The Riddoch Arts and Culture Centre will celebrate its 10th birthday on Friday 10 December 2021 with a program of events showcasing arts, culture and creativity from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. The community is invited to join staff, volunteers, artists and friends to celebrate the milestone with artisan markets, live mural painting, still life drawing, Virtual Reality (VR) demonstrations and more.
Riddoch Programming Assistant Emma Telford says attendees can expect to see a lot of local talent on display at the celebration.
“We have engaged many local artists and performers who have a connection to our history – expect to see art, dance, VR and music in every nook of the centre, as well as the popular artisan market in City Hall, just in time for Christmas”.
“We will also have a bar, thanks to our hospitality sponsor Caroline Hills Winery, and of course no birthday celebration would be complete without cake,” Ms Telford said.
Purpose-built for events and light displays, the facility was opened by the City of Mount Gambier in 2011 in the heart of the city.
“The iconic Main Corner Complex was designed to represent the coming together of modern and traditional architecture, with original heritage features of the site still on display, and a cenote curved wall symbolising the volcanic activity which shaped the landscape,” The Riddoch Arts and Cultural Centre Coordinator Talie Teakle said.
In 2016 Council took over management of the Riddoch Art Gallery and since then the centre has evolved into a space for storytelling, teaching and learning, events and community gatherings and a unique shop showcasing local artists, now known as The Riddoch Arts and Cultural Centre.
Ms Teakle, who has coordinated the centre for most of the decade, has enjoyed being a part of the centre’s evolution, saying the facility is a hive of activity seven days a week, 52 weeks of the year.
The Riddoch has always been a place to tell local stories and hold events, and now we have developed more programming in line with our exhibitions and local events to create a vibrant facility for the community to enjoy.
– The Riddoch Arts and Cultural Centre Coordinator Talie Teakle
We have developed The Riddoch shop which supports Limestone Coast artists, and we have a great following with our workshops that are developing the artistic skills of our community.”
“The centre really has become the arts and cultural hub right in the heart of the city.”
