Now in its eighth
year, the Festival of Glass is helping to build a sense of community as it
promotes local glass artists.
The Festival is an
initiative of the Drysdale & Clifton Springs Community Association*, which set
up a Festival committee in 2010 to establish and run the Festival. The
Association’s intention was always that Festival would contribute to the identity
of the growing local community while it promoted glass art – especially
by local glass artists.
Consequently, the Festival has
actively involved local organisations, groups and individuals since it started
in 2011. The committee draws on its strong links with the Community Association
and several committee members are also involved with other local groups and
organisations, including the Lions, Rotary and the SpringDale Neighbourhood
House. These organisations sponsor various elements of the Festival –
especially the Glass Art awards - and their members volunteer to help at
specific Festival events. The Bellarine Historical Society recently initiated
an annual Historic Bottle Evaluation, which it runs as part of the Festival
with the two organisations cross-promoting each other.
The Festival has involved local
schools – through its “Welcome to Drysdale” glass mural project and its
Mentorship Progamme for local young aspiring glass artists.
Business meets art at the Festival
As
the Festival has grown, it has benefited an increasing number of local
businesses in various ways. First, by buying goods and services from them – the
committee always aims to “Shop local”. Second, the Festival Expo brings several
thousand visitors to Drysdale and the Festival promotional material encourages
them to explore local commercial attractions such as wineries, cafes, olive
farms and shops. Third, the Festival’s Treasure Hunt brings treasure hunters to
each participating local business across the North Bellarine - and every
treasure hunter is a potential customer!
Local
businesses have responded in various ways and the Festival committee is very
grateful for their support. Without it, the Festival of Glass wouldn’t be what
it has become. Some businesses sponsor specific elements of the Festival, such
as the annual Glass Art Awards, the Artist in Residence Programme, the
Mentorship Programme and, of course the Treasure Hunt; others give 'in kind' support, such as vouchers or special prices.
Special
mention must be made of the Festival’s two biggest and most consistent sponsors
- the City of Greater Geelong and the Bendigo Bank. Each one’s support and
encouragement has been crucial to the Festival’s establishment, growth and
diversification. Without them, the Festival committee would not be able to
bring together anywhere near the number and range of people that it does –
artists, visitors, businesses and community groups.
A sense of historical
identity
Since
the Festival committee was established in 2010, it has learnt that the Festival
is the latest event in the centuries-old history of glass on the Bellarine
Peninsula. The Festival has initiated an online history of glass in the area:
This
history started when John Batman first arrived at Indented Head, bringing glass
beads and mirrors as ‘gifts’ for the local aborigines. At the turn of the
century, the area was known for the ‘torpedo bottles’ in which local spring
water was sold; in the 1930s, huge quantities of shell grit were exported from
the Bellarine to Melbourne’s glass factories and Pilkington opened Australia’s
first automotive glass factory in Geelong. Glass has been implicated in the
area’s growth since then.
* Now the Drysdale, Clifton Springs & Curlewis
Association.
Featured Festival Sponsor: OPSM (Waurn Ponds)
The
Festival of Glass committee is grateful to OPSM (Waurn Ponds) for
supporting the Festival of Glass – in particular, the Festival’s Mentorship Programme
for local young aspiring glass artists.
Since
Optical Prescription Spectacle Makers opened its first store in Macquarie
Street, Sydney in 1932, the company has expanded until there are now nearly 400
stores across Australia and New Zealand – including the one at Waurn Ponds, of
course! OPSM stocks a wide range of designer frames, brand-name sunglasses
(most can be fitted with prescription lenses) and contact lenses.
OPSM
(Waurn Ponds) 173 - 199 Pioneer Road, Shop T913, Waurn Ponds Shopping
Centre, Waurn Ponds, Vic 3216. Tel:
(03) 5243 9288
Opening hours. Monday – Thursday 8.00am to 6.00pm; Friday
8.00am to 9.00pm; Saturday & Sunday 9.00am to 5.00pm.
Featured Festival Sponsor: Lisa Neville
The
Festival of Glass committee is grateful to Lisa
Neville - Member for Bellarine - for her continued support of the Festival of
Glass. Lisa has supported the Festival both financially (assisting with our
advertising costs) and in person, visiting almost every Festival Expo despite
her busy schedule. Following her 2017 visit, Lisa made a Member Statement to
the parliament, praising the Festival as a “wonderful achievement” and
congratulating its organisers.
Lisa was elected as the Member for Bellarine in the
Victorian Legislative Assembly in 2002 and is the Minister for Police and
Water in the current Victorian State government. Between 2006 and 2010,
she was the Minister for Mental Health and Minister for Community Services and
Senior Victorians. Prior to entering parliament, Lisa was Manager of the
SpringDale Neighbourhood Centre in Drysdale, President of the Board of Barwon
Health and Chairperson of the Barwon Network of Neighbourhood Houses.
Electorate office: Shop G066, Gateway Plaza, Leopold, 3224
Tel. 03 9637 9654 lisa.neville@parliament.vic.gov.au
Featured Festival Sponsor: Silvan family
The
Festival of Glass committee is grateful to the Silvan family for sponsoring the
People’s Choice Glass Art Award at the 2018 Festival. The Award consists of
$200 and a hand-made glass plaque from Wathaurong Glass. It is awarded to the
creator of the most original and eye-catching entry to the Art Glass Awards, as
voted by people attending the Festival Expo. The Silvan family sponsors and presents
the People’s Choice Glass Art Award in memory of their loved one, Antonio Silvan.
Throughout his life, Tony valued community events. He encouraged everyone in
his family to get involved in their community and to celebrate and embrace its
diversity.
Get the latest Festival news
Volunteering at the Festival
Our Friends of the
Festival online newsletter gives the latest Festival news, with special
emphasis on opportunities to volunteer to help. To become a Friend of the Festival, please send an
e-mail to: festivalofglassdrysdale@gmail.com
Put “Festival Friends” in the subject bar and put your name
and address in the body of the e-mail. Thanks - we look forward to welcoming
you!
