ACCA’s public programs for 2009 included the fully subscribed Berlin Files, the first thematic talk series undertaken by ACCA, and curated to coincide with Tacita Dean’s exhibition. Over its 6 week run the program included talks and discussions by a range of cultural observers, writers and performers. The series included Robyn Archer performing the one night only special event Berlin Between The Wars: An evening with Robyn Archer and Michael Morley.
The Ardoch Youth Foundation Program partnered with ACCA to identify and support disadvantaged primary students in grades 5 and 6 who go to school in the Southern, Northern and Western regions. This partnership was an extension of the successful Go West Program that was initiated in 2006.
In August, to compliment to her first solo exhibition, Tiny Movements, in Australia, ACCA presented Swedish artist Johanna Billing’s performance You Don’t Love Me Yet at the Toff in Town co-ordinated by Hannah Mathews. This event had been presented in over 20 countries since it first began in 2002 and included live versions performed by 15 of Melbourne’s most innovative rock, folk and indie bands.
ACCA Art Tours
ACCA art tours take subscribed groups to some of the most interesting art events on the international calendar. In 2009 ACCA took a group to the Asia Pacific Triennial at the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in Brisbane.
Multicultural Arts Program (MAP)
ACCA’s specially devised series of workshops for recently arrived young people from a variety of cultural backgrounds including refugees, took place twice in 2010. Funded by the Scanlon Foundation, and in partnership with the Centre for Multicultural Youth (CYMI), MAP provided opportunities for young immigrants to participate in an immersive arts experience across the forms of visual arts, theatre and dance. Initiated, presented and managed by ACCA, each program included sessions by collaborating partners Chunky Move, St Martins Youth Theatre and Malthouse over several weekends, culminating in a family day.
Go West North East South
This program offered students from selected schools in Melbourne’s western, northern, eastern and southern suburbs the chance to participate in ACCA’s school’s program by providing free bus transport to the gallery.
Infocube
This free digital information kiosk at ACCA provided access to archived text, sound and video information about current exhibitions throughout the year. This project was supported by the Harold Mitchell Foundation. Infocube also functioned as a communications kiosk and research facility for students and teachers. Relevant support material was uploaded prior to each exhibition season.
Art In Your Ear – Sound & Video files
Sound files were produced for each exhibition and some time lapse video files of installations also appeared at intervals on the accaonline site to complement the very successful sound files program.
ACCA Student Pathways to Art
ACCA’s core education program was delivered by trained teachers through guided talks and discussions to students from Victorian Government, Catholic and Independent schools. Student Pathways to Art workshops focused on ACCA’s five exhibition seasons and were personalized to meet the needs of primary and secondary students so that they could interpret and understand the art and ideas presented by artists.
ACCA Digital Delivery
ACCA produced downloadable online digital resources for students and teachers to compliment each exhibition season. Linked to the curriculum, these were designed to broaden both student and teacher knowledge of contemporary art through learning packs, soundfile interviews and discussions with artists and art professionals.
ACCA Art Partners
ACCA worked in partnership with philanthropic organisations to provide targeted learning programs linked with the Pathways to Art Program:
Go Program was developed to encourage and support the participation of students who attend lower socio-economic schools. The program improves access for students who may otherwise not have the opportunity to gain a significant cultural experience through the provision of free bus transport to and from ACCA. As an extension of this project Ardoch Youth Foundation Program partnered with ACCA to identify and support disadvantaged primary students in grades 5 and 6 who go to school in the Southern, Northern and Western regions.
Arts Immersion: Starting Points provided regionally based Year 9-12 students from Government schools with an immersive arts experience across the forms of visual arts, theatre and dance over a full day. Sessions were hosted in collaboration with Malthouse Theatre and Chunky Move.
The ARTCONNECT9 program in collaboration with the Victorian Arts Centre continued to provide Year 9 level students and teachers from Victorian Regional Government schools with a ‘Pathways to Art’ learning experience.
Look Who’s Talking
An opportunity to hear first hand from artists, curators and guest speakers, these free floor talks were held regularly on Sunday afternoons during most exhibition seasons. Discussion focused on issues arising from current exhibitions and recent developments in contemporary art.
Talk – Benjamin Armstrong, artist
22 March 2009
Held in conjunction with the exhibition NEW09.
Talk – Justine Khamara, artist
22 March 2009
Held in conjunction with the exhibition NEW09.
Talk – Marco Fusinato, artist
5 April 2009
Held in conjunction with the exhibition NEW09.
Talk – Simon Yates, artist
12 April 2009
Held in conjunction with the exhibition NEW09.
