18 December 2012

Megalo surrenders in the War Upon The Print Makers

| johnboy
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CityNews reports that the Megalo Printers have had enough in the fight over the Fitters’ Workshop:

Artistic director Alison Alder has written to ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher on behalf of the Megalo Board of Management, reiterating the board’s belief that “the relocation of Megalo to the Fitters Workshop remains the most appropriate course of action and that the Workshop would be a superb location for a print studio and gallery of such national and international standing.”
The letter goes on, “However, the continuing delays show no sign of abating, and indeed are having an increasingly negative impact on Megalo. We are therefore putting forward two new proposals.”

The Board has resolved to work with the Government to move Megalo into temporary premises in specially adapted Southern Offices on Wentworth Avenue, while also working with the Government to design and build a permanent purpose-built home for Megalo in the centre of the Kingston Visual Arts Precinct.

One hopes that the music groups demanding an unchanged Fitters’ Workshop will be billed a suitable fee to have it left inviolate all year around.


UPDATE 18/12/12 15:25: The Greens Caroline Le Couteur who lead the charge against Megalo has had a celebratory tweet:


UPDATE 18/12/12 15:49: Chief Minister Gallagher has tweeted the Megalo letter which is a hell of a way to run a railroad.

And we have a reply:

letter letter

UPDATE 18/12/12 16:21: The letters are now on the Chief Minister’s website.


UPDATE 18/12/12 16:31: Shane Rattenbury has joined the party:

“The ACT Greens welcome this development. There was a need for compromise on this issue and I’m glad we have found it. I was pleased to have been able to work with the Chief Minister to find a solution to this long standing dispute” said Mr Rattenbury.

“It is a good outcome that the Fitters’ Workshop will be retained for a range of community events. It is a unique building and it deserves to be enjoyed by a diversity of Canberrans.

“It is good news that Megalo will now move into the area to add their colour to the Arts precinct. They will bring a strong contribution to the character of the area as the precinct continues to develop to its full potential over coming years” Mr Rattenbury said.

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cranky said :

So there is apparently about $5.75 million dollars on the counter for the (maybe) 350 members of Megallo to persue their craft.

Just where do the 5% of the ACT electorate who have voted for the Motorists get a penny to get any sort of venue for their interest?

So they all had just the one you think?

GardeningGirl10:01 pm 19 Dec 12

poetix said :

Some of us will be watching closely for the first outbreak of carpet sales there. It’s a looming threat.

A very well orchestrated campaign, peeps.

Heehee. 🙂

poetix said :

Some of us will be watching closely for the first outbreak of carpet sales there. It’s a looming threat.

I’d be floored if that happened.

cranky said :

So there is apparently about $5.75 million dollars on the counter for the (maybe) 350 members of Megallo to persue their craft.

Just where do the 5% of the ACT electorate who have voted for the Motorists get a penny to get any sort of venue for their interest?

Ummmmmmmm…… roads?

So there is apparently about $5.75 million dollars on the counter for the (maybe) 350 members of Megallo to persue their craft.

Just where do the 5% of the ACT electorate who have voted for the Motorists get a penny to get any sort of venue for their interest?

Some of us will be watching closely for the first outbreak of carpet sales there. It’s a looming threat.

A very well orchestrated campaign, peeps.

GardeningGirl7:21 pm 19 Dec 12

El_Mariachi said :

It’s nice to see some movement on this issue. The Fitters was always the wrong building for a bunch of printing presses. I just hope a lot of other people use the Fitters now to justify all the angst.

+1

screaming banshee said :

Richard Bender said :

Notably absent is the option of Megalo purchasing and fitting out its own workshop, rather than leaching off the taxpayer.

+eleventyzillion

Or using the facilities in Watson they already have fitted out for them.

screaming banshee7:31 pm 18 Dec 12

Richard Bender said :

Notably absent is the option of Megalo purchasing and fitting out its own workshop, rather than leaching off the taxpayer.

+eleventyzillion

Richard Bender6:52 pm 18 Dec 12

Notably absent is the option of Megalo purchasing and fitting out its own workshop, rather than leaching off the taxpayer.

Just to add a little “I told you so”, pretty much all the burghers of Canberra not at the centre of this internecine war amongst artists were in unison on this all along: Megalo should have a purpose-built facility in the “arts precinct” (since they insist on abandoning the inner north) and forget stuffing up a beautiful old building. If Megalo had listened, their building would probably be at lockup stage right now.

Zed said :

Hey I wonder what will get built first- the Belconnen Arts Centre (7 years and waiting) or a new building for Megalo????

I have my money on the Belconnen Arts Centre, seeing as how it’s been built and open for some time now. You really need to get out more.

http://www.belconnenartscentre.com.au/about/building.html

This is excellent news. Megalomaniacs indeed. Good thing they have their comeuppance – the Fitters’ Workshop is too beautiful a space to be occupied by industrial art practice. It needs to be occupied by people who are prepared to share.

Caroline who?

Has she got herself another rent-seeking possie somewhere, or is that the view of someone whose views were rejected the the ACT people?

Zed said :

At last we will have a venue for all types of music- I cant wait to hear some heavy metal, punk, funk, rock n roll, electronica and more in that unique sounding space.

whos saying thats what megolo withdrawing will mean??

more likely theyll find another group that will actually use the space fulltime.

It’s nice to see some movement on this issue. The Fitters was always the wrong building for a bunch of printing presses. I just hope a lot of other people use the Fitters now to justify all the angst.

Its gonna be great when it happens, finally the Kingston Arts precinct will have a venue that can come alive at night.

I can wait for the Fitter’s Workshop to get a purpose built stage including lighting truss, proper 3 phase power and a mix point out a front.

At last we will have a venue for all types of music- I cant wait to hear some heavy metal, punk, funk, rock n roll, electronica and more in that unique sounding space.

I had thought that the ACT Labor Government was only interested in visual arts, paying only token interest in classical, jazz and choral groups.
Now I can see that the great majority of music styles that attract an audience each week is not going without support any longer.

Hey I wonder what will get built first- the Belconnen Arts Centre (7 years and waiting) or a new building for Megalo????

About bloody time. I know nothing about Megalo and I’m not in the habit of paying for music (or any arts really), but it always seemed so pig headed that Megalo’s people were trying to defend the indefensible whenever I happened to pay any attention to this squabble. Printing equipment can be housed anywhere. Besides, if the acousics in this building were as good as everybody said they were, it probably wouldn’t be an ideal place for loud printing equipment anyway.

Hallelujah

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