Riddoch celebrates milestone

BIRTHDAY BASH: Riddoch Arts and Culture Centre coordinator Talie Teakle gears up for the 10-year anniversary of the complex.

Charlotte Varcoe

THE heart of arts and culture will celebrate a significant milestone next month with the Riddoch Arts and Culture Centre throwing a birthday bash.

The centre will celebrate 10 years since the redevelopment of the gallery which was undertaken as part of the Main Corner Complex project.

Celebrations are expected to include artisan markets, performing arts and visual arts as well as the all important cake.

Gallery coordinator Talie Teakle said staff were excited to host the celebrations and look at what has developed across the decade.

“Over the years we have gone from being the Main Corner Complex to taking over the gallery and further developing into a more arts and cultural centre,” Ms Teakle said.

“We have gone from being focused on conferences and events to expanding into more cultural activities, art workshops and exhibitions.”

Ms Teakle began working at the centre six months after its opening and said the Main Corner building – despite controversy at the time – was intended to blend both modernism and traditional standards.

“It is one of those buildings that people have an opinion about but we also have a lot of supporters in the community that would love to come along and celebrate with us,” she said.

“The building here was designed to be modern meets traditional and it is something that attracts tourists because we get them to come along and take photos in front of the building and around it.

“The design really pushed boundaries and we are looking forward to the future and what more we can do.”

Looking forward, Ms Teakle said more video technology and virtual reality would be on the cards for the centre, labelling it as a “growing space” in the art industry.

“We will also look at upgrading the Cave Garden projection system and just people’s capacity to create art in a new way,” she said.

The birthday celebrations are expected to be held on December 10, beginning at 5pm.