By DANIELLE GALVIN
AN EXPLOSIVE discussion at last week’s Cardinia Shire Council meeting about an art show in Pakenham led one councillor to call her colleagues mean and narrow minded.
Cr Kate Lempriere said she was “surprised, disappointed and dismayed” at a decision not to financially support the Cardinia Grand Art Exhibition in February next year.
She said it was “very sad” that the councillors would not support the show and encourage more creativity and art displays in the shire.
“I can’t understand this at all because I think that as much art and creative energy that can be brought into Cardinia should be allowed to come to Cardinia,” Cr Lempriere said.
“The concern from the councillors is, ‘will it take away from Yakkerboo, well no it won’t,” she said.
“We already give Yakkerboo $4000 and we give the Emerald Art Show money.”
But the councillors disagreed and said they were concerned that the show would take away from art shows run by volunteers in the shire, particularly the Yakkerboo Art Show.
Cr George Blenkhorn said the group, who ran the show, were not based in the shire.
“Cr Lempriere, I admire your passion for art, it is sincere,” he said.
“But the Cardinia Grand Art Exhibition is a commercial venture.
“In Cardinia, we have our own artistic groups, who have their own art shows where the income is critical to the future.
“The Yakkerboo Art Show committee have written to the shire expressing their great concern that it will affect their show given it is only six weeks after the exhibition.”
Cr Blenkhorn said the concern from the Yakkerboo committee was that if people bought at the Cardinia Grand Art Exhibition, they would be less likely to purchase at their art show.
“This I believe is a legitimate concern which may damage the viability of a local art exhibition,” he said.
But Cr Lempriere said Casey and Cardinia were meant to be working together and that it shouldn’t matter to councillors that the not-for-profit group behind the art show were based in Berwick.
She said by not supporting the art show, councillors were restricting the community from seeing worthwhile local and international art.
“This is a narrow minded way of looking at things,” Cr Lempriere said.
“If this was for football, or netball, or soccer or floorball or any other thing associated with sport you would not even blink – you would not blink about it.”
Cr Lempriere said $3000 was nothing and that she had supported the Yakkerboo Festival for years.
She said she would be donating money out of her ward funds to the committee and that she had been a supporter of the Yakkerboo Art show on council and as a local.
President of the Yakerboo Art Show committee Jillian Ronald attended the council meeting.
“I thought all councillors speaking against the motion raised very good points and showed they had a good grasp of the issue,” she said.
“I was pleased to hear their support for the Yakkerboo Art Show which is a great community event.
“The Yakkerboo Art Show Committee continues to provide opportunities for the local community to access and appreciate art, but looking forward hope that we can work with all groups to enhance the value and sustainability of art within the culture of the Cardinia Shire.”
