T H E S I D N E Y M Y E R C E N T E N A R Y C E L E B R A T I O N

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In 1899, Sidney Myer arrived in Melbourne as a young, penniless immigrantfrom Belarus. Throughout his lifetime as an Australian he built up asuccessful retailing business and became a leading citizen, philanthropistand patron of the arts. Upon his death he left part of his estate to bedistributed to the “community in which I made my fortune”.

T H E S I D N E Y M Y E R C E N T E N A R Y C E L E B R A T I O N

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The Myer Foundation

Level 45, 55 Collins Street

MELBOURNE VIC 3000

Telephone +613 9207 3040

Facsimile +613 9207 3070

Email enquiries@myerfoundation.org.au

Website www.myerfoundation.org.au

Publisher: The Myer Foundation

ISBN 0-9599785-3-4

© Copyright 2003 The Myer Foundation, Melbourne, Australia

Contents

Foreword

Bendigo Art Gallery ~ The Sidney Myer Work on Paper Gallery

Brotherhood of St Laurence ~ Sidney Myer House

City of Melbourne ~ ArtPlay

CSIRO ~ The Nature and Value of Australia’s Ecosystem Services

Footscray Community Arts Centre ~ New Performance Space

Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal ~ New National Foundation

The Foundation for Young Australians ~ Breakthrough Youth Employment Initiative

Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships ~ New Economic Support Organisation for Indigenous People

Lort Smith Animal Hospital ~ The Sidney Myer Foyer

Melbourne Affordable Housing ~ Youth Transitions Model Housing Project

Melbourne Zoo ~ Trail of the Elephants Educational Program

Museum of Contemporary Art ~ Director’s Visionaries Project

Museum Victoria ~ The Sidney Myer Amphitheatre

National Gallery Victoria ~ The Myer Family Gallery

National Institute of Circus Arts ~ Sidney Myer Circus Studio

Playbox Malthouse (Ngargee) ~ Sidney Myer Courtyard

Queensland Art Gallery ~ The Kenneth and Yasuko Myer Collection of Contemporary Asian Art

Royal Melbourne Hospital ~ Education Centre and Sidney Myer Lounge

The Smith Family ~ New Headquarters

The University of Melbourne ~ Sidney Myer Asia Centre

Victorian Arts Centre Trust ~ The Sidney Myer Music Bowl

Epilogue

Acknowledgement

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Foreword

In 1899, Sidney Myer migrated fromBelarus to Australia, where he establisheda family, the Myer retail business and aleading philanthropic legacy.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of hisarrival, in 1997 the Sidney Myer Fund, TheMyer Foundation and the descendants ofSidney Myer proposed a four-year programof grants and activities called the SidneyMyer Centenary Celebration 1899-1999.The concept was launched in April 1999.

The Centenary Celebration came at animportant point in the history of SidneyMyer’s family and philanthropic legacy.My term as Chairman of Trustees wasending after nine years in the positionand 43 years as a Trustee. Following areview, The Myer Foundation and theSidney Myer Fund had adopted a newintegrated organisational structure. Also,the fourth generation of the Myer familyhad emerged as a philanthropic force.

At a muster of the extended family in1998, the younger generation demonstratedan awakening interest in philanthropy,following in the footsteps of SidneyMyer’s children and grandchildren. It wasthe first time the fourth generation hadmet to discuss their concerns aboutsocial and environmental issues.

In proposing the Centenary Celebration,third-generation member Rupert Myerwas mindful of the value of engaging the whole family in the program andaddressing some of their concerns andresponding to community need.

In his 1997 proposal paper, Rupertsuggested that the grants would:

• be visionary and have a lasting impact and benefit for the community and nation;

• be well justified and relevant to contemporary Australian society;

• be fresh initiatives that would seek effective solutions to current social issues; and

• broadly reflect the tradition of Myer family philanthropy.

With these characteristics in mind,between 1999 and 2003 a total of $16.9million was distributed in CentenaryGrants to 21 organisations. The source of the Centenary Grants was the SidneyMyer Fund, The Myer Foundation, theMyer Family Company Pty Ltd andindividual family members.

The grants were divided into four maingroups: arts infrastructure, innovativeinitiatives to address social concerns,responses to identified social need, andenvironmental innovation. The wisdomof adopting this type of program will beguided by a full evaluation of the CentenaryCelebration. Meanwhile, anecdotalevidence suggests that all the objectiveshave been met across the projects.

In our quest to address areas of needsuch as poverty, disadvantage andenvironmental degradation, there hasalso been substantial impact throughestablishing major arts infrastructure in Victoria and the application of newideas. We estimate that the program has already benefited Australia in theorder of tens of millions of dollars.

Several celebratory activities beyond the grants program were held, includingthe building of a Habitat for Humanityhouse in Bendigo and the opening of the Spirit Country collection of Aboriginalart by the Fine Art Museum of San Francisco.The Sidney Myer Fund joined theAustralian Multicultural Foundationto hold a Celebrating Immigration Ball at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre,initiating a staff giving program andconducting a Back to Bendigo weekendwhere the Mayor of Krichev, in Belarus,joined the Mayor of Bendigo to acknowledgethe contribution of one of Australia’sgreat immigrants.

The grants program could not have beenachieved without the enthusiasm of theSidney Myer Fund Trustees and Directorsand Members of The Myer Foundation,and the staff, particularly Helen Morris.It was a major activity that was added toour regular grants program, so everyonechipped in. There was a sense of commonpurpose and a valuable chance formembers to be involved more closelythan usual with the community.

Most importantly, we thank the peopleand organisations that were able to use Sidney Myer’s legacy to such goodeffect. Without excellent organisations to come up with the good ideas, hislegacy would have little impact.

The following report is a celebration of those organisations and their vision.

Baillieu Myer AC

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TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$1.7 million $1 million City of Greater Bendigo

BackgroundFounded in 1897, the Bendigo Art Galleryis today one of the most respected regionalgalleries in Australia and attracts visitorsfrom all around the country. Its collectionscomprise Australian art from the 1850sto the present, including works from theBendigo goldfields, and 19th-centuryEuropean works. These treasures arehoused within splendid Victorian interiorsand exciting contemporary spaces.

In 1997, the gallery proposed theaddition of a new wing to house moreexhibition space, increased storage areasand a cafe. The project was seen as afitting celebration of Sidney Myer’s lifeand work in Bendigo.

The gallery’s Australian collectioncomprises many works on paper. In thepast, a lack of space in which to displaythese historic works meant that they had languished in storage for decades.

The ProjectThe Victorian Premier opened TheSidney Myer Work on Paper Gallery and Gallery Cafe in August 2001.Built from fine materials to elegantproportions, the gallery provides a dedicated display space for work onpaper from the permanent collection of historic and contemporary works,

and for touring exhibitions. With itsexcellent lighting and environmentalcontrols, it can host quality exhibitionsof local and national significance. The Gallery Cafe added the final touch.

Since it opened, The Sidney Myer Work on Paper Gallery has hosted 16 exhibitions, including the inauguralexhibition of 20th-century Americanprints, an exhibition by localphotographers, an Aboriginal artexhibition and a display of Japanesewoodblocks and Indian miniatures.

