City of Coffs Harbour’s new community cultural facilities have won the stamp of approval, collecting two prestigious awards recently.
The permanent exhibition at Yarrila Arts and Museum (YAM) and an innovative library program which taught people about reptiles have received blue ribbons at NSW-wide competitions.
“This exhibition is our love letter to Coffs Harbour and we could not be more proud of how our community has embraced a celebration of the vibrant identity of the region,” said City of Coffs Harbour Mayor, Nikki Williams.
“People have voted with their feet with record numbers coming through the doors of both the central library and at YAM.”
Yaamanga Around Here is a constant fixture at YAM and chronicles the colourful history of the Coffs Coast.
At the 2024 IMAGinE Awards in Sydney, Yaamanga Around Here was announced as the winner in one of the exhibition categories.
“This eclectic but considered exhibition speaks to the history of the local area and its people – through hundreds of historical artefacts, photographs, artworks and digital media,” said Council Planning and Communities Acting Director, Ian Fitzgibbon.
“It’s a presentation which informs the younger generations and stirs memories in others of how we once were. Gumbaynggirr culture sits at the core of the exhibition.”
The IMAGinE Awards provide an essential platform to celebrate the resilience, creativity, and dedication of museums, galleries, and Aboriginal cultural centres.
This year’s exhibitions category was noted for innovative approaches to curation, featuring projects that amplified historically marginalised voices and brought new perspectives to audiences statewide.
“The work recognised this year reflects an inspiring commitment to creativity, inclusivity, and community impact, strengthening the cultural landscape of NSW and enriching the lives of our communities,” said Brett Adlington, CEO of Museums & Galleries of NSW.
The City’s library service was also feted, winning the Innovations Outreach Services Award at the NSW Public Libraries Association annual conference which was hosted this month by Coffs Harbour.
The successful project titled ‘Our Wild World of Reptiles’ was rolled out to the community in January and included topics like snake safety and the importance of local reptiles in the environment.
Sessions were held in Auslan and Kurdish Kurmanji and the event proved so popular it will be held again in January 2025.
