Narooma School of Arts is delighted to receive a $7.27m grant from the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (BLER) Fund to build the much needed community-owned Narooma Arts & Community Centre (NACC).
“We’re absolutely thrilled; it will be such a boost to local morale as will the other successful projects,” said Narooma School of Arts President Jenni Bourke.
“The NACC with its three multi-use studios/rooms and gallery will be the heart of our community for everyone to use, young and old, and it will enrich our wider community well into the future. Its uses are only limited by everyone’s imagination.
“What’s so fantastic about its design is it’s a community initiative to meet long term community needs and has been extensively thought through over more than 10 years.
“It’s really important to remember the many people who have worked so hard towards this vision over the years, including our architect CK Architecture.”
Narooma School of Arts owns land and buildings on behalf of the community valued at $3m, and manages and enhances them on the community’s behalf for the Arts in its broadest sense. These buildings are the Kinema, Gallery and Studios.
Mrs Bourke said the ongoing benefits of the NACC Project far outweigh the costs with major community health and wellbeing benefits for the whole region as well as economic benefits, particularly through cultural tourism and training and job opportunities.
She said the NACC Project met all assessment criteria for BLER funding.
“Narooma township was a relatively safe haven during the bushfires and played a critical role as a major evacuation centre for a wide area for about five weeks,” she said. “The NACC’s location and construction mean it could also play a role as a backup evacuation centre should it ever be needed in the future.”
For more information about the NACC Project, see www.naroomaschoolofarts.com.au.
Above: Celebrating news of the BLERF grant for the NACC are Narooma School of Arts’ President Jenni Bourke, left, Rob Hawkins, Joy Macfarlane, Anne McCusker, Jenny Hain, Suzanne Dainer, Ingeborg Baker and Laurelle Pacey; front, Charley Bourke. Photo by Noi Snith.
