News Alert |

- Ballarat Mayor, Samantha McIntosh

You can’t help but notice our city has been transformed into a living art gallery, and what a fantastic sight it is.

It’s all thanks to the inaugural Biennale of Australian Art (BOAA) – the largest ever showcase of living Australian artists.

With more than 150 artists exhibiting at various locations across our city, there is so much to look forward to in this exciting and innovative program.

It is particularly gratifying to observe, among an impressive and diverse line-up of artists from around Australia, the work of so many talented artists from Ballarat and the region featured throughout the program.

As a council, we are proud to support this event as part of our commitment to enhancing the city’s reputation as regional Australia’s leading creative city.

BOAA aligns strongly with the Creative City Strategy, a strategy which aims to build on the city’s reputation nationally and internationally.

We know the creative sectors play an integral part in Ballarat’s overall economy and culture, so that’s why we’re developing a long-term strategy to help create a sustainable future for creative endeavours in our municipality.

It’s supporting events like BOAA which help to further develop a thriving, vibrant creative sector here.

I encourage everyone to take a look at the BOAA program and get out and explore our beautiful city and the magnificent art exhibitions and events on offer.

It’s refreshing to see our historic buildings, cafes and restaurants and public spaces being enlivened in so many creative ways through thought-provoking art, music, and culture over six extraordinary weeks.

The “whole-of-town” gallery experience that BOAA offers audiences will no doubt help drive our reputation as a leading creative industries city.

I would like to congratulate BOAA founder and Artistic Director Julie Collins on this wonderful contemporary visual art festival.