By Parker McKenzie
Upwey’s Burrinja Cultural Centre has received further funding in the 2023 Victorian state budget.
$405,000 was allocated in the budget for the Creative Experiences Budget, which was shared between multiple arts organisations across the state.
Burrinja Cultural Centre Creative Director Gareth Hart said the funding was essential for all of the creative sector to thrive.
“Ongoing investment from the government is incredibly appreciated, but also incredibly essential for all artists,” they said.
“This region has such a history of creative practise dating back 40,000 plus years to our First Nations artists, but also in a post-colonial sensibility creative practice goes back here hundreds of years.”
Burrinja Cultural Centre is a not-for-profit art organisation and registered charity, based within the former Shire of Sherbrooke council building at 351 Glenfern Road, Upwey.
Hart said the Dandenong Ranges has an incredibly rich creative community because of the natural environment.
“It creates space for artists to think a little more deeply out here, there’s this different sort of rhythm to life and there’s a different set of values,” they said.
“We’ve continued to support and serve artists and the community that’s built around creativity here.”
Yarra Valley Arts also received funding through the Creative Experiences Package.
Hart said there is an exciting and diverse range of exhibitions, performances and art that will be facilitated at Burrinja across the rest of 2023.
“Tomorrow we open a show by the Bogong Centre for Sound Culture, it’s a really important institution based up in the high country, and they support live and sound-based artists,” they said.
“We’ve got a solo show of Rover Thomas, a significant Indigenous artist and a famous storyteller. While he is no longer with us, the solo show will celebrate NAIDOC Week.”
For more information on upcoming exhibitions, shows and performances at Burrinja, visit burrinja.org.au/burrinja-whats-on