Additional storage space and thereconstruction of the loading bay haveincreased the capacity to store valuableworks of art and also improved handling.

PartnershipThe Centenary Grant of $1 millionensured a contribution of $644,187from the City of Greater Bendigo. The Bendigo Art Gallery paid thebalance. As a result of the project,gallery visitors in the financial year 2001-02 numbered 87,548 a 20 per centrise over the previous year. The increasehas translated into extra income not only from the cafe rental, but also from increased shop sales and donations through the entrance.

ImpactThe new wing has firmly established the Bendigo Art Gallery as a venue of national significance. For the firsttime in its long history, the gallery hasbeen able to create a dedicated displayspace for work on paper from thepermanent collection. Staff can nowinvite the public to view this valued part of the collection.

One of the long-term benefits of the new exhibition space has been a work-on-paper conservation program toconserve, re-mount and re-frame workspecifically for exhibitions. In the cafe,the high standard of food and service has attracted a new clientele to the gallery.

Confirmation of Bendigo’s pride in its new art space came in December2002, when the gallery won the RoyalAustralian Institute of ArchitectsRegional Prize for Architecture.

Ms. Karen QuinlanDirector

Bendigo Art Gallery42 View Street, Bendigo, Victoria 3550 T (03) 5443 4991 F (03) 5443 6586 E bendigoartgallery@bendigo.vic.gov.au

www.bendigoartgallery.com.au

The Sidney Myer Work on Paper Gallery

Bendigo Art GalleryThe Sidney Myer Work on Paper Gallery

Brotherhood of St LaurenceSidney Myer House

BackgroundThe Brotherhood of St Laurence wasestablished in 1930 by Father Tucker, a priest working in the poverty-strickenstreets and lanes of Fitzroy, an innerMelbourne suburb. Today the organisationhelps disadvantaged people by providinggoods, services and shelter, speaking up on their behalf and working towardpreventing poverty.

Recent years have seen the rentalhousing market disappear aroundFitzroy, with very few affordable roominghouses for locals. Through its aged-housing program, the Brotherhoodprovides secure low-rent housing of astandard that otherwise would not beavailable to local people.

In 1999 the Brotherhood launched the“Building Better Lives Appeal” to strengthenits mission to improve the well-being ofthose on low incomes at a time of profoundeconomic and social change. The appealcontained several projects, includingupgrading and renovating two residentialfacilities, a hostel and a rooming house for aged citizens.

The ProjectThe Centenary Grant helped redevelopthe two residences, one of which wasnamed in honour of Sidney Myer (the other is known as Sumner House). Theproject began in October 1999 and thefirst residents moved into Sidney MyerHouse in February 2001.

Sidney Myer House is a high-qualityresidence for aged members of the localcommunity. The initiative means that oldpeople are no longer forced to move outof the area in which they have spentmost of their lives.

The house currently has 15 elderlyresidents, most of whom are frail. Manyalso have psychiatric problems andalcohol and prescribed drug addictions.There is a long waiting list, with referralscoming from other aged-care agencies.

Each resident of Sidney Myer House has his or her own well-appointed roomand private bathroom. They share dining and lounge facilities and use the on-siteCoolibah Day Centre, where they canenjoy therapeutic recreation. Counsellorsprovide support on health, communityand housing issues.

PartnershipThe Centenary Grant of $1 million was core funding for the $7.2 millionresidential renovation and redevelopment.The Centenary Grant reinforced publicattitude toward the Brotherhood and provided leadership for otherphilanthropists. Without doubt, itencouraged other trusts, foundationsand governments to support the projectand inspired individual donors andcompanies to make personal gifts. The appeal was held during a period of enormous demand on public giving, the result of several major appeals being held simultaneously.

ImpactSidney Myer House and Sumner Housewill have several long-term benefits.They will continue to provide housingfor aged people on low incomes living in the Fitzroy area, reduce the long-term waiting period (up to ten years) for Ministry of Housing accommodation and improve the standard of roominghouse accommodation.

The impact of Sidney Myer House ondisadvantaged elderly people living inand around Fitzroy will unfold with time.For many residents, most of whom haveled troubled lives, it is the first safe,warm and quality home they haveexperienced. The benefits of spendingtheir final years in such a community are immeasurable.

Ms. Dianne MackintoshManager, Philanthropy

The Brotherhood of St Laurence 67 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065 T (03) 9483 1183 F (03) 9483 1336 E poverty@bsl.org.au

www.bsl.org.au

Irene, a resident of Sidney Myer House

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$7.2 million $1 million Commonwealth Government

Victorian Government Corporations, Trusts and Foundations

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BackgroundWhile planning the CentenaryCelebration in 1997, Myer Foundationmembers proposed the concept of amagical place where children could playand enjoy a hands-on arts experience.

A proposal was put to the City ofMelbourne to jointly devise and fund the enterprise in the central businessdistrict. In early 1999, Council foundroom for a unique child-oriented artspace in an old railway building in thenew Birrarung Marr parkland, on theYarra River. The Myer Foundation and a Myer family representative joined early planning meetings and the designconcept consultation phase. Meanwhile,Council staff travelled overseas to studysimilar spaces.

In August 2002, Council endorsed the concept of ArtPlay. They approvedthe work and agreed that ArtPlay would operate as a subsidised City of Melbourne owner-operated resource.

The ProjectArtPlay was conceived as a place ofwonder and imagination where childrenand their families could experienceartistic and cultural projects.

Based on the concept of The Ark, a children’s cultural centre in Dublin,ArtPlay will incorporate a special playspace within the building, a garden filledwith works of art and environmental features, and an open events area on the Yarra River, next to Melbourne’s

Federation Square.

The original 1916 brick building wasrefurbished to provide a mezzanineworkshop space, gallery and openperformance installation space. A newamenities wing was added to house toilets,an office, kiosk and lift. Construction willbe completed by the end of 2003.

In March 2003, a creative producer wasemployed to design workshops at whichchildren can make individual artworksalongside professional artists. Programswill begin in February 2004.

PartnershipAt the centre of ArtPlay lies the conceptof partnership. Through an innovativepartnership with the City of Melbourne,a process of collaboration with othercultural and community organisationsand governments was initiated.

Long-term strategic partnerships, as well as one-off project grants and jointventures, are being sought and offered.Organisations and festivals that form the backbone of cultural activity inMelbourne are being approached toconsider working through the ArtPlayprogram with the youth of Victoria, 21per cent of whom are aged under 14.

ArtPlay also offers opportunities for sponsorship of aspects of the centre’sarts activities and for the endowment of art works from private patrons. Itspotential to enrich the aesthetic andcultural life of our children, and toensure that such experience is not

confined to those of privileged

families, will ensure the project’s appealto private and public donors.

ImpactThe City of Melbourne conductedextensive research to documentevidence of the long-term social benefits of arts initiatives.

