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Latrobe’s Business Arts partnerships celebrated

By Latrobe Shire Council - 19th November 2004 - Back to News

National Director for the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Terry Budge, extolled the virtues of small business and provided examples of Australian success stories in which small businesses have grown to something large and successful; at the recent launch of the Latrobe City Business Arts book at the Latrobe Regional Gallery.

Mr Budge, who grew up in Morwell and has gone on to hold senior roles for the National Australia Bank, including Chief Economist and State Manager, also gave examples of the benefits that can be achieved when the arts and business sectors work together, and he praised the ability of the arts and other cultural activities to nourish souls and build social togetherness.

Latrobe City’s Arts Innovation Facilitator, Lynette Raven, said ‘Latrobe City businessarts – Professional People forming Creative Partnerships’ had been published to inspire others, through highlighting ways in which partnerships between the arts and business community had been formed, and identifying the benefits that had flowed.

"The partnerships formed through the Latrobe Business Art Forum were celebrated with an evening of entertainment such as the melodic sounds of Bluegrass, banjo and harp from local performer, Shaun Gardner; a short laughter session before dinner from ‘laughing legend’, Maureen Baas; and performances from renowned local guitarist, Chris Wood and acrobatic sensation Acrobatica.

Deputy Mayor, Cr Lisa Price, said the general atmosphere of the evening was one of great celebration. The artists, arts organisations and businesses included in the book were all immensely impressed with the final outcome.

Representatives from Australia Business Arts Foundation (AbaF), which actively promotes and facilitates the concept of Business Arts partnerships, attended the dinner. This included Executive Director Winsome McCaughey who spoke briefly to the guests about the work AbaF is currently doing throughout regional Australia. Ms McCaughey stated that the work Latrobe City has done in relation to regional Business Arts partnerships is a model for Australia," Cr Price said.

"The evening attracted a capacity crowd of 60 and continued well past the designated evening end time as guests mingled and networked," Cr Price concluded.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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