Orbost Arts Centre (OAC) is celebrating the progress in their pARTticipate project, having now substantially completed a highly ambitious program of building and equipment upgrades to make the arts centre a more functional and inviting space for both visiting artists and the local community.
These upgrades were made possible through the Federal Government’s Energy Efficiency Grants for Small and Medium Enterprises Round 2; Regional Development Victoria’s Tiny Town Fund Round 1; FRRR’s ANZ Seeds of Renewal Grant Program and Gippsland Community Foundation’s General Grant program.
Without their funding, such extensive improvements would have been out of reach for a volunteer-run community organisation of this size.
This has taken significant time and dedication from current and previous committee members and staff to achieve funding of these upgrades and co-ordinate the trades and suppliers to complete the works.
The walls in the lower gallery and National Wood Design Collection spaces have been repainted to improve the experience for both visitors and exhibiting artists.
New heating and cooling has been installed with the flexibility and capacity to heat and cool the large spaces even during large events with many attendees.
Most importantly, the new air conditioning units in key locations increases comfort
for volunteers and visitors on a day-to-day basis.
The whole gallery benefits from new comfortable seating, while volunteers and staff benefit from those seats being lightweight and easy to move and set up.
New folding conference tables in the upper gallery make it easy for anyone hiring the space to set up for a meeting, a presentation, a dinner, or to fold everything away to use the whole floor space.
The upper gallery has also been enhanced with new block-out blinds, an overhead projector and a retractable screen – perfect for film screenings, performance art, or private hire.
The final touch in this extensive series of upgrades is improved and expanded lighting, which is currently in progress.
These upgrades mark a significant step forward for OAC in fulfilling its goals of providing a vibrant and inclusive arts space for the region and attracting new arts and culture experiences to the community.
As the final touches are completed, the arts centre stands ready to host a wider variety of events and creative endeavours than ever before.
With these improvements, OAC not only honours its long-standing community roots but also builds an exciting foundation for the future of arts in Orbost and beyond.
