AUSTRALIAN SPIRIT REGIONAL NSW AND ACT TOURING EXHIBITION 2018
The great road trip, the Australian Spirit project went regional. Given the great outcomes that the Australian Spirit project has achieved over the past 4 years we decided to showcase the exhibition and share the concept to other regions, in a hope to inspire other communities to emulate this project in honour and support of their local veterans.
In Apirl 2018 we packed up the 2018 exhibition along with 3 selected works from previous years and took the show on the road. The 2 week tour encompassed 9 destinations throughout regional NSW and the ACT. The tour began at Port Macquarie, followed by; Tamworth, Dubbo, Bathurst, Parkes, Wagga Wagga, Albury, Canberra and Goulburn. We travelled over 3000km and bumped in and out 18 times over this 2 week period.
The exhibitions and the concept were well received in all of the regions. Visitors to the exhibition commented on the professional approach by both artists and poets and applauded the intent of the project. Many took their time reading every poem and admiring the artworks, for some they came across people they knew, what a small world we live in.
The tour had many highlights, we meet with so many interested and supportive people, further expanding the networking that this project has initiated. One particular launch at the very start of the tour was very especial. A very young lady, Georgia Ryan, recited a very powerful, beautiful poem that she had written “Thank You”, the very poem that recently won Georgia the 2017 Young Writers Award in Melbourne. It so heartwarming to hear Georgia’s recital the empathy and the passion that his young lady demonstrated for our veterans was indeed the very essence of this project, Thank You. Greg Laird, Georgia Ryan and Tom McIlveen Port Macquarie
Special thanks to the voluntary staff that assisted with the tour; Leasha Craig, Jack Pike, Rewa Betland, Karen Bloomfield and Dennis Arkapaw and the family and friends that welcomed us into their homes.
In Apirl 2018 we packed up the 2018 exhibition along with 3 selected works from previous years and took the show on the road. The 2 week tour encompassed 9 destinations throughout regional NSW and the ACT. The tour began at Port Macquarie, followed by; Tamworth, Dubbo, Bathurst, Parkes, Wagga Wagga, Albury, Canberra and Goulburn. We travelled over 3000km and bumped in and out 18 times over this 2 week period.
The exhibitions and the concept were well received in all of the regions. Visitors to the exhibition commented on the professional approach by both artists and poets and applauded the intent of the project. Many took their time reading every poem and admiring the artworks, for some they came across people they knew, what a small world we live in.
The tour had many highlights, we meet with so many interested and supportive people, further expanding the networking that this project has initiated. One particular launch at the very start of the tour was very especial. A very young lady, Georgia Ryan, recited a very powerful, beautiful poem that she had written “Thank You”, the very poem that recently won Georgia the 2017 Young Writers Award in Melbourne. It so heartwarming to hear Georgia’s recital the empathy and the passion that his young lady demonstrated for our veterans was indeed the very essence of this project, Thank You. Greg Laird, Georgia Ryan and Tom McIlveen Port Macquarie
Special thanks to the voluntary staff that assisted with the tour; Leasha Craig, Jack Pike, Rewa Betland, Karen Bloomfield and Dennis Arkapaw and the family and friends that welcomed us into their homes.
The regional tour was made possible by the generous support and assistance of
- Panthers Port Macquarie / Port Macquarie RSL Sub Branch / Mr Greg Laird OAM
- Wests' Diggers / Tamworth RSL Sub Branch / Mr Kevin Anderson MP
- Dubbo RSL Club Resort / Dubbo RSL Sub Branch / Mr Shaun Graham
- Bathurst City Community Club / Bathurst RSL Sub Branch / Mr David Mills
- Parkes Services Club / Parkes RSL Sub Branch / Mr Terry Knowles
- Wagga RSL / Wagga Wagga RSL Sub Branch / Hon Michael McCormacks, Deputy Prime Minister
- The Albury SS&A Club / City of Albury RSL Sub Branch / Mr Mark Dando
- Southern Cross Club, Tuggeranong / RSL Woden Valley Sub Branch / Mr Jim Gilchrist and Ms Bridie Macgillicuddy,
- Goulburn Soldiers Club / Goulburn RSL Sub Branch / Mr Malcolm Ritchie
- Departmant of Veterans' Affairs
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