In Part 1 I shared that after a particularly abundant season in the patch I had come to the conclusion that growing tomatoes had a lot in common with making ideas reality. It’s not so crazy. The resilience, patience and preparation needed for a good harvest is also needed to successfully cultivate, and ultimately harvestContinue reading “Making ideas reality is a lot like growing tomatoes. Part 2- The Harvest”
Author Archives: kathmelbourne
Making ideas reality is a lot like growing tomatoes (Part 1)
It’s become pretty clear lately that implementing a new idea in a creative practise or a not for profit is a lot like gardening. If seeds are like ideas… The soil = conditions in which the idea can take hold and grow. Your garden beds are a lot like the financial foundations you create toContinue reading “Making ideas reality is a lot like growing tomatoes (Part 1)”
The Side Hustle – how it can make your arts life more sustainable
The side hustle. It’s the ‘other thing’, the thing that sometimes pays your bills when work in the arts is slow. The thing that can sometimes finance the very activities that grant bodies are funding less of, particularly as budgets and success rates become smaller. Sometimes the side hustle is the thing that provides mostContinue reading “The Side Hustle – how it can make your arts life more sustainable”
Melbourne, the arts, circa early 2000’s, defining values, creating indelible change.
Yesterday I took a trip into the messy back corridors of memory to access one of the most cherished periods of my career for a book about Melbourne performance. It’s a complex period of time for me- primarily because I lost my partner Geoff to a fatal motorbike accident in 2007 and in so manyContinue reading “Melbourne, the arts, circa early 2000’s, defining values, creating indelible change.”
The ethics of arts reviewing on a small island’
This week I did an interview on ABC radio and was prompted by the producer Rachel to think about the challenges and importance of the reviewing work I do for ArtsHub. We live and work on a small island called lutruwita (Tasmania). Most of us work in similar circles, and we know each other socially.Continue reading “The ethics of arts reviewing on a small island’”
Arts audiences- nurturing curiosity
I’ve been writing about the Ten Days on the Island Festival in Tasmania for a commission with ArtsHub. This weekend just gone has seen me in the North of Tasmania. I’ve seen 8 shows now, and have another 5 to go, when the festival moves to Hobart this weekend. It’s got me thinking about audienceContinue reading “Arts audiences- nurturing curiosity”
Do you want your coffee in a cup or a mug? Ruminating on Tassie life.
For the past week I’ve been spending most of my time driving a Winnebago through remote and far north Tassie communities following the Ten Days on the Island Festival for ArtsHub. It’s reminded me again that for the most part Tassie hasn’t been ‘Monafied’*. It’s still the warm, friendly country town where everyone knows eachContinue reading “Do you want your coffee in a cup or a mug? Ruminating on Tassie life.”
Ten Days on the Island and my epic adventure through the heart of it all.
I’m setting out tomorrow at dawn for what started as a crazy idea I pitched to my rather fantastic Editor Richard Watts, at ArtsHub. You see, I wanted to undertake Festival Director Lindy Hume’s challenge of taking an epic journey through Tasmania; to navigate with intrepid curiosity both the festival program and the landscape. IContinue reading “Ten Days on the Island and my epic adventure through the heart of it all.”
Need a little help to cut through the white noise?
This week I’ve been talking to a number of colleagues in the arts industry and NFP’s about the challenges of working in small organisations with limited executive staff, particularly in regional and remote areas. They spoke of isolation, a lack of trusted networks and experienced people to bounce ideas off; and the tricky task ofContinue reading “Need a little help to cut through the white noise?”
Access all areas?
This week I’ve been pondering about diversity. Particularly I’ve been pondering about the people and organisations who passionately pursue it as a measure of their success, and those who, by their communications and systems (sometimes without thinking), prevent it. Last night I attended an information session for a tremendous organisation sharing a fantastic opportunity toContinue reading “Access all areas?”