SMALL Mallee towns with big creative aspirations are considering their options, with a generous arts funding opportunity soon open for business.
Small Town Transformations (STT), a program administered by Regional Arts Victoria (RAV), offers grants of $350,000 six Victorian towns with populations of 2000 people or less.
The money is spent on a big two-year project and the pilot program, which took place from 2012 to 2014, saw five regional towns transformed in a myriad of ways, including the creation of a Chinese garden in Avoca, an arts hub in Dookie and a historic theatre renovation in Ouyen.
Lake Boga, population 700, missed out last time after it was shortlisted from 65 applicants to the top eight and several residents are eager to have another tilt.
Local artist John Fowler planted the seed of the idea two years ago, working closely with Lake Boga Inc to get the previous application off the ground — a proposal to light up the town with solar technology.
Mr Fowler said the first application had “very good support” from all Lake Boga community groups who recognised that the flow on effects to the community would be enormous and would help put Lake Boga on the map.
“What we had proposed was to highlight objects, the entrance to the lake, the entrance to the town…all done with solar lighting,” Mr Fowler said.
“If you drive up the highway at night there’s nothing to say you’re in Lake Boga.
“The prime object that I’d love to see is the lighting of the lake.
“Instead of having a black hole of nothing there would be sparkling light.
“Not glaring floodlights but specialised lighting designed to reflect not intrude.”
No formal decision has yet been made by Lake Boga Inc to pursue the funding this time around, but community members will be attending information sessions — to be held in Nyah West and Cohuna in the week beginning Monday, November 30, with interest.
For more on this story, pick up Wednesday’s paper (November 18).