Champions of Change: The impact ofthe arts on learning, a 1999 US report on seven major studies, provided newevidence of enhanced learning andachievement when children experiencethe arts first-hand. The report found thatlearning through the arts particularlyhelps youngsters from disadvantagedbackgrounds. It also found that the arts were a key contributor to overallimproved academic learning, and amedium for personal pleasure and growthof self-esteem in people of all ages.

ArtPlay is the new artistic ‘investmentbank’ for children in Melbourne. Theproject will be a beacon for promotinghigh-quality arts experiences and fun for children from Melbourne and thosevisiting the city.

Mr. Rob AdamsDirector of City Projects, Arts and Culture

City of Melbourne Level 5, 225 Bourke Street, Melbourne,Victoria 3000 T (03) 9658 9660 F (03) 9658 8840E robada@melbourne.vic.gov.au

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$2 million $500,000 City of Melbourne

ArtPlay, City of Melbourne

City of MelbourneArtPlay

www.melbourne.vic.gov.au BackgroundEcosystem services are the processesthrough which natural ecosystems, andthe species that comprise them, sustainand fulfil human life. Concern has been growing worldwide that becauseecosystems are not recognised intraditional economic markets, theirbenefits to society are being overlooked.

In 1999, after discussions with The Myer Foundation, scientists at CSIRO,Australia’s leading scientific researchorganisation, proposed an innovativeproject that for the first time could put a value on how much a bit of Australiawas worth in terms of the ecosystemservices it provides. Thus for the firsttime it would be possible to measure the full range of benefits from naturewhen measuring the consequences ofdecisions about natural resource use.

This approach was considered risky for two reasons: the lack of knowledgeabout many ecosystem processes, and theinvolvement of scientists working withcommunities in non-traditional ways.

CSIRO rarely has the opportunity toundertake such adventurous projectswithout a funding partner, and at thetime the project was outside the focus of traditional industry and governmentpartners. The Centenary Grant gaveCSIRO the chance to conduct rigorousresearch into how we relate to theecosystems upon which we depend.

The ProjectThe project aimed to study the nature and value of ecosystem services providedby a selection of key Australian ecosystems,and to assess their consumption andeconomic value.

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$3.9 million $1 million CSIRO

Land and Water AustraliaOther Donors

CSIROThe Nature and Value of Australia’s Ecosystem Services

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Ecosystem Services Project brochure

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Research, communication andstakeholder networks were established,case studies set up, conceptual ecologicalmodels designed and a frameworkdeveloped for interaction betweenecologists, economists and community.

The project partners developed aninventory of ecosystem services in theGoulburn Broken catchment in Victoria,and investigated relationships betweenecosystem services and the resilience of social-ecological systems. Ecologicaland sociological models were tested and a broad communication program wasundertaken to inform Australians aboutecosystem services.

As a result, the project established a network of research links amongresearch, land management andcommunity organisations around

Australia and overseas. Papers andworkshops have been delivered on everycontinent and a book about ecosystemservices in Australasia, drawing on theresearch network, is under way.

Components of the project haveaddressed diverse issues such as:

• the benefits of ecosystem services from a single-farm enterprise to the entire catchment economy in the Goulburn Broken catchment;

• interactions between grazing and ecosystem services of the mulga rangelands of NSW; and

• the role of rainforest insects in pollination, pest control and other

services (and disservices) to agriculture on the Atherton Tableland in Queensland.

The project network has directly affected at least eight major additionalstudies of ecosystem services aroundAustralia. The ideas generated havecontributed to policy discussions at alllevels of government across Australia.

PartnershipThe Centenary Grant attracted support from CSIRO, Goulburn BrokenCatchment Management Authority andLand & Water Australia.

Through these partnerships, a muchlarger investment was made in broadeningviews of the environment. They alsohelped attract leading thinkers in naturaland social science (The Myer Foundationname was a key factor in Land & WaterAustralia’s provision of funds).

The original project contributed greatlyto dialogue around Australia, leading to a major focus by several governmentson developing market-based instrumentsfor managing ecosystem services.

Wide communication funded by theoriginal project also attracted supportfor a follow-on markets project. It isestimated that the long-term financialeffect of the Centenary initiative couldbe more than $20 million.

ImpactThe project was responsible for a majorand permanent change in the approachto the environment in Australia.

Although our wellbeing depends onecosystems, we also degrade them. Theecosystem services concept confronts thisparadox. It has entered the vocabularyof agencies, land managers, catchmentmanagement authorities and politicians.

Key policymakers confirm that CSIROraised their awareness of the concept.The project was, for example, directlyresponsible for ecosystem servicesbecoming central to the GoulburnBroken Regional Catchment Strategy.

While the ecosystem services concept is useful in understanding and managingthe natural environment, it is only oneapproach among many. It remains to beseen how well it will work in a catchmentwhere there is no agreement about issuesand little willingness to test new concepts.

With the success of the project, there is now an expectation that the newawareness about ecosystem services will lead to greater sustainability. Butreversing ecosystem degradation will be a politico-economic process requiringchanges in the distributions of benefitsand costs across generations. CSIROexpects the ecosystem services conceptto play an informing role in this process.

The concept is influencing the way weperceive the relationship between natureand development, and is encouraginginvestment in natural capital, markets for ecosystem services and relatedresearch. Public reluctance to bear the cost of maintaining natural capital,however, shows the need for frequentrestatement of the concept before real

change can be achieved.

Dr. Nick AbelProject Leader

CSIRO Sustainable EcosystemEcological & Economic Systems Group GPO Box 284, Canberra, ACT 2601 T (02) 6242 1534 F (02) 6242 1555E Nick.Abel@csiro.au

www.csiro.au

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$3.4 million $100,000 Victorian Government

Trusts and Foundations

Footscray Community Arts CentreNew Performance Space

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African Dambai (Sudanese dancers), Africa Day Music Hive at FootscrayCommunity Arts Centre. Photo by Andrew Green

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Talking About Us, exhibition by members of the Victorian Filipino community,Footscray Community Arts Centre. Photo by Hoang Tran Nguyen

BackgroundFootscray is an industrial area inMelbourne’s west and the home ofpeople from many lands who havebrought a rich cultural legacy.

Owing to lower income levels in the past, the region has had few artsorganisations and little infrastructure.Since 1972, Footscray Community ArtsCentre has been transforming a derelictscrap yard into a thriving arts complex.But the pressure of numbers and usehighlighted the need for a larger, more

sophisticated venue to expand the

program and attract new audiences. The new performance space projectcame from well-established principles of community participation – this wasnot a process of dropping a building intoa void and hoping it would connect withthe community. The centre already had a 29-year history of fostering people’senthusiasm for creative expression.

The ProjectA sum of $3.4 million has been securedto build a 250-seat performance space as part of the Footscray Community ArtsCentre complex on the MaribyrnongRiver. The technically well-equippedtheatre will connect through a large foyerto heritage Henderson House and openonto a grassed area overlooking the river.

After delays due to planning issues, the centre received a permit for theperformance space in August 2003.Work will begin in 2004 following

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a major clean-up of the site.