Talk – Matthew Griffin, artist
26 April 2009
Held in conjunction with the exhibition NEW09.
Talk – Pat Foster and Jen Berean, artists
3 May 2009
Held in conjunction with the exhibition NEW09.
Talk – Brodie Ellis, artist
17 May 2009
Held in conjunction with the exhibition NEW09.
Talk – David Noonan, artist
23 August 2009
Held in conjunction with the exhibition David Noonan: Scenes.
Talk – Marco Fusinato & David Rosetsky, artists
30 August 2009
Held in conjunction with the exhibitions David Noonan: Scenes and Johanna Billing: Tiny Movements.
Talk – Charlotte Day, curator
6 September 2009
Held in conjunction with the exhibitions David Noonan: Scenes and Johanna Billing: Tiny Movements.
Talk – Hannah Mathews, curator
13 September 2009
Held in conjunction with the exhibitions David Noonan: Scenes and Johanna Billing: Tiny Movements.
Talk – Alex Pittendrigh, artist
20 September 2009
Held in conjunction with the exhibitions David Noonan: Scenes and Johanna Billing: Tiny Movements.
Lecture – Jenny Holzer, artist
19 February 2009
Artist Jenny Holzer presented a free public lecture about her work to coincide with her exhibition at ACCA. Held at the Capitol Theatre to enable maximum attendance, the event was fully subscribed.
Venue: Capitol Theatre
Lecture – Charlotte Day, curator
29 April 2009
Curator Charlotte day discussed the artists and themes in the exhibition NEW09.
Lecture – Tacita Dean, artist
17 June 2009
Artist Tacita Dean presented a free public lecture at RMIT’s Casey Plaza Theatre around the work and themes in her ACCA survey exhibtion, Tacita Dean.
Venue: RMIT University
BERLIN FILES
3 July – 2 August 2009
ACCA presented the first of its thematic talk series, The Berlin Files, to coincide with Tacita Dean’s exhibition, consisting of talks and performances focusing on the city of Berlin. Speakers included a range of social commentators including Anna Funder, Peter Tregear, Louise Adler, Leon van Schaik and Steven Conte.
Live Music Event – Songs and poems from Berlin between the wars
3 July 2009
Robyn Archer performed between-war poems, readings and songs by German artists accompanied by pianist Michael Morley.
Talk – Leon van Schaik, architect
5 July 2009
Professor of Architecture at RMIT, Leon van Schaik speculated on what the architecture of Berlin might reveal and conceal of the city’s history. Presented as part of The Berlin Files, a focused examination of contemporary and historical Berlin, part of the ‘Look Who’s talking’ series of free floortalks, held in conjunction with the exhibition, Tacita Dean.
Talk –Steven Conte, writer
12 July 2009
Author Steven Conte discussed the melancholy and menace of late Cold War Berlin and its influences on his WWII novel, The Zookeeper’s War. Presented as part of The Berlin Files, a focused examination of contemporary and historical Berlin, part of the ‘Look Who’s talking’ series of free floortalks, held in conjunction with the exhibition, Tacita Dean.
Talk – Louise Adler, publisher
19 July 2009
Publisher Louise Adler explored the ghostly stories that connect the city of Berlin with European Jewry. Presented as part of The Berlin Files, a focused examination of contemporary and historical Berlin, part of the ‘Look Who’s talking’ series of free floortalks, held in conjunction with the exhibition, Tacita Dean.
Talk – Peter Tregear, musicia and academic
26 July 2009
Musician and Academic, Peter Tregar talked about ‘Sex and the City: Tristan and Isolde’ and the Modern(ist) imagination. Presented as part of The Berlin Files, a focused examination of contemporary and historical Berlin, part of the ‘Look Who’s talking’ series of free floortalks, held in conjunction with the exhibition, Tacita Dean.
Talk – Anna Funder, writer
2 August 2009
Journalist and author of the novel Stasiland, Anna Funder gave a personal response to Tacita Dean’s work, drawing upon her own experience of living in Berlin, as well as selected readings from Stasiland. Presented as part of The Berlin Files, a focused examination of contemporary and historical Berlin, part of the ‘Look Who’s talking’ series of free floortalks, held in conjunction with the exhibition, Tacita Dean.
Live Music Event – You Don’t Love Me Yet
16 August 2009
ACCA presented Billing’s performance ‘YOU DON’T LOVE ME YET’, which included live versions performed by 15 of Melbourne’s most innovative rock, folk and indie bands. These performances, held at local bar The Toff in Town, could be viewed afterwards on the ACCA website.
Venue: The Toff in Town
You Don’t Love Me Yet invitation