By REBECCA BILLS
MINISTER for the Arts, the Honourable Heidi Victoria MP, launched the Yarra Ranges Culture Tracks program at Burrinja last Friday.
In a bid to bring all arts facilities in the Yarra Ranges together, Culture Tracks is the newest arts initiative by Yarra Ranges Council.
Mrs Victoria said the launch of Culture Tracks was a celebration of creative energy, teaching, a very strong and connected local community and partnerships between Arts Victoria and the local shire.
“We need to remember that the partnerships go even further back too, to the people that have these ideas for such programs and pass them along to others to match such a reality,” she said.
“The local residents in these areas are so lucky that they can walk across the road and find something so stimulating.
“This program is of a very high calibre and I say a big congratulations to those who have had a hand in putting this together.”
Yarra Ranges Manager of Arts, Culture and Heritage Greg Box said Culture Tracks was Yarra Ranges’ new arts program across all cultural facilities in the area.
“Having built and redeveloped places like Burrinja and built Yarra Ranges Regional Museum, this is really the program that we have developed to bring all of that together,” he said.
“It’s really exciting to see it all in fruition, it’s been a decade journey in a lot of ways.
“The response has been outstanding, we have had lots of emails saying it’s just really wonderful and they are planning to come to lots of things.”
Mr Box said engaging in cultural activity brought economy and a sense of community to the area.
“It also brings creativity and a sense of inspiration and above all else it brings a sense of meaning to the community,” he said.
“This program that has been created to activate cultural facilities.
“They represent the soul of places they are in, which comes from that sense of cultural heritage.”
Yarra Ranges Mayor Fiona McAllister said Culture Tracks was Yarra Ranges’ arts and dynamic program of events that reflected and expressed the community’s desire to access meaningful art and heritage experiences.
“You can track from Burrinja in Upwey, Yarra Ranges Regional Museum, Montrose Town Centre, Memorial Hall Healesville and Mooroolbark Community Centre to the Upper Yarra Arts Centre in Warburton,” she said.
“I encourage you to visit, engage, take in a show or create something as part of this wonderful program.”
To see the full program of the Culture Tracks program, visit www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/ach/whats_on
