Australia.
Backed by the strong support from the community and arts industry for the project and the preferred site during community consultation, we successfully applied for a Recovery grant from the Regional Arts Fund. The Art Museum of Kangaroo Island committee has engaged Kerstin Thompson Architects to prepare preliminary concepts for a building on that site, with WT Partnership to cost the building. Consultants Dougal McOmish of Eco Advisory and Maz McGann of Play Your Part are developing the economic, financial, social and cultural projections for the Art Museum.
Architect Kerstin Thompson with AMKI committee members Deb Sleeman and Kathie Stove during a visit to the preferred site. Photo: Janine Mackintosh
If the projections say it’s a worthwhile exercise, then we forge ahead with a solid business case to back our vision. If they say it doesn’t stack up then we bow out gracefully having given it a good shot.
Landscape architecture students add to the project
A Masters design studio convened for University of Adelaide landscape architecture students explored the potential of the preferred site for the Art Museum. Fourteen students visited the site and toured the island over several days to appreciate its unique environments. The projects that emerged displayed a breadth of ideas for consideration in a landscape masterplan, and smaller features and material suggestions that could be included or adapted.
Each student had a particular theme of interest that they researched and developed. Some of the themes were light and shadow, birdlife, mallee woodland, rock garden, nature reframed, and projection art. Each project suggested particular uses and functions for the grounds, along with materials, particularly plantings, that suit these activities and site conditions.
We thank the students and in particular senior lecturer Dr Jo Russell-Clarke for their efforts and wealth of great ideas.
South Australia Arts and Cultural Tourism Consultation
We obviously believe that arts and cultural tourism are important for Kangaroo Island’s future (and suspect you do too). The SA Government is currently accepting comments on the future of South Australian Arts and Cultural Tourism. Please have your say.
Please donate
It’s a large and expensive project that we’ve started. If you are able to help please visit our PayPal page to donate. Unfortunately, we can’t offer tax deduction as yet.
Kathie, Janine, Deb and Ria Art Museum of Kangaroo Island Establishment Association Inc committee
Art Museum of Kangaroo Island 