Prestigious Industry Awards announced for Queensland's museums and
galleries!


Museum and Gallery Services Queensland (M&GSQ) proudly announced the winners
of the  2006 Gallery and Museum Achievement Awards at a special ceremony
hosted by the Queensland Museum on Friday evening. Arts Minister Rod Welford
presented the annual Awards to a range of organisations and individuals from
across the State. 

"Our government is proud to be associated with the affectionately named
annual GAMAAs, honouring the achievements of our many galleries and museums
throughout the state and the individuals who work in them" Mr. Welford said.

Now in its third year, the Awards celebrate the significant work of
individuals in the museum and gallery industry and the projects they have
initiated, whilst encouraging the development of outstanding exhibitions,
education projects and public programs. The Awards promote and inspire best
practice in museums and galleries by encouraging organisations to enhance
their profile for the benefit of their local and wider communities.

Nominations for the 2006 Awards were received from throughout the state as
far afield as Cooktown, Cairns, Longreach, Cherbourg, Townsville, Sarina,
Bowen, Theodore, Rockhampton, Gladstone and Bundaberg with a large number of
nominations from Brisbane, South East Queensland and the Darling Downs.

The Chairperson of Museum and Gallery Services Queensland, John Walsh,
stated "The Awards are an important component of our annual program, drawing
attention to the excellent work undertaken by our colleagues in the museum
and gallery sector across Queensland. Whether they are major state
institutions or individuals from small volunteer-run organisations, those
being recognised work tirelessly with and for their communities".

Suzannah Conway, Executive Director of M&GSQ said that "Support from the
many sponsors of the Awards enabled recipients from regional Queensland to
accept their awards in person." She thanked Brian Tucker for his generous
sponsorship of the trophies, specially commissioned and designed by
Queensland jeweller and designer Matt Dwyer. She also thanked Brandi
Exhibitions and Zetta Florence for sponsoring the individual award
categories.  She added that "Special mention should be made of the
Queensland Teachers¹ Credit Union Limited (QTCU) who has sponsored the
Awards for a third year, presenting a special Educational Initiative Award
for the second year running".

Winners were announced by the Minister in the following six nominated
categories:

Category ­ Organisations ­ Staff of 7 or more

Winner
Queensland Museum South Bank
Dandiiri Maiwar: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures Centre

Special Commendation
The Workshops Rail Museum, Ipswich
60th Anniversary of VP Day Celebrations

Category ­ Organisations ­ Staff of 1 to 6

Winner             
Bundaberg Arts Centre
Fully Sick!!! Youth Public Art Project

Category ­ Organisations ­ Volunteer Run

Winner             
Cherbourg Historical Precinct Group Inc.
The Ration Shed Museum and Precinct

Special Commendation
Central Queensland Military and Artifact Museum Association,
Rockhampton   
Outreach Trailer Project

Category ­ Individual Award - Paid

Joint Winners      
Pamela Whitlock, Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum
Lisa Jones, Queensland Police Museum

Category ­ Individual Award - Volunteer

Winner
Paulette Baxter, Theodore and District Historical Society
(Dawson Folk Museum)

Category ­ QTCU Educational Initiative

Winner             
Cobb and Co. Museum, Toowoomba
Kids Time ­ a century of learning through play exhibition

Special Commendation
Queensland Museum, Regional Services Program, South Bank
Couran Cove Environmental Loan Kits

Special Commendation
Nambour & District Historical Museum Association Inc.
Early Gardens Photographic Exhibition

The Arts Minister also commended the work of Museum and Gallery Services
Queensland, the peak industry body for the gallery and museum sector in
Queensland, who manage the annual Awards and praised the work that is being
undertaken by the organisation in Training and Professional Development.

The Minister presented RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) commendations for
achievement to the first eleven Queensland recipients who had undertaken a
pilot program with M&GSQ to complete their Certificates III & IV in Museum
Practice. "The Recognition of Prior Learning program assessed the valuable
skills that many museum and gallery workers utilise on a daily basis. The
program has been important for the sector as it has allowed geographically
isolated museum and gallery workers, including volunteers, to complete their
studies and gain recognition for their existing skills"   Mr Welford said.

For a full media release go to
View Attachment


--

Museum & Gallery Services Queensland
View Attachment

Contact us on 07 3215 0820 or email information at magsq.com.au
Visit our calendar at View Attachment for more news
and events, including exhibition dates and public programs.
Un/subscribe from this ebulletin at
View Attachment
Tell us your news by 12 noon Tuesdays to be considered for Wednesday's
ebulletin. 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: View Attachment