Lake Mac GLAM conference focuses on closing the gap

Published on 28 February 2022

Speakers from across the country will impart their wisdom at this year’s Lake Mac GLAM conference, which has a keen focus on sharing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples culture in artistic spaces.

Keynote speaker Dr Terri Janke, a Wuthathi/Meriam woman from Far North Queensland, is an Indigenous lawyer, internationally recognised for her efforts in advancing the social justice of Indigenous Australians.

“I have dedicated my career to boosting engagement and employment amongst First Nations people and I am very excited to share what I have learnt along the way at Lake Mac,” Ms Janke said.

“I’ll be sharing a roadmap about enhancing Indigenous engagement in museums and galleries and delving into ways organisations can build trust, bridge gaps and ensure authenticity in arts and cultural programming.”

Lake Macquarie City Council’s Arts, Culture and Tourism Manager Jacqui Hemsley said more than a dozen speakers will feature at the conference which showcases innovative ways to create engaging cultural experiences at galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAM).

“This is really important because the arts, museum and cultural landscape is constantly evolving with emerging technologies changing the way the sector operates,” Ms Hemsley said.

“This event was postponed last year due to COVID-19 restrictions, so we’re very excited to see it take off.”

The two-day event starts on Thursday 3 March at Warners Bay Theatre, baramayiba where attendees will hear from speakers, attend workshops and tour the city’s Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima.

Multi-Arts Pavilion Curator and Operations Coordinator Pippa Budge will take attendees through the creative space.

“The Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima is a high-tech creative canvas for contemporary art, filled with lighting displays and soundscapes that explore modern and ancient culture,” Ms Budge said.

“I am particularly excited to showcase how Lake Mac is using art to engage the community in Indigenous culture, and highlight the rich and diverse talent creating art in our region.”

Other industry leading speakers hail from Sydney Living Museums, City of Melbourne libraries, Accessible Arts, The University of Newcastle and the University of Technology Sydney.

Tickets to the conference are available at library.lakemac.com.au.