PartnershipPhilanthropic grants were critical to thesuccess of the campaign. Despite theenormous community benefit delivered,the corporate sector has not been preparedto make the same contribution.

Contributions have come from the VictorianGovernment, the City of Maribyrnong,philanthropy, unions and fundraising by local business and the community.

ImpactThe new performance space will allowthe community-owned arts sector toconsolidate and expand, sending out the message that community buildingthrough the arts is valued.

The centre’s social benefits includegreater community identity, cooperationand tolerance. Among the personal andeconomic benefits are skills development,employment and improved amenities.

With more openings for involvement inthe arts, young people will become major

beneficiaries. In the long term, the centreshould begin to have a positive effect onsome of the region’s high numbers ofunemployed and socially excluded.

Ms. Marion CrookeDirector of Footscray Community Arts Centre

45 Moreland Street, Foostcray, Victoria 3011 T (03) 9362 8888

F (03) 9362 8866 E reception@fcarts.org.au

www.fcarts.org.au

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$1.6 million (development $1 million Commonwealth Governmentphase 2002-03) ANZ Bank

The Pratt Foundation

Foundation for Rural and Regional RenewalNew National Foundation

Background Australians have a special love of ruralcommunities and those at the country’seconomic and cultural heart.

In the latter half of the 1990s, however,there was national concern about theeconomic and social decline in many ruralareas. In deciding on the most effectiveway to address the crisis, the Sidney MyerFund Trustees envisaged a project thatwould strengthen the capacity of ruraland regional communities to survive andprosper. Through Sidney Myer’s historicallink with rural Australia in Bendigo, it wasconsidered important that the CentenaryCelebration would act on the needs ofcountry people.

A proposal was adopted to establish a new organisation that would enable rural people to initiate their own change. It was the beginning of the Foundationfor Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR).

A national planning workshop, convenedin 1999 and supported by the Deputy

Prime Minister, concluded there was a need for an independent foundationfor rural communities.

At the Regional Australia Summit in 1999, the Commonwealth Governmentaccepted the challenge. The summitcommuniqué recognised the ‘opportunityfor philanthropy to take a strategic role inenhancing the natural and human assetsof regional Australia for community andeconomic development’.

During the summit, the Prime Ministerannounced his government’s decision to support FRRR through a $10.7 milliongrant in 2000 and a further $3.8 millionas an incentive to raise further capital up until 2009.

The ProjectIn 1999, FRRR was incorporated and awarded charitable status.

The organisation today boasts aneminent Board of Directors and

a growing reputation for excellence

and innovative funding programs. FRRRcreated a permanent home in Bendigo in2001 and now has an established grantsprogram and active partnerships in localcommunities, both at the grassrootslevel and within the philanthropic,business and government sectors.

Since its inception, FRRR has supported234 rural projects, allocating $3.5million in rural grants and launching a community report detailing its work.FRRR has instigated a new movement in Australia that brings philanthropy torural development through a programof fostering rural community foundations.

In 2000, it helped establish the first rural community foundation in Australia.In the following three years, it gave setup grants to some 25 new foundations,many of which have already accumulatedcapital funds and have grants programsunder way.

PartnershipAs the initial grant was not tied to anyparticular purpose other than the general

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Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal

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intent of establishing the Foundation,the project had necessary flexibility.Also invaluable was the direct support of the broader Myer family organisation,especially its financial management,governance, accommodation and advice.

The Centenary Grant provided directfinancial leverage of $14.3 million fromthe Commonwealth Government, $1million from ANZ Trustees, $1 millionfrom The Pratt Foundation and a numberof smaller grants.

FRRR works in partnership with otherorganisations, complementing initiativesand avoiding duplication. The partner-ship approach has proved successful in working with communities, otherphilanthropic bodies and governments.

FRRR’s stature as a credible funding sourceto rural and regional Australia has beenwell established. Its expertise in offering

specialist services on behalf of others hasbeen demonstrated in programs such asSmall Grants for Small Rural Communities,a model that distributes rural funds onbehalf of other foundations.

ImpactEncouraging balanced developmentacross Australia and not just in the majorcities is an important national challenge.

Although the current drought hasseriously hurt many individuals andcommunities, FRRR has promoted thedevelopment of programs that willbenefit rural, remote and regionalcommunities across the country for the long term.

FRRR now works with dedicatedindividuals, organisations andcorporations to promote renewal andrejuvenation alongside the three levels of government and other foundations to benefit people of all ages throughoutcountry Australia.

With growing recognition and innovativefundraising, FRRR will have the capacityto ride economic troughs and helpcountry communities survive the hard times. In the future, the growth of community foundations will be felt notonly in the growth of the organisation’scapital fund but also in the rise of ruralphilanthropy.

A significant effect of the FRRR project was the acceptance of a ruraldevelopment program as a tax-deductiblecause, offering long-term opportunitiesfor philanthropy to grow as a force forrural revitalisation and hope.

Ms. Sylvia AdmansChief Executive Officer

Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal PO Box 41, Bendigo, Victoria 3552 T (03) 5443 7300 F (03) 5443 8900 E info@frrr.org.au

www.frrr.org.au

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$1.56 million $1 million Percy Baxter Charitable Trust

The Foundation for Young Australians

The Foundation for Young AustraliansBreakthrough Youth Employment Initiative

BackgroundThe Breakthrough Youth EmploymentInitiative is a national employmentprogram that aims to create jobs foryoung people excluded from the jobmarket. It was initiated in partnershipwith The Foundation for YoungAustralians (FYA).

Breakthrough supports projects thatcreate important jobs for young people,particularly rural youth experiencinglong-term unemployment. A primary aim is to encourage youth enterprise so that young people in areas of lowemployment can develop the capacity to create their own work.

The program also helps young people deal with challenges such as homelessness, involvement in the juvenile justice system, violence,substance abuse, mental illness, early school leaving and disability.

In 1999 a national advertising campaign called for proposals. Six wereselected and each was given $250,000 to transform their proposal into anoperating business. Each progressed at their own pace, but all met annuallyto reflect on Breakthrough’s aims as a national initiative.

The ProjectFollowing are the five projects selected(one withdrew due to its inability tofulfil its objectives):

On the RailsPort Pirie Regional CouncilTwo skills training centres wereestablished to become profitablebusinesses and help participants createand manage personal, business, workand community opportunities.

The first initiative was a restaurant, The Junction Express. Located in a trainat Port Pirie station, the restaurant hasemployed and trained 20 young peopleand involved 50 volunteers. The businessis doing well and has attracted good localsupport. Income surpasses expenditureand capital spending is now complete.

The second initiative was Horticentre, a horticulture business at Peterboroughthat has involved 36 young people as

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SeeChange Boat Works

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TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$400,000 $100,000 Corporations, Trusts and Foundations

Indigenous Enterprise PartnershipsNew Economic Support Organisation for Indigenous People

BackgroundIndigenous Enterprise Partnerships (IEP) was established in 1999 afterseveral years of planning. Underpinningits creation was the aim of helpingindigenous communities break fromwelfare dependency and to participatedirectly in what founding director NoelPearson calls the “real economy”. TheCentenary Grant supported this aim.

