Art Sparks – Courthouse Theatre
Thanks to everyone for an amazing evening at the last Art Sparks celebrating our recent entertainment and arts heritage! It is so important to do this, then go forward invigorated and strengthened, to continue making thoughtful, challenging, beautiful, and entertaining art across ALL forms. Art Sparks are also about making connections and I saw some good chatter going on between friends old and new. Big thanks goes to the City of Ballarat Arts and Culture Unit for their ongoing support of this great initiative.
Here is the info that was on display explaining the event and a little film featuring images of the night by Peter Sparkman and Erin McCuskey.
Welcome to the Courthouse Theatre, currently home to the University of Ballarat Live Production course run by Rex Hardware. It is also the base of the Ballarat National Theatre.
There has been much significant arts activity in the building over the years including Graffiti Dance Theatre headed by Robyn Sedgwick, and community radio 3BBB (now known as Voice Fm), among others. It is with pleasure that our young organisation Ballarat Arts Alive comes together here to showcase and celebrate this evening. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories and creativity, and those that have helped bring this event together!
A word from BAA Vice President and artist extraordinaire, Erin McCuskey-
Ballarat has always had a vibrant alternative arts and music scene. There were bands that only played Ballarat, there were records produced that featured only Ballarat musicians, there were theatre gangs and feminist collectives, our own radio station, underground screening events and wild multi-arts events in town and, literally, in the country.
Once Ballarat was one of the largest inland cities in Australia, however that was just a title, in reality it was a traditional country town where it seemed like everyone knew you, even the local cops (woe betide you). The only thing for artists to do was to experiment in the safety of their own pubs. The Rat, the Union, the Camp, the Pro. And if the pubs couldn’t hold us then then we’d bloody well create our own and Grainery was born from an abandoned grain store in the centre of town.
And if the pub didn’t suit then people homes. parks, city buildings, cellars and alleyways. we used it all. The federal, state and local politics of the time were crushing young spirits with an emphasis on responsible citizenry. Art wasn’t high on the agenda so we did it anyway, in spite of, we had to!
Tonight we celebrate Ballarat, the rebels who railed and the artists, musicians, filmmakers, performers and all those who outraged the citizens. They have created the possibilities we have today. Rock on…
On display in the foyer tonight we have images by Peter Sparkman of the 1995 Fire in the Green event, footage of Kat Pengelly’s Fashion Freak Show Extravaganza of the same year, and images of Graffiti Dance Theatre.
You will also see comic strip artworks by Spectrum Girl, closely linked to Grainery Lane: an arts venue and community formed by a committee of local artists in 1994 and which closed in early 2008. It supported thousands of performers and artists over the years, many of which will be featured tonight in the archives of Rex Hardware, showing inside the theatre.
We also had the pleasure of seeing two films by Erin McCuskey, linking beautifully into the evening- ‘Said She Found Stars on the Floor’ featuring Patrick McCabe, and ‘Look at the Balloons’ following the planning of a mock arts festival featuring many familiar faces!
Art Sparks at the Courthouse from Amy Tinderbox on Vimeo.
Another priority of Art Sparks are to showcase different venues and it was very fitting to hold this celebration in the Courthouse Theatre. Here is some history of the building prepared by Rex Hardware:
History of the Courthouse
The former Ballarat Supreme Court in Lydiard St Sth Ballarat is one of Ballarat’s finest heritage buildings, and sits next to the 1862 ‘Old Ballarat Gaol’ , and was constructed in 1868. It was used as a Courthouse up until the early 1940’s when a new building was constructed in Camp St.
A History of The Courthouse, Lydiard St Sth – SMB
(to be updated/corrected as more info comes to hand…)
1868 – Construction completed for Supreme Court Building
1870 – Supreme Court Building opened by Sir Redmond Barry
1944 – The Former Supreme Court House was vacated by Federal Authorities and was allotted for SMB purposes
1947 – Electrical Department transferred to Former Courthouse in Lydiard Street
1970s-Carpentry Department transferred to Courthouse
1982 – Performing Arts Music Programs commence at Courthouse Building SMB
1983 – 3BBB Community Radio granted a lease on part of the Building, inc. downstairs jail cells
1983 – 3BBB Community Radio occupies rear of the Courthouse and commences test transmissions
1984 – Former CourtHouse building restored to accommodate Performing Arts at SMB TAFE and building becomes a Theatre.
1985 – Courthouse Theatre used for Theatrical productions including Theatre Sports and Ballarat Theatre Workshop
1986 – 3BBB commences full time broadcasting, using the rear room as an OnAir Studio, downstairs for office and Studio 2
1988 – Lighting Grid designed by John Beckett installed at Courthouse, with financial assistance from Ballarat National Theatre
1988 – Ballarat National Theatre commences using Courthouse for Productions during Term breaks on a 10 year deal
1994 – Performing Arts and Music Courses continue using The Courthouse for classes and productions
1995 – Technical Theatre Production classes and productions commence at The Courthouse
1999 – First ever Live Internet Broadcast produced from The Courthouse by Dip. of Entertainment Course
2000 – Diploma of Music Course commences at The Courthouse and recording studio established in old jail cells
2001 – Technical Production, Community Theatre and Music Courses share busy course delivery at The Courthouse
2005 – Music Course moves to Camp Street Campus
2009 – Small Companies and Community Theatre Course moves to Camp St Campus
2009 – Advanced Diploma of Live Production Course has sole occupancy of Courthouse Theatre with Ballarat National Theatre during Term breaks.
2011 – Rear dressing rooms converted to multi-purpose classroom and control room with Audio and Video patching into Theatre
The Courthouse Theatre is now home to the Advanced Diploma of Live Production, Theatre and Events course as well as the Live on Lydiard Shows! During some Term Breaks, Ballarat National Theatre present Theatre Productions – See www.bnt.org.au
Thanks again everyone!!
