AusLeisure

Tweed Regional Museum has secured the Australian Museums and Galleries Association award for Temporary or Travelling Exhibition Level 2 for their exhibition - Small Town Queer - celebrating the contribution of the Tweed’s LGBTQIA+ community.

It’s the second time the Museum has been recognised by the Museums & Galleries National Awards (MAGNAs) over the past 12 months and acknowledges originality, innovation and best practice in exhibitions, public programs and sustainability projects.

Small Town Queer explores the rich tapestry of Tweed’s LGBTQIA+ history from the early 1900s to the present. This digital project includes the Museum’s first podcast series, a story map and an interactive portal for community contributions.

The Museum has collaborated with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA+) and Ally community members to collect, share and preserve the histories of Tweed’s many and varied Queer voices.

Tweed Regional Museum Acting Director Erika Taylor said the award recognises the Museum’s ongoing work towards ensuring its collections and programs represent all people who call the Tweed home and who contribute to the richness and vitality of the community.

Taylor notes “this exhibition acknowledges those community members whose experiences and many contributions have been largely missing from public history, and it shares stories of diversity within the Queer community.”

Mayor of Tweed Shire Chris Cherry congratulated the Museum team for putting together such a unique exhibition and added “this national award is a big deal, with the Tweed competing against the likes of the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, so to win it, is a huge credit to all involved in its creation.

“I have followed the development of Small Town Queer from the beginning and am proud of how it highlights the inclusive nature of the Tweed community in an interesting, educational and informative way. We’ve had strong buy-in from the community as well, sharing their stories and making this a living exhibition.”

Funding from the NSW Government through Create NSW helped the project come to fruition.

The Museum accepted the award at a national hybrid online and in-person event hosted by the Australian Museums and Galleries Association on Wednesday 9th June 2021.

Images: Tweed Regional Museum Acting Director Erika Taylor with MAGNA Award (top) and acting Museum Director Erika Taylor (front), Shannon Rees, Kirsty Andrew, Bev Clark and Emma Shield celebrate a national award for the Small Town Queer exhibition (below).

Related Articles

7th June 2021 - New survey highlights the value of museums during COVID-19

6th June 2021 - LEGO masterpieces showcased at Queensland Museum

6th June 2021 - Western Australia Museum Chief Executive secures prestigious arts and culture award

3rd June 2021 - Waikato Museum exhibition marks 40th anniversary of anti-Springbok Tour protests

30th May 2021 - Art Processors help WA Museum Boola Bardip tell ‘many stories’

24th May 2021 - TarraWarra Museum of Art announces curator for TarraWarra Biennial 2023

20th May 2021 - Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum announces inaugural Director, First Nations

17th May 2021 - Australian Museum showcases culture of First Nations people in events and exhibition

14th May 2021 - Timaru District Council releases concept design for Theatre Royal and museum project

10th May 2021 - Winton’s Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum receives $4.9 million in new additions

5th May 2021 - Tweed Shire steps up renewable energy program

4th May 2021 - Powerhouse Museum announces major exhibition on history of the Eucalypt

3rd May 2021 - Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art withdraws Lord Ganesha Finger Puppet following objections

14th April 2021 - Mardi Gras partnerships deliver $248,000 to LGBTQI+ community groups in 2021

9th April 2021 - Victorian Government raises Coronavirus capacity limits for concerts, gyms, sporting venues, cinemas and museums

12th March 2021 - Penrith Council collaborates with Museum of Contemporary Art for C3West Project

9th March 2021 - Applications now open for Cricket Victoria’s Rainbow Advisory Committee

8th March 2021 - Australian Museum appoints Laura McBride as Director First Nations

1st October 2020 - Athletes, Sporting Clubs and Organisations recognised for LGBTQ inclusion

4th March 2020 - Finalists announced for National LGBTQ sporting inclusion awards

13th June 2019 - Australian Human Rights Commission releases guidelines for gender inclusivity in sport

27th November 2013 - Study reveals the impact of Public Art Museums

---

Asking a small favour
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

The news we publish at www.ausleisure.com.au is independent, credible (we hope) and free for you to access, with no pay walls and no annoying pop-up ads.

However, as an independent publisher, can we ask for you to support us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine - if you don't already do so.

Published bi-monthly since 1997, the printed Australasian Leisure Management differs from this website in that it publishes longer, in-depth and analytical features covering aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues management.

Subscriptions cost just $90 a year.

Click here to subscribe.