RESOURCES
This is where you can find all sorts practical help and the latest in gallery thinking.
If there's something you need and can't find, contact us and we'll do our best to fill that gap.
RGASA: A CASE FOR INVESTMENT
Galleries in regional South Australia are much more than places where you will find pictures on walls, they are community hubs where people connect, volunteers thrive and innovation is encouraged. As a sector, regional galleries aim to grow and develop and seek to form relationships with a variety of partners in government, health, education, tourism and commercial sectors.
In 2012 the Regional Galleries Association of South Australia (RGASA) commissioned independent research to find out how public and community galleries in regional South Australia contribute to the economic, social, environmental, health and cultural fabric of the state. The initiative, called the Regional Galleries Mapping Project, produced a suite of documents which outline the status of regional galleries and the benefits they bring to communities in remote and regional South Australia.
This document summarises the material found in the Mapping Project Report and makes a case for investment in South Australian regional galleries.
The content outlines why galleries are vital to regional communities and how we can continue to support their growth and development to ensure the people of regional South Australia can participate in creative activities which contribute to their health, vitality and wellbeing.
RGASA MAPPING PROJECT
In 2009 the RGASA identified the need to have a concise representation of the services provided by public and community regional galleries in South Australia to assist them with promotion, planning, advocacy, and attracting investment to the sector.
Anecdotally, the benefits of public and community-based galleries in regional and remote areas are known, as are the challenges that these organisations face in relation to resourcing, funding and strategic planning.
The RGASA recognised that to support this anecdotal evidence, they needed a solid base of quantitative and qualitative data to strengthen the case for galleries to leverage increased funding and support from government and philanthropic sources.
In 2012 the RGASA contracted Intalink Consulting to undertake independent research to find out the current state of play for public and community regional galleries in South Australia, what activities they are engaged in, and how this benefits their local communities.
The Regional Galleries SA Mapping Project seeks to highlight how investment made in regional public and community galleries impacts and resonates across the social, economic, environmental, educational, cultural, and health platforms. In doing so, the project identifies the strengths and opportunities, risks and challenges that will influence future planning and development of regional galleries and the RGASA.
GALLERY RESOURCES
Museums & Galleries Australia (MGA) has a huge range of resources available to download - collection management, exhibitions, managing a gallery, education and outreach...and much more.
The Public Galleries Association of Victoria also generously provides access to resources for download (PGAV) - reports, research and best practice guides for the Public Gallery Sector.
Museums and Galleries of NSW are a great resource for practical gallery management information. They've divided their resources into fact sheets, templates, 'How to' guides as well as longer discussion papers called 'Thinking about ...'.