Small town ARIs don’t have a problem with small town thinking

ArtsHub spoke with artist run spaces to ascertain whether smaller towns are more receptive to ARIs, and whether it’s a tougher gig than their city counterparts.
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A diverse and energised program at PSAS in Fremantle (WA); courtesy PSAS

Internationally renowned artist Patricia Piccinini spoke at the recent NAVA conference Future/Forward about how running an ARI – an artist run initiative – in Melbourne in the late 1990s, had laid the foundations for her career.

Her observations were raw and real. ARIs throw many career curveballs, as well as offer an opportunity for artists to grow their CVs and professional experience. That story, however, extends well beyond the cities of Melbourne and Sydney.

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Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's National Visual Arts Editor. For a decade she worked as a freelance writer and curator across Southeast Asia and was previously the Regional Contributing Editor for Hong Kong based magazines Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. Prior to writing she worked as an arts manager in America and Australia for 14 years, including the regional gallery, biennale and commercial sectors. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Twitter: @ginafairley Instagram: fairleygina