Welcome

by Robert Heather

First National Artists' Books Forum

Friday 6 February 2004

Artspace Mackay

Artspace Mackay holds a ‘hidden treasure’ – the Artists' Books Collection of Mackay City Council.

This Collection was originally collected by Mackay City Library through the foresight of people like Geraldine Moylan and Cathy Knezevic and support of Noreen Grahame. The Collection has a strong connection with the Lyrebird Press holding no 2 of almost every edition.

The Collection also owes much to the generosity of Tate Adams whose donation of the Tate Adams Gift provides a resource for us to explore the development of artists books.

Artists books provide challenges for art galleries and these include:

How to exhibit artists books?

How to provide access to the collection?

How to make people aware of the collection?

These concerns have led to the FOCUS ON ARTISTS BOOKS and the First National Artists Books Forum.

FOCUS ON ARTISTS BOOKS is an iniative to exhibit a range of artists books to celebrate Artspace Mackay’s First Birthday and a long term strategy of annual exhibitions to develop awareness within the community of Mackay about the artform of artists books. The exhibitions will be opened tonight at 7.00pm and I look forwards to seeing you all over at Artspace Mackay then.

The First National Artists Books Forum is an opportunity to bring together in Mackay a number of leading artists, curators, librarians, researchers, writers and gallery professionals to discuss artists books with each other. When we first sat down and put together our 'wish list' of speakers for the Forum we didn't think that we would be able to secure so many of them, almost everyone who we originally approached was very enthusiastic and is here today to speak to you.

The National Artists Books Forum is also a great opportunity for myself, the staff and volunteers at Artspace Mackay to learn more about the artform of artists books and to personally meet a number of the artists whose work is in our collection.

I believe very strongly that artistic events of national importance happen in regional Australia and it is good to see one happening here in Mackay. We have participants from as far afield as Darwin and Tasmania who have made the journey to be here today.

I would like to thank several people for making the National Artists Books Forum possible:

Our generous funding bodies:

The Gordon Darling Foundation who have provided funding for speakers airfares

Arts Queensland for providing funding for speakers fees, accommodation, technical support and promotions.

The staff at Artspace Mackay – Nick, Tracey, Pam, Skye, Somchay, and Sue who have worked very hard to pull together an extensive program that includes 4 exhibitions, 1 conference, 2 artists workshops and the development of an education kit on artists books.

Jenny Emmett who has provided us with the extra administrative support required to make something like this possible.

Mackay City Council for supporting Artspace Mackay so effectively.

All our speakers and delegates – many of whom have travelled very long distances to be here today.

I hope that you find todays discussions interesting, challenging and stimulating.

Robert Heather has been the Director of Artspace Mackay since July 2002, prior to the facility's opening in December 2002. Before that he was the Executive Director of the Regional Galleries Association of Queensland from (1999- 2002), Marketing Manager of Cairns Regional Gallery (1995-1999) and Assistant Promotions Officer at the Queensland Art Gallery (1993-94). he is also currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Queensland Museum (2001-present), the Senate Art Committee of the University of Queensland (2002-present) and the Commonwealth Regional Arts Fund Committee in Queensland (2001 - 2004).