Shepparton’s creative pulse
WITH more than 94,000 people through the doors in the last year, the Shepparton Art Museum has continued to build the region’s reputation as an exciting destination for arts and culture.
The team at the Shepparton Art Museum have serviced more community members this year than ever before, with local visitors representing almost 60% of the overall visitation. Excitingly, the Museum is attracting visitors from across Australia, particularly major metropolitan centres such as Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
As SAM draws closer to its 2nd anniversary in its new home, SAM CEO Melinda Martin and Head of Engagement Gabriella Calandro reflect on the fruitful experiences of the past year.
“Stepping into the position of SAM CEO in July 2022, I was eager to become part of the wonderful Goulburn Vallery community and to join SAM at this exciting stage in its journey,’ reflects Ms. Martin.
“SAM is a gathering place that fosters connection through unique, enriching arts and cultural experiences. It’s a place that brings generations together and allows us to better understand the ancient cultures of this country and contemporary multicultural Australia through the power of storytelling. SAM is a place that we can all contribute to in our own way, and every day yields exciting new opportunities for our community.”
In the past year, in addition to 21 new exhibitions featuring 368 artists, SAM has hosted over 150 programs that have welcomed more than 5,300 participants from across the region.
“SAM’s events, programs and gallery activations are designed to connect us and allow our community to engage with new ideas, gain new skills and meet new people,” Ms. Calandro explains.
“As an art museum, our core mission and vision are expressed through our rich showcase of rotating exhibitions. Our engagement programs help deepen their relevance and resonance with our audience. This year we created more opportunities for our community to experience SAM, from our SAM Baby program for our smallest visitors, to stimulating curious minds with our Deep Dives lecture series. SAM is a shared cultural and creative space that will continually evolve to complement our community’s changing needs.”
