Queensland Art Gallery Annual report 1999-2000

Queensland Ai'i dial/dIv Visiting public continued to use the reference collection CHILDREN AND YOUTH FOCUS in the Public Reading Room, with requests for Opportunities for children, young people a n d families to information about the Collection a n d exhibitions, a n d participate in the Gallery's programs were provided requests about general art information from students through the continued development of programs, throughout Queensland. research a n d training. Major publications produced were the exhibition Kids' APT was a highly popular component of catalogue Beyond the Future: The Third Asia-Pacific APT3. This groundbreaking program of activities and Triennial of Contemporary Art, a n d Erich Buchholz: The displays was curated a n d presented specifically for a Restless Avant-Gardist. The latter accompanied a n young audience. It comprised interactive ott \vorks exhibition of Erich Buchholz's work drawn from the commissioned for children aged 3-12 >ears and featured Gallery's Collection a n d other Australian public a n d special labels, guided tours, an activity booklet, private collections. workshops a n d a website. Kids' APT attracted a large Through partnerships with other museums, audience a n d received very positive responses from publishers and distributors, the Gallery's publishing children, caregivers a n d teachers. The children's holiday program aims to reach a wider audience both locally a n d workshops a n d Sunday activities were popular \\ oh internationally. Earth, Spirit, Fire: Korean Masterpieces of other access components of the APT, attracting the ChosOn Dynasty was published in association with the significant audience numbers. Powerhouse Museum to accompany the first exhibition A lounge area with printed, electronic and of Korean ceramics in Australia. audiovisual resources for different exhibitions v as The major publication Urban Dingo: The Art and Life developed and initiated in time for APT3. An estimated of Lin Onus 1948-1996 is published in association with 26% of visitors to the APT (40 000) made use of the All' the Australian art publisher Craftsman House a n d is Lounge, which h a d a range of books a n d magazines on expected to appeal to a large audience. The b o o k will be contemporary Asian art, newspapers, reviews, videos of launched wh e n the exhibition opens at the Museum of artists talks, a n d iMac computers to access the APTI Contemporary Art, Sydney, as a key event during the website, Virtual Triennial a n d other sites of interest 2000 Olympic Arts Festival. Following the success of the APT3 Lounge, and in Smaller publications were produced to accompany recognition of visitors' needs for greater access to in-house a n d regional Queensland travelling exhibitions. information, similar resource areas were developed for As part of the Queensland Art Gallery's 'In Focus' series, the 'Jeffrey Smart' a n d 'Earth, Spirit, Fire' exhibitions. the booklet The Centenary Exhibition: Highlights of French During the 'Jeffrey Sn:art eshihition, visitors of all and British Art from the Collection Celebrating 100 Years of ages responded to the invitation to write short stories Queensland Art Gallery Travelling Exhibitions featured speculating o n the subject of Smart's painting The traveller. many of the Gallery's best loved works, including These stories were featured o n a special noticeboard and Blandford Fletcher's Evicted, some were included o n the Gallery's website. A student Artlines, the bi-monthly magazine of the Friends of 'mystery trail' provided young people with an inno\ati\e the Gallery, continued to provide members with way of exploring the works in the exhibition. information a n d articles about the Collection a n d Access and Education staff worked with the exhibitions a n d remains a n important link between the Centenary of Federation to hold Gig Y2K - a suceessldtl Friends, the Gallery a n d the wider community series of art workshops for young people aged 12-17 As part of the continuing focus o n programs for years to celebrate the millennium. Held at the front of the children, a n activity booklet was produced for APT3, Gallery o n 28-31 December, these workshops culminated which proved extremely popular with children. Its in an alcohol-free techno dance extravaganza on Tess design a n d style will be used for the booklet to Year's Eve attended b y hundreds of young people. accompany the forthcoming children's exhibition The Education section is again collaborating with 'Animals W h o Think They Are People'. the Energe.x brisbane Festival and the children's festival