It's the definitive artist's dream: space, for mind, body and soul, to create. So imagine, if you will, a beautiful stone cottage, surrounded by lush grazing land and state forest, with a caretaker to do just that, and the pressures of life lifted for long enough to finish a manuscript, a screenplay, or some other artistic endeavour. And imagine, if you will, a former Victorian Arts Minister offering her family's country retreat for up to 10 months of the year to writers, composers and artists, at low or no cost.
Welcome to Rosebank Artist Retreat, the brainchild and gift, it must be said, of Mary Delahunty, former journalist and parliamentarian. In an interview with The Graceful Taylor, Mary told us that the Retreat began life as an idea some years ago, while she was still Arts Minister, that Victorian artists needed their own Varuna, their own Bundanon. She looked around Victoria for properties owned by the State that could be converted to residential artist retreats; no luck. Then, after her retirement from politics, a friend suggested that Delahunty's Mt Macedon property was already being utilised in this way by her network of artist friends, and she realised that the retreat she longed to develop was literally her own. She read the Visitor's Book: entry after entry expressing thanks for the creative space, many from artists and writers who had stayed three or four times. Rosebank Artist Retreat was born.
The Retreat is now administered by the Victorian Writer's Centre and you can apply at any time to stay at the cottage at low cost. A new Fellowships program, Writers @ Rosebank, closes on 9 October and offers free accommodation and a stipend for stays of up to 3 months. Plus, in January, a week-long 'draft-busting' intensive with Jane Cornall will be the first of many workshops to be offered at the Retreat.
From little things big things grow (thanks Paul and Kev). The new logo for Rosebank Artist Retreat, developed by Taylor & Grace, sets it up for a big creative future.
And why only 10 months of the year? Well, it seems only fair that the property's owner, now retired from politics, is allowed to spend some time there herself...writing, of course.
For further information, follow the links.
2 comments:
Beautiful!
Thanks for the comment lovely!
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