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Country Arts SA
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News and Media Centre
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Function To Acknowledge Barossa Arts Legend
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Function To Acknowledge Barossa Arts Legend
2nd November 2009
Barossa
On Tuesday 3 November at 11am at the Barossa Regional Gallery, Country Arts SA in co-operation with the Barossa Council and the Barossa Regional Gallery, are hosting a small function to acknowledge the contribution of a great supporter of the arts in the Barossa region, Ms Gerlinde Trappe.
Country Arts SA’s Chief Executive Officer Ken Lloyd said that the organisation was acknowledging Gerlinde, “for her considerable contribution to the arts in the Barossa community, particularly her long-standing involvement with the Barossa Regional Gallery”.
He continued “volunteers are the life-blood of the arts, particularly in regional communities, but occasionally one comes along whose contribution is particularly outstanding. Gerlinde is one such person, her unique passion and energy has helped drive a vision for the development of the arts in the Barossa community”.
Also at the function, the new Coordinator Community Development through the Arts, Ms Maria McGann will be introduced.
Gerlinde Trappe is a professional photographer who has been closely associated with the visual arts throughout her life. Almost an institution in the Barossa Valley she opened her own business ‘the Art Shop’ in Nurioopta in 1962.
In 1971 Gerlinde expanded the business into a large Galley and showroom in Tanunda, making the Art Shop the first large scale gallery selling hand made pottery in regional South Australia.
In the early 1970s Gerlinde also became President of the Barossa Arts Council and later became a member of the Board of the Arts Council of South Australia.
In the late 1980s Gerlinde joined the Board of the newly established Regional Cultural Council headed up by Rodger Clarke. Gerlinde also became Chair of a new organisation, the Central Region Cultural Authority which had the responsibility of supporting arts development activities for a wide area of regional South Australia from Kangaroo Island and the Fleurieu Peninsula, to the Adelaide Hills and the Barossa Valley.
During this period Gerlinde played a crucial role in securing the second international Sculptural Symposium for the Barossa Valley, the legacy of which is the Barossa Sculpture Park at Mengler Hill.
In 1993 the South Australian Government established the then South Australian Country Arts Trust – now Country Arts SA to support the development of the arts across regional South Australia. Gerlinde was appointed onto the inaugural Board of Trustees and also continued her role as Chair of the renamed Central Country Arts Board.
Gerlinde, almost from the first day that Country Arts SA was established began advocating for improved funding arrangements for the development of visual arts facilities across regional South Australia.
Although Gerlinde had left the Board of Trustees when the South Australian Government agreed to establish a capital fund to support gallery development, there is little doubt that Gerlinde’s advocacy at those early meetings was crucial to the process.
Gerlinde has been a major player in the operation of the Barossa Regional Gallery since its opening, organising many of the exhibitions and serving as the Chair of the Gallery’s Board from 2003 until very recently.
Gerlinde, has already been recognised for her outstanding community commitment over many years. In 2001 she was awarded the SA Great Regional Arts Award; in 2004 she was awarded the Meritorious Services Award from the Barossa Council and in 2008 Gerlinde was awarded the Council’s Citizen of the Year Award for her services to the Arts.
Ends
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