Kickarts. The
beginning.
On c.15 March1992 I placed a notice in the Cairns Post,
calling for:
“PERSONS interested in supporting the formation of a locally based contemporary artists association which would; 1) Operate as an advocacy mechanism for the collective benefit of contemporary artists working in the Cairns and surrounding regions; 2) Focus on the creation of an innovative artist-run-initiative; 3) With a particular view to the establishment of a professionally operated printmaking and multi-media workshop. Please contact either Mr.Donald Coventry, Ph (070)316865 or Mr. Garry Andrews, artist, Ph (070) 545800.”
As a result of the subsequent meeting which was attended by thirteen
interested supporters of the idea, regular meetings were held in Cairns and the
groundswell which was soon to become Kickarts had started.
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| 1993. Catalogue for Kickarts inaugural exhibition. Cover design:Garry Andrews |
At the next meeting I was elected Chairman and other office
bearers were elected including Ingrid Hoffman as Secretary. I moved that the
new organisation was to be called Kickarts, and this was accepted unanimously
by those present, who included Donald Coventry, Director of the Gallery of
Fine Art Cairns and District who put had
his support behind the new organisation. Whilst I wanted to start Kickarts with
setting up of a printmaking facility, this idea was put aside, as I deferred to
the wishes of the collective to hold an inaugural art exhibition. This idea
took hold of the increasing number of members and ultimately manifested in the satirically
entitled exhibition “The Fish John West Regrets” featuring contemporary work by
eighteen regional artists, which was held at the then Gallery of Fine Art
Cairns and district, from 6-27 August 1993. Funding was sought for the
exhibition through Arts Queensland R.A.D.F. which enabled the appointment of a
curator, Chris Downie, who worked with artists of the north, curating the
exhibition which was a resounding success. A catalogue was produced with
support of R.A.D.F and the Cairns Regional Gallery. Downie’s essay concluded with the comment
“Kick Arts is an important development in the region and I am sure there will
be important consequences that follow from this beginning.”(1). The exhibition was coordinated by Annette Kadarchie, enthusiastically supported by
Kickarts members, who even generated a concurrent “satellite” exhibition “Other Schools of
Thought” with thirty three artists participating. TFJWR went by the tagline: “An exhibition of
experimental work challenging the notions of what art is”. It certainly did
that, generating much public debate as the
flood of letters which followed the launch of the exhibition, to the editor of
the Cairns post confirm. My involvement with Kickarts in the capacity of
(foundation) chairman included the overseeing of the process of incorporation
as a structured business entity.
Background
I had achieved a
successful career as an artist/teacher in Cairns: as between 1983-85 I had,
along with Thomas Vudrag, Anna Eglitis, Thanakupi and James Last, been directly
involved in the setting up-achieving accredited academic certification, and the operation of the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander art course. After a 12 week pilot program (late 1983), this manifested in “The Art Centre” located at the
old Hanushes cordial factory in Cairns, where I taught screenprinting until the end of 1985. At that time I was also active on the
board of directors of Cairns Artists United’s Alfred St. Art Centre at Manunda,
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| 1985. Tafe Art Centre, Cairns.Course coordinator Tom Vudrag with student displaying indigenous students batiks |
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| 1985 Tafe ATSI Students exhibition, C.A.U.Alfred St. Art Centre Manunda, Cairns. |
After 1986 I had spent
several years working in Sydney as a muralist and community artist with
Public Art Squad; had painted the ABC
Greentrain in Brisbane, and had returned to Cairns to teach again at the Tafe
College ATSI Art program. When the Labor Goss government came to power in
Queensland, they brought in Arts Queensland and an intention to support the arts in regional Queensland.
That, combined with the new Cairns Regional Gallery had created a favourable environment for the consolidation of local artists into a pro-active
organisation to benefit from the new developments. My vision for Kickarts was
for a broad based artists collective/ artist- run- inititiative, which would
realise all three points articulated in The Cairns Post notice of March 1992.
Kickarts was successful very quickly, and has continued to grow with the support of many artists and
artsworkers to become a high profile
successful regional Arts organisation, strongly supported by Arts Queensland,
now known as Kickarts Contemporary Arts Limited. In 2004 moving into the Centre
of Contemporary Arts building with Just Us Theatre Ensemble.
Over the last three decades, many artists have contributed
to the ongoing development of the arts industry in Cairns and north Queensland.
These include John Kibby (CAU), Ian
Smith, Anna Eglitis, Vernon Ah Kee, Jenuarrie Warrie, Vaughan Rees, Nick Mills, Robert Munday
(TAG), Jude Marsland, Greg Adams, Sue Ryan, Ian and Ann Horne, Roger Quinn, Russell Milledge, and Carmel Collingwood and to name some of those who have been
important contributors to the development of cultural life in Cairns and north
Queensland.
Those who attended my
announced meeting held at
Graft’n’arts of the 27 March 1992 were myself,
Kerry Eaton, Ingrid Hoffman, Joy Stewart, Julie Paulsen, Marina Muecke,
Maree Liddell, Sabina Carney, Margot Grant, John Emerson, Jack Grant, Gail
Brookes, Jude O’Connell and Carrie Bies.
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| 2012. Vernon Ah Kee and Garry Andrews. |
Kickarts celebrates 20 years of supporting visual arts in
North Queensland during 2012. I congratulate all those individuals who contributed to the Kickarts project and to the growth of the arts in the region, and I wish them every success for the future.
Footnotes:
1. From The fish John West Regrets. Catalogue, Published by Kickarts Collective inc.1993. ISBN 0646 1496 4
Garry Andrews
Artist
Foundation Chairman and life Member of Kickarts.
