Page 56 - Tropic Magazine Issue 32

TROPIC • ARTS

New sights

REGIONAL ART
On the back of several successful
decades operating as KickArts,
the now-rebranded NorthSite
Contemporary Arts is proving
how a strong collective can
triumph any challenge.
Words: Annabel Bowles
KickArts Collective came together in 1992 “I thought it was an interesting time to
with a group of local creatives interested come on board in 2018, with two part-
in presenting boundary-pushing time staff, no galleries, an extending KickArts was always driven
concepts and art events with a regional renovation timeline and not a lot in the
focus. The not-for-profit company moved kitty … but I believed in KickArts and by creative people and our
around the Cairns CBD before creating a artists in the region,” she said. constitution ensures we’ll
home at the Centre of Contemporary Arts “I knew that if we could just survive
(CoCA) in 2004 alongside JUTE Theatre, the wait to get back to the business always be governed
Ochre Restaurant and End Credits Film of delivering gallery exhibitions and by artists
Club. Fast-forward 30-odd years and events, and fortify the finances again,
its ethos remains unchanged, as well as there would be another heyday. So, we
many of the forward-thinking folk at the got to work crafting a new vision, along
organisation’s helm. the way bringing in highly competitive
Its re-design as NorthSite Contemporary national arts funding and philanthropic Ashleigh Campbell,
NorthSite Director
Arts last year was timed to follow its support. Unfortunately, after all the
home building’s renovation from CoCA to work of moving back into the new state NorthSite forged ahead by strengthening
Bulmba-ja – named by Traditional Owner government-run building Bulmba-ja its online shopping facilities and website
groups to signify house, Country or place. in March last year, we were open for platforms, while videos and interactive
However, as Director Ashleigh Campbell only a fortnight before the first national online displays replaced physical
tells Tropic, it also coincided with the COVID-19 lockdown. exhibitions. This practice has continued
beginning of a global pandemic. This wiped out our impending big Artists’ as needed over the past 18 months.
and Supporters Party and the first four Despite the disruptions, NorthSite has
exhibitions in place.” presented over 30 exhibitions since
reopening, involving over 450 artists
in the program.
“We are so fortunate to work within
highly flexible and impressive gallery
spaces,” Ashleigh said.

56 • Tropic • Issue 32