Cape York was selected as a pilot region, but the program’s partnershipprinciples have broader application. IEP now comprises several core partners,including The Body Shop, Westpac, The Boston Consulting Group, Colonial Foundation, Gilbert & Tobin,Designworks, plus many small andmedium businesses, industry expertsand philanthropists.

IEP has established an innovative andeffective platform for engaging withAboriginal communities. It deliversexperts, networks and personnel directlyinto projects and programs developed andimplemented by Aboriginal organisationsand leaders, ensuring Aboriginal control,

leadership and responsibility for all activity. Key Aboriginal partnerorganisations include Balkanu Cape YorkDevelopment Corporation and Cape YorkPartnerships Office.

The ProjectThe Centenary Grant helped IEP becomeoperational at a critical period in its life.An office with a chief executive officerand assistant was established in Cairnswithin the offices of Balkanu, therebyensuring that resources are matched todemand and that the partnership workseffectively for all.

IEP does not require a large staff. Its role is that of catalyst and network, withparticipating Aboriginal organisationsperforming its operational work. IEPprides itself as being one of the mostcost-efficient organisations in the country.

The partnership of IEP and Cape York Aboriginal organisations involvesa long-term commitment by community organisations, businesses and philanthropy.Rather than deliver programs

independently, they form a structuredrelationship with indigenous organisationsled by indigenous people.

The partnership involves a range ofpractices that use a holistic and coordinatedapproach to current issues in the Cape.Various collaborative mechanisms havebeen explored, such as secondments of business participants to Cape Yorkorganisations and, in reverse, fellowshipprograms, project management, pro bonoadvice, mentoring and coaching for seniormanagers and business aspirants.

The production and sale of Cape Yorkproducts, the introduction of short-termspecialised skills injection and provisionof logistical support have also beentrialled. Resources are delivered intocornerstone projects such as theBalkanu Business Hubs, The FamilyIncome Management program, Boysfrom the Bush (a crime-preventionprogram) and The Cape York YouthNetwork. Each year several hundredpeople are placed in the projects andprograms or help in their running.

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PartnershipIEP believes that the Centenary Grant was crucial to the development of a significant corporate andphilanthropic enterprise.

Major areas of opportunity still needattention, such as the building industry,information technology and access tocapital. Meanwhile, IEP’s partnershipwith government continues to strengthenand grow. The current contribution fromthe various partners is estimated to beworth more than $10 million a year on a commercial basis.

The tripartite arrangement withphilanthropy, corporations andcommunity has been crucial to thesuccess enjoyed to date. The coalitionrepresents one of the largest and mostcohesive ever attempted in Australia.

IEP brings skills, expertise and networkspreviously unavailable to most Aboriginalpeople – resources that are helping toconfront Australia’s most pressing socialissue: poverty and welfare dependencyand the resulting grog epidemic grippingAboriginal Australia.

As a result of the funding, IEP has beeninfluential in securing millions of dollarsof government and philanthropicfunding for Aboriginal initiatives.

ImpactIn helping IEP become operational, the Centenary Grant has enabled IEPto influence:

• government policy by directly embracing a partnership approach to action in indigenous policy throughout the Cape;

• Cape York indigenous communities through direct injectionof advice and resources into projects run by indigenous people;

• community participants by allowing Balkanu and other Aboriginalorganisations to increase their activities and improve staff skills and performance in support of economic development; and

• business participants through a boost to staff morale, performance and commitment as a result of their company’s community contribution.

IEP has demonstrated that enterprise is a viable alternative to welfaredependency, and that it builds thecredibility of community participantswith government and philanthropists by increasing their support.

The capacity of Aboriginal organisationsto manage IEP resources efficiently and effectively is paramount to itsoperations. The Centenary Grant, alongwith other philanthropic and corporatesupport, has given IEP the chance to lead the way.

Mr. Michael Winer Chief Executive Officer

Indigenous Enterprise Partnerships PO Box 7573, Cairns, Queensland 4870 T (07) 4051 9089 F (07) 4051 9088 E mwinner@ozemail.com.au

www.iep.net.au

Casper and the Boys from the Bush, Cape York

18

BackgroundIn the late 1920s, the Animal WelfareLeague of Victoria established a clinic to provide veterinary care to animalsowned by people unable to pay full fees,and improve the welfare of many strayand neglected animals.

In 1935, the league set up the Lort SmithAnimal Hospital in North Melbourne.The hospital today provides free andreduced-fee veterinary care, particularlyto those animals belonging to people on low incomes. It also rescues sick or injured stray animals and providesrescue-and-treatment services forwildlife. Homeless dogs and cats are sold after they have been de-sexed and vaccinated.

The hospital has always managedwithout any support from governments,instead relying on volunteers and privateand corporate donations.

An appeal was launched in 1999 to builda new hospital that would deal with theurgent need for additional space andupgraded facilities to bring it into linewith contemporary veterinary practices.

The ProjectThe Centenary Grant went towards thecost of building and fitting out the foyerin the new hospital.

The Sidney Myer Foyer is a spaciouscentral area where owners receiveassistance and wait for their animals tobe given veterinary attention. It boasts a warm and accessible atmosphere andserves as a source of information for petowners by offering brochures and videodisplays on animal welfare.

Opened in November 2000, the newthree-storey hospital comprisesconsulting suites, operating theatres,treatment areas, intensive care andisolation wards, quarantine, pharmacy,wildlife shelter and administration areas.

PartnershipAs animal welfare is not regarded as‘charitable’ in Australian tax law, the Lort Smith Animal Hospital has greatdifficulty in attracting donations frommany foundations. Significantly, theCentenary Grant was one of the fewgrants it received from philanthropic

foundations, indicating support for the concept that animal welfare is linked to our wellbeing.

ImpactThe Centenary Grant will have a long-term impact, not only on the welfare of animals in Victoria, but also on theunderstanding of the importance of therelationship between animals and people.

In providing low-cost or free care to theanimals of pensioners and people on lowincomes, the hospital is supporting thebenefits of pet ownership for all. Ampleresearch demonstrates the importance ofanimals to those who are aged, disabledor isolated.

Mr. Peter BrownGeneral Manager

Lort Smith Animal Hospital 24 Villiers Street, North Melbourne, Victoria 3051 T (03) 9328 3021 F (03) 9329 5347E info@lortsmith.com

www.lortsmith.com

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$4.8 million $200,000 Public Appeal

Lort Smith Animal HospitalThe Sidney Myer Foyer

Lort Smith Animal HospitalLort Smith Animal Hospital

19

BackgroundOne of the major barriers facing homelessyoung people living in Melbourne’scentral business district (CBD) has beenthe lack of a collaborative, coordinatedapproach to the provision of services.

In 1999, discussions were held with the City of Melbourne, MelbourneAffordable Housing, Collins StreetBaptist Church and the Salvation Army,the Youth Transitions model was bornand a project team formed.

Its purpose was to research and design a new program that would create anintegrated support, housing and trainingnetwork to help young people out ofhomelessness. As a starting point for theconcept, a team member visited Europe tostudy the Foyer model of youth housing.

