Remote Origins
- Operations Director: Madelynne Cornish
- Artistic Director: Philip Samartzis
- Design + Development: Public Office
- PO Box 456, Mount Beauty, 3699,
Victoria, Australia - EMAIL / FB / TW / IN
The Bogong Centre for Sound Culture is a remote-regional cultural initiative situated in the foothills of Victoria’s Alpine National Park. Established by Philip Samartzis and Madelynne Cornish the Centre supports projects focusing on the processes and impacts of sustainable energy production; effects of climate change in wilderness areas; ethnographic studies of remote communities; the chronicling of vanishing industrial procedures; and systems of representation used to render natural and built environments.
Additionally, the BCSC facilitates a broad cultural program comprising, festivals, exhibitions, publications, master classes and artists’ talks focusing on site-specific art practices. These programs establish a connection with place, its inhabitants, geographic space and memory. They engage a wide range of audiences, bringing together local, interstate and international artists across multiple disciplines and fields to realise ambitious works.
The BCSC is situated at the newly restored old school at Bogong Alpine Village located 350 kilometres from Melbourne in North East Victoria.
About Bogong Village
Bogong Alpine Village is 325 kilometres North-East of Melbourne situated at an altitude of 800 meters in the Alpine National Park between Mount Beauty and Falls Creek. The village was established in the late 1930s to service the first hydroelectric scheme in mainland Australia. More recently it has become a popular site for alpine sports, recreation and ecotourism. Click here for directions.
A Short History
Work on the Kiewa Scheme commenced in 1938 with the construction of a road from Tawonga to the High Plains. Previously the only access was by foot or horseback along tracks that had been forged by cattlemen of a bygone era. Bogong Village was established once the road from Junction Camp was trafficable (March 1939); this paved the way for the construction of permanent buildings. Prior to that life was tough; large canvas tents and flies were used for sleeping quarters and smaller tents were set up to house the kitchens. By 1940 Bogong Township had grown considerably with a general store, staff offices, recreational mess, police station, and a variety of accommodation such as single men’s quarters and residences for married staff and families.
Bogong State School
In 1941 the Primary School at Bogong Village enrolled its first intake of students comprising nine pupils. Initially the school consisted of a large classroom, storeroom and boys and girls toilets. Extensions were carried out in 1944, which expanded the capabilities of the school. A library, storeroom, pupil’s lunchroom and shelter shed were added and rock gardens were established. By 1947 the number of students had grown to 46 all of whom were children of local SEC workers. Over the years class sizes fluctuated and the building remained unchanged. In 1980 it ceased to operate as a school and sat idle, eventually falling into disrepair. In 2004 it was sold along with many other buildings in the village.
Madelynne Cornish and Philip Samartzis bought the Old School and set about restoring it to its former glory. The rotting weatherboards and floorboards, smashed windows and flaking paint are now a distant memory. The newly refurbished building occupies it’s original footprint and bares a strong resemblance to it’s former self. Although the internals have been modernized remnants of it’s past history remain. The Old School once played a significant role in the fabric of village life. It inspired the community and helped shape the minds of those who studied there. It is our intention as custodians that the School once again functions as a place of inspiration.
- Reference: Kiewa Kids School Days at Bogong & Mount Beauty by Graham Gardner
- ISBN 0-646-36226-7. Published 1998
Residency
ATTENTION: Due to the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation in Victoria the B–CSC is not accepting residency applications at this time. We hope the situation improves in the near future so we can continue to support the creative practice of artists working in:
- Sound Art
- Music composition
- Moving Image
- Photography
- Creative Writing
- Media Art
- Curators
- Land Art
- Environment Art
The B–CSC’s residency program encourages dialogue, exchange and experimentation. It provides artists with an opportunity to consider and respond to Victoria’s alpine environment and its attendant complexities including the tension between conservation and exploitation.
A key aim of the residency is to provide cultural opportunities to the Alpine Shire community, through public programs implemented by Australian and International artists while residing at the B–CSC. It is expected that residential artists will engage with the community creatively on at least one occasion. This could be an artist talk, workshop or some other means.
Residential artists are selected by the quality of their proposal and how it fits with the values and capabilities of the B–CSC.
Artists undertaking the residency are expected to arrive with a motivated, self-driven practice. Because of our small size and remote village location, artists must be excited by living in a temporary community of as few as two people, including staff.
The residency is situated in Bogong Village within close proximity to the picturesque Lake Guy. Established in 1940 with European gardens it is surrounded on all sides by Australian forest rich in native birdlife.
The residency period is from October 1 to May 31
Duration of residency: 2 to 4 weeks
Please note that the B–CSC does not have the facilities to host artist working in a creative partnership nor the artist’s family.
For more information please refer to the Residency Guide & Application Form