SpaceAID

spaceAID is an art auction and fundraiser to benefit Sydney Australia’s
performing arts community through Queen Street Studio – a non-profit
creative development and rehearsal facility run by artists for artists.

The inaugural auction was held on Saturday, May 12, 2007
starting at 7pm at Queen Street Studio.

spaceAID 2007 had the privilege of being curated by the delightful cartoonist
Reg Lynch of Sydney Morning Herald and Bulletin Magazine fame and the event was driven
by Boss Magazine art director Samantha Wright. This auction featured new work by
around 30 of Sydney’s progressive and acclaimed visual artists.

spaceAID artist profiles and examples of work up for auction are available for
viewing by going to the spaceAID website.

All proceeds raised from the auction go to Queen Street Studio
and benefit their members directly. Many of the visual artists who participated also benefited
by receiving percentages from purchased artwork.

The first auction was a unique experience where visual arts collaborated with the performing arts.
The auctioneer was Paul Clarke, husband of Jenny Morris – Australiasian singer/songwriter –
who also generously volunteered her time to entertain the crowd. The night also featured
electronic soul/funk music by Tam & Josh as well as performances by the beautiful burlesque
showgirls, Gypsy and Amelia Wood.

Investment into spaceAID ensured that Sydney continues to enjoy the creative work of
independent performing artists while supporting new generations of creators to contribute to
vibrant creative communities through the provision of dedicated space.

Inspiration – The potential of Space

spaceAID is the celebration of the potential of space . . . how artists can claim
an empty space and with their imaginations and fill it. From nothing to everything – like
a blank canvas or an empty rehearsal room – artists can transform space into something
of unique beauty – of complete terror – of great understanding.

The event attracted around 30 established and emerging visual artists – mostly the work was
created especially for the event. Responding to the idea of space and performance, this was
a unique collaboration of visual and performing arts where all work was auctioned at the event.
Proceeds went to the potential of space and the potential of an artist’s imagination
– when an ‘idea’s time has come’ (from Victor Hugo).

Queen Street Studio

Queen Street Studio – established in 2005 – was created in support of Sydney’s
performing arts community whose spaces are continually being shut down, redeveloped and gentrified.
Queen Street Studio supports the artists’ potential by providing a space in which to create.

Queen Street Studio is a non-profit creative development and rehearsal space that is
passionately committed to encouraging the growth and profile of independent artists in Sydney.

The Queen Street Studio project is driven by local choreographer Samantha Chester and
theatre director James Winter, who believed that by providing affordable space to the
performing arts sector, Sydney artists would be encouraged to create new work – and in doing so
forge an independent performance culture to enrich the cultural life of Sydney, Australia.

Since opening, the studio has hosted rehearsals for over 6000 artists, it has maintained a membership
of over 200 artists and organisations, sponsored the Reel Dance International Film Festival,
Round Peg Productions, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Griffin Theatre and the Short and Sweet Festival.

Through the subsidised nature of the space it has supported the creation of 15 dance productions,
15 theatre productions, 23 professional development workshops, 31 creative developments. It has
been profiled by the City of Sydney and the Australia Council for the Arts and to date its
website is getting around 100,000 hits a month.

The studio is a volunteer organisation with all income generated from the hire of the studio going
back into the studio to pay rent and run artist initiatives.

List of contributing artists – in no particular order

Max Cullen | Margarita Georgiadis | Gav Barbey | Paul Livingston | Louis Pratt | John Yates | Nigel Buchanan | Kylie Melinda Smith | Nerissa Lea | Michael Fitzjames | Peter O’Doherty | Susan O’Doherty | Paul Worstead | Rod Nash | Reg Lynch | Ashley Taylor | Mark Gerada | Christopher Wright | Matthew Martin | Luke Temby | Arunas | Sharyn Raggett | Tam Morris | Samantha Chester | Edwina White | ADS Donaldson | Jock Alexander