In 2000, the team developed anddocumented the concept. One componentof the model was the construction of a newhousing and training centre at 116 LittleBourke Street, Melbourne, which became a key part of the Melbourne CBD networkof services available to the program.

The ProjectYouth Transitions is a new way ofthinking about services offering youngpeople in the Melbourne CBD a genuineway out of homelessness. It involves allrelevant agencies working with thoseyoung people.

Melbourne City Mission was appointedlead agency. A project coordinatormanages the program and undertakescommunity development activities toensure coordination between participatingagencies. These activities include educationand training, work preparation, personaldevelopment and recreational activities.

Two case managers will soon beemployed to provide participants withgoal-based support. A house mentor,who will also begin work before the firstintake of residents, will be responsiblefor managing the house and providingpastoral care.

The system includes protocols to ensureactive participation of networked agenciesand a formal agreement for the threemajor agencies: Melbourne AffordableHousing (property manager), MelbourneCity Mission and Urban Seed (co-tenant,pastoral care and house management).

The housing and training centre in LittleBourke Street comprises four floors ofaccommodation for young people andthe house mentor. The ground floor is used as an urban classroom.

PartnershipThe advantage achieved by the CentenaryGrant has been in the form of capitalfunds and, importantly, in practicalsupport. Of the $1 million committed,$328,000 was earmarked for therefurbishment of 116 Little Bourke Street.The money helped obtain $870,199 fromthe Department of Human Services(Office of Housing) and $250,000 fromthe Lions Club (Melbourne host), andprovided the catalyst for the trustees of116 Little Bourke Street, Gospel Hall Inc.,to donate the building to the project.Melbourne City Council also agreed to contribute $50,000.

Without the Centenary Grant the project would not have been established. In anticipation of Myer funding for the support component, the projectcommittee approached the Departmentof Human Services for matching funds.The department has now committed

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$2.69 million $1 million City of Melbourne

Lions Club MelbourneVictorian GovernmentGospel Hall Inc.

Melbourne Affordable HousingYouth Transitions Model Housing Project

View from 116 Little Bourke Street

BackgroundFor decades, the elephant enclosure at the Melbourne Zoo was inadequatefor such large and socially complexanimals. Contemporary understanding of elephants’ needs demanded a totalrevision of their habitat.

Built in 2002, the exhibit provided roomfor the elephants to wander and groupas they would in the wild. It includesinterpretive and conservation elementsconveyed through signs, plants, structuresand multimedia.

Trail of the Elephants was launched in March 2003.

The ProjectThe Centenary Grant was for the edu-cational program of Trail of the Elephants.

The Melbourne Zoo’s general educationalprogram spans the entire project, but

specific elephant elements were developedfor three locations on the Trail:

• The Research Hut, where visitors can play interactive games.

• The Make a Difference Hut, where atouch screen allows people to learnabout the Melbourne Zoo’sconservation projects, especiallySumatran elephant conservation.

• The Community Hall, where a screenallows visitors to select information on elephant conservation, news flashesand a schools program.

PartnershipThe Centenary Grant enabled the Melbourne Zoo to demonstrate to potential supporters the benefits of philanthropy. Other organisationsfollowed by supporting educational

and community programs, based largelyon what they have seen at Trail of theElephants. With several key projects andexhibits soon to be implemented acrossits three properties, the Melbourne Zoowill use Trail of the Elephants as anexample of what can be achieved.

ImpactFoundation funds allowed the MelbourneZoo to implement projects that otherwisewould not be possible, such as tailoredtechnology-based interactive learning.The project’s interactive elephant gameshave been so successful they are nowsold through retail outlets.

Trail of the Elephants is the first exhibitcompleted in line with a vision for zoos of the 21st century. Already theMelbourne Zoo has received valuablefeedback, which will be used in planningfor future projects. The new standard of experience will not only enhance under-standing of the value of wildlife and theenvironment, but also encourage action.

The Melbourne Zoo’s vision is to createenduring relationships between peopleand wildlife. The Trail is the first steptoward that goal.

Ms. Laura MumawChief Executive Officer

The Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens Elliott Avenue, Parkville, Victoria 3052 T (03) 9285 9300F (03) 9285 9350E mz@zoo.org.au

www.zoo.org.au

20

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$11 million $100,000 Victorian Government

Corporations and Foundations

Melbourne ZooTrail of the Elephants Educational Program

Asian Elephants, Bong Su and Mek Kapah

21

Museum of Contemporary ArtDirector’s Visionaries Project

Museum of Contemporary Art

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$600,000 $200,000 Trusts and Foundations

NSW Government

BackgroundThe Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Sydney is a vibrant centre forthe promotion of contemporary art andvisual culture. It engages audiences withnew ideas in art through imaginativeexhibitions, screenings, public forums,debates, educational projects, eventsand the inventive use of new technology.

In 2000, the Director ’s Visionaries project was launched. It was a catalyst innegotiations with the New South WalesGovernment and the City of Sydney for a new funding model.

PartnershipUsing the Centenary Grant in 1999 todemonstrate to the NSW Governmentthat philanthropy had confidence in its future, in 2000 the MCA was able toacquire $400,000 in additional donations.The grant came at a time when mostsponsorship was committed to theOlympic Games. In early 2000, the Premier of New South Wales

gave a commitment to securing a new partnership that would ensure a sustainable future for the MCA.

The new funding model was realised in July 2001, when the Governmentannounced that it would providerecurrent and capital funding. The commitment established a long-term future for the institution.

In December 2001, the MCAannounced a collaboration between the NSW Ministry for the Arts, theSydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and the University of Sydney for long-term funding. The MCA also became an independent charitable organisation,allowing it to attract private donations.

ImpactThe impact of the Centenary Grant hasbeen significant. The financial stabilityprovided by the new funding model isnow beginning to pay dividends, with

the MCA planning major projects well into the future and attracting new donors.

A key aim was to develop new andbroader audiences for contemporary art.Following support from leading sponsorTelstra, the first step was taken in 2000with the removal of the admission charge.Since then, attendances have risen by 153 per cent and continue to rise.

As well as attracting more visitors toCircular Quay, the MCA has initiated a new regional touring program. In 2002, 116,000 people attended MCA touring exhibitions.

Ms. Elizabeth-Ann MacgregorDirector

Museum of Contemporary Art PO Box R1286, Royal Exchange, NSW 1223 T (02) 9252 4033 F (02) 9241 5854 E directorate@mca.com.au

www.mca.com.au

22

Museum VictoriaThe Sidney Myer Amphitheatre

The Sidney Myer Amphitheatre

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$534,753 $500,000 Victorian Government

Corporations, Trusts and Foundations

BackgroundMuseum Victoria is responsible for thecare of the state’s collections, researchand public education. It operates threepublic campuses and one of Australia’smajor educational and research-basedwebsites.

In 2001 the Melbourne Museum movedto a large new building in the CarltonGardens, on the central business district’snorthern fringe. The site includes aChildren’s Museum consisting of fourspaces: an exhibition gallery called Big Box, Children’s Gallery, the Sidney Myer Amphitheatre and the Tattersall’sChildren’s Garden.

