Volunteer Initiated Museums Program

This program offers up to $2,000 for short-term, collection focused projects, skill development and operational planning. The Mentorship and Fellowship Program supports paid staff working in museums and galleries. Mentorships are valued up to $3,000 and up to $6,000 is available for fellowships. The funding recipients are:

• Bega Pioneers Museum ($1,700) to enable the museum to engage a timber tools expert, Ralph Hawkins, to work with the Bega Valley Historical Society to identify, catalogue and number the timber planes and carpentry tools of the Thatcher Collection.
• Bowraville Folk Museum ($400) for the museum to buy a de-humidifier for the archive storage room.
• Colonial Inn Museum, Mudgee ($900) for the museum to buy a glass display case.
• Harper’s Mansion, Berrima ($2,000) for a display unit for the newly refurbished exhibition room illustrating the life and times of Harper’s Mansion.  The objects inside include artefacts recently unearthed in an archaeological dig on the property dating back to 1835.

• Headlie Taylor Header Museum, Henty ($1,400) to acquire the Mosaic accessioning program to catalogue the museum’s collection of items associated with the construction of the world’s first crop harvester by Headlie Taylor in 1914.
• Kempsey Museum and Cultural Centre ($1,000) to buy ‘hands on materials’ to use in an education program for secondary students.
• Moruya Museum ($2,000) towards the purchase of four wire mannequins for the display of costumes at the museum.
• Mulwaree High School Remembrance Museum, Goulburn ($1,200) to buy two mesh mannequins to showcase military uniforms for the “Soldiers on Parade” display.
• Norman Lindsay Gallery & Museum, National Trust, Faulconbridge ($1,000) for protection of the nationally significant collection of Norman Lindsaythrough archival material.
• NSW Lancers Memorial Museum, Parramatta ($1,000) to buy two metal display cabinets to replace two old, wooden cabinets.
• Old Courthouse Museum, Batemans Bay ($2,000) for a Significance Assessment of the local agent’s shipping ledger (Shoalhaven-Nelligen) of the Illawarra & South Coast Steam Navigation Co., 1869-1875.
• Port Macquarie Historical Museum ($2,000) to buy a lockable display case for use in its temporary exhibition space.
• Tinonee Museum, ($1,000) to buy lighting equipment for five exhibition rooms including a kitchen display room, at the Tinonee Historical Museum.
• Weethalle Whistle Stop Arts and Crafts and Museum ($1,900) for interpretive signage for the machinery collection at the Weethalle Museum. The collection was recently donated by local farmer Bill Browne.
• Jenny Cheeseman, Auburn ($6,000) towards a fellowship at the Dallas Museum of Art, USA, to gain  wider professional experience in her role as Arts Coordinator at the Peacock Gallery and Auburn Arts Centre.
• Michael Hedger, Manly ($5,700) towards a fellowship at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea to examine how the museum planned its redevelopment. Michael will use this knowledge for the upcoming refurbishment of Manly Art Gallery and Museum.
• Ian Howarth, Broken Hill ($2,300) towards a mentorship at the National Centre for Creative Learning, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, to increase Ian’s capacity to create and develop interpretive material and outreach programs at the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery.
• Tesha Malott, Woolloomooloo ($2,300) towards a mentorship at Gertrude Contemporary, Melbourne to develop her skills in project management, program development, exhibition and studio programs, philanthropy and stakeholder relations. The placement will benefit future planning and governance at Firstdraft Gallery, Woolloomooloo.
• Erika Taylor, Murwillumbah ($2,700) towards a mentorship at the Digital Innovation Labs at the State Library of NSW to help her interpret collections using a digital medium.
• Zoe Whiting, East Maitland ($2,800) towards a mentorship at Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority, Tasmania to help Zoe develop new ways to engage audiences at Maitland Gaol.