The Centenary Grant was used to buildthe amphitheatre. Work was completedin October 2001.

The ProjectThe project was to design and build anamphitheatre for outdoor performancein a courtyard next to the Children’s

Museum. The work involved the install-ation of a tensile roof canopy, a universalaccess viewing platform overlooking theamphitheatre, seats, an enclosed sound-and-light control facility, and a stage.

The intimate space can seat 200 peopleand opens out onto Carlton Gardens for larger events. Since its completion,the Sidney Myer Amphitheatre has been used regularly for education and visitor programs, concerts and other performances.

PartnershipAll additional funds over the $500,000grant were obtained from the MuseumVictoria budget. The museum invited the advice and support of members of the Myer family and staff at all stages of design and implementation of the project.

ImpactWithout the Centenary Grant the Amphi-theatre would be an open space without a canopy, sound system, safety rails andviewing area.

Transformed from a bare concreted area, the attractive and fully equippedamphitheatre is now an importantelement of the Melbourne Museum. Outside organisations can also hire the space, bringing the Museum much-needed revenue. The Museum aims to keep entrance charges low and,ultimately, to eliminate fees altogether.

Dr. J Patrick GreeneChief Executive Officer

Museum Victoria GPO Box 666E, Melbourne, Victoria 3001T 131102 F (03) 8341 7778E info@museum.vic.gov.au

www.museum.vic.gov.au

BackgroundIn 1996, the National Gallery of Victoria(NGV) completed a master plan for theredevelopment of its building on St KildaRoad, Melbourne.

Part of the plan addressed the NGV’shighly regarded Asian collection and,given Australia’s position within theregion, the role it should play in thedevelopment of Asian art.

As a result, four gallery spaces aroundone of the courtyards in the new-look NGV International site were built to display the Asian collection. The remainder of the collections will be presented in a chronological fashionfrom ground floor to level three.

Construction began in early 1998 and thefirst display will be installed in time forthe gallery’s re-opening in December 2003.

The ProjectNGV has named Asian Gallery Two inhonour of the Myer family. The galleryoccupies 463 square metres and has beendesigned specifically to hold temporaryexhibitions of Asian domestic ware.

The new space will return Asiancollections to the heart of NGVdisplays. It will be an ideal setting for small and intimate objects, such as Chinese stoneware and porcelainsdating from the third century to the18th century. The first section willexhibit stoneware and from the thirdcentury to the 14th century, and thesecond will display porcelains produced in the 14th and 18th centuries.

At the centre of the gallery will be asmall area displaying furniture. For theopening of NGV International, a Chinese scholar’s study will be recreated with

furniture from theMing Dynasty. Thespace will also displayrecent acquisitions ofAsian art and present public programs anddemonstrations.

The gallery will contain manyimportant objects donated byKenneth Myer and Baillieu Myer, thus reinforcing the family associationwith the space.

PartnershipThe Centenary Grant was an importantcontribution to the cost of the building.The sources of the Grant included theSarah and Baillieu Myer Family Foundationand Rupert and Annabel Myer.

The Centenary Grant formed part of the initial commitments to TheGallery Campaign, launched by the NGV in October 2000. The VictorianGovernment contributed $96.3 million, the Commonwealth Government $25 million and The Ian PotterFoundation $15 million.

The early involvement of the SidneyMyer Fund sent a strong message to the community and was undoubtedlyinfluential in encouraging otherindividuals and trusts in their support.

ImpactThe redesign and expansion of the NGV’sinfrastructure, content, programs andtechnology will make it one of the greatgalleries of the world.

Asian art is a significant part of theNGV’s collections and gives an important balance to the whole of itsinternational galleries. The new Asian

galleries will allow comprehensive and exciting exhibits of the permanentcollection to be displayed.

The finest lighting and atmosphericcontrols will enable fragile material tocome into public view for the first time,and the increase in depth and attractionof the collection will create greaterpublic interest in Asian art. With thegrowing importance of Australia withinthe region, the language of art andculture expressed through the MyerFamily Gallery will be a valuable mediumof communication and understandingbetween Australia and Asia.

Dr. Gerard VaughanDirector

National Gallery of Victoria PO Box 7259, Melbourne, Victoria 8004 T (03) 8620 2276 F (03) 8620 2520E enquiries@ngv.vic.gov.au

www.ngv.vic.gov.au

23

National Gallery VictoriaThe Myer Family Gallery

Ming dynasty, Wanli period 1573-1620Jingdezhen, Jiangxi provinceFelton Bequest 1946

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$200 million $1 million Commonwealth Government

Victorian GovernmentThe Ian Potter FoundationCorporations, Trusts and FoundationsPublic Donations

24

National Institute of Circus ArtsSidney Myer Circus Studio

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$6 million $500,000 Commonwealth Government

Victorian Government Swinburne University of TechnologyCorporationsPublic Donations

BackgroundA National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) was a long-held dream of circusartists and arts patrons in Australia.

It was well known that the circus incountries such as Canada, Russia andFrance had not only enriched culturallife, but also influenced the localeconomy and provided skilled employ-ment for many people. Australia had a growing tradition of excellence in circus arts, but had little support for training and promotion of circus arts infrastructure. The Sidney MyerFund has been a long-time supporter of the circus as an accessible art form.

The Centenary Grant acted as a catalyst,contributing to the initiation andestablishment of the new national circus-training organisation, specifically a new training centre to house thenational circus school, subsequentlynamed the Sidney Myer Circus Studio.

The ProjectThe Sidney Myer Circus Studio was builton the Prahran campus of SwinburneUniversity of Technology.

The purpose-built training centre, whichhouses both NICA and GymnasticsVictoria, allows students to learn a widerange of circus skills, including tumbling,adagio and juggling. Its 14m ceiling alsoallows training in trapeze, tissue and

cloud swing.

The building’s bold and powerful shape,with its deep columns and cross-bracing,contrasting with continuous horizontal bands of louvre windows, creates a taut,athletic form, perfect for its purpose as a training ground for young performers.

PartnershipThe total cost of the shared facility was$6 million: the Victorian Governmentcontributed $3 million, SwinburneUniversity $1.9 million and the CentenaryGrant $500,000. Corporate and privatedonations made up the balance.

The Centenary Grant was pivotal to the establishment of NICA. While thedonation was tagged to support the

25

Sidney Myer Circus Studio

establishment of a training facility, it demonstrated to governments that

training for contemporary circus arts was a worthwhile activity.

In profiling such a significant grant,NICA was able to attract recurrent oper-ational funds from the CommonwealthGovernment and partnership withGymnastics Victoria.

Support from other foundations and private donors followed. In May2000, the Commonwealth Government announced that Australia was to have a new funded training centre for world-competitive circus artists. A vocationaldegree was accredited by SwinburneUniversity and talented young peoplewere auditioned and enrolled. Staff wererecruited around the world and in 2001

the first Bachelor of Circus Arts studentsbegan study.

ImpactThe National Institute of Circus Arts is Australia’s first centre of teachingexcellence for professional training in contemporary circus arts and physical theatre.

In the three years since it was established,it has also developed communityprograms for children and teenagers,outreach programs for indigenousAustralians and training programs for industry.

The Sidney Myer Circus Studio is astudio of innovation that nurtures andextends young talent. It has the capacityto make a difference to the Australianartistic landscape and further enhance

our reputation in the physical arts, both in Australia and abroad.

Ms. Pam CreedDirector

National Institute of Circus Arts, Swinburne University of Technology 144 High Street, Prahran, Victoria 3181 T (03) 9214 6975 F (03) 9214 6574 E nica@swin.edu.au

www.nica.swin.edu.au

Playbox Malthouse (Ngargee)Sidney Myer Courtyard

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$12 million $500,000 Victorian Government

Corporations, Trusts and Foundations

26

BackgroundIn 1985, Melbourne’s Playbox TheatreCompany began negotiating with Carltonand United Breweries for the donationof its abandoned malthouse in SturtStreet, Southbank. At the same time,plans were put in place for the building’srenovation and conversion to the theatrecompany’s new home.

With the launch of the new theatre, the Malthouse, Playbox adopted a 100per cent Australian content policy, an aim it achieved during its inaugural seasonin 1990. The company also decided that hirers of the theatre should beencouraged to program only new works in drama, dance, music and opera.

So, for the first time, Melbourne had a major performing arts building that

focused on the presentation of acontemporary program.

In 1996, Playbox Theatre, Chunky Moveand the Australian Centre for Contem-porary Art (ACCA) made an unusual andinspired agreement to build a sharedvenue for performance and exhibition.

The ProjectThe stunning Ngargee development is a multi-function arts complex next door to the Playbox Theatre.

It comprises galleries for ACCA, a new set construction workshop for Playbox and rehearsal rooms and home base for the Chunky Move dance company.The striking exterior of the building is clad in special steel that develops

its own protective rust coating afterexposure to the elements.

The Sidney Myer Courtyard is an out-door space alongside the building, with an amphitheatre that has proved popularfor performances and exhibitions.Ngargee is a Bunnerong word thatdescribes Aboriginal people gathering to celebrate with story, song and dance.The name honours the history of placeand reflects the new centre’s purpose.

With the opening of the building in September 2002, Melbourne nowcelebrates an excellent multidisciplinaryarts precinct catering to contemporaryvisual arts, theatre and dance.

27

Ngargee

PartnershipThe project was an initiative of theVictorian Government. The CentenaryGrant demonstrated community andphilanthropic interest in creating this vital contemporary arts precinct, andcame at a critical time in the process of fundraising and attracting furthergovernment support.

ImpactNgargee is the first arts precinct to bringtogether three key contemporary artsorganisations in theatre, dance and the visual arts.

It completes the southern end of thearts precinct that embraces several of Victoria’s major arts institutions. It hasalso become a tourist destination and

a community gathering space forneighbouring residences.

The new premises have already given the three companies a financial advantagethrough affordable public-access programsand rental of rehearsal rooms and functionspaces. Increases in the home-basedseason could also generate further revenue.

Ngargee also provides support servicesfor others. The Sidney Myer Courtyard isleased regularly as an ambient space forexhibits and performances. ACCA is now able to host exhibitions from a rangeof leading visual arts organisations from Australia and overseas.

Ms. Jill SmithGeneral Manager

Playbox Theatre Company 113 Sturt Street, Southbank, Victoria 3006 T (03) 9685 5100F (03) 9685 5112E playbox@netspace.net.au

www.playbox.com.au

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Queensland Art GalleryThe Kenneth and Yasuko Myer Collection of Contemporary Asian Art

Problem – Wisdom by Kamin Lertchaiprasert, 1993-95

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$2 million $2 million Queensland Art Gallery

BackgroundQueensland Art Gallery is home to oneof the world’s most significant publiccollections of contemporary Asian art.

The gallery’s commitment to collectingthe finest Asian contemporary art wasconfirmed in 1993, when it establishedthe Kenneth and Yasuko Myer Collectionof Contemporary Asian Art (The MyerCollection).

The catalyst was the gallery’s first Asia-Pacific Triennial, held in the same year.Thirty-three works from Asia and thePacific were acquired from the inauguraltriennial, including several Asian worksbought with funds from The MyerFoundation and Michael Baevski and Ann Gamble Myer. The purchaseinaugurated the collection in memory of the late Kenneth Myer, and his wife, Yasuko.

The ProjectThe Centenary Grant of $2 million was used to acquire works for theKenneth and Yasuko Myer Collection of Contemporary Asian Art: $1 million came from The Myer Foundation and $1 million was pledged by Michael Baevski.

Two gallery spaces were named TheKenneth and Yasuko Myer Galleries and were dedicated to the display of contemporary Asian art. During the four years of the Centenary Grant,the galleries acquired an extraordinarycollection that will provide a lastinglegacy of the Myer commitment tobroadening Australian knowledge of Asian art.

The spaces have housed key displayssuch as the Asia-Pacific Triennial ofContemporary Art and rotations ofcontemporary Asian art. The remainder of the grant will be used to develop the collection.

The Myer Collection will be a highlight at the opening in 2005 of a majorextension to the gallery, the newQueensland Gallery of Modern Art.

PartnershipThe Centenary Grant was one of the most important benefactions everreceived by the Queensland Art Gallery.

The Myer Collection acquired key worksthat showcase the remarkable wealth of ideas and innovation among artiststhroughout Asia. Of the $1 million,$962,812 was spent on 14 major acquis-itions, including the spectacular work by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, Soul Under the Moon (2002).

While the triennials have given thegallery a framework for exhibiting the region’s dynamic contemporary art, the Myer Collection has allowed the gallery to build on its already sub-stantial collection of prints, drawings

29

980810 by Fang Lijun 1998

and photographs from Japan, East Asiaand Southeast Asia. The Myer Collectionnow numbers 43 works, which form thecore of the contemporary Asian collection.

ImpactThe grant has enabled Queensland Art Gallery to acquire works that wouldotherwise have been unattainable.

The works augment the collection,which lies at the heart of the gallery’scontemporary Asian collection. Thecollection is now internationally significant,ensuring a profile of unique value to thecultural life of Australians. It has alsobeen pivotal in establishing the gallery’sstatus as a world leader for the collectionand display of contemporary Asian artand has attracted significant gifts fromartists and collectors.

It is anticipated that the impetus willcontinue in the future. The collection now holds seminal works such as A Bookfrom the Sky, by the Chinese-Americanartist Xu Bing; Woods III, by Japaneseart ist Shigeo Toya; Lotus Sound,by Thai land’s Montien Boonma; and In Search of Faraway Places,by Malaysian artist Wong Hoy Cheong.The Centenary Grant has paid for severalsignificant Myer acquisitions.

Woman with Lotus Flower (1998), byIndian artist Ravinder Reddy, celebratesthe rich sculptural tradition of India.Korean born Nam June Paik has 11 worksin the collection. Paik is a significant20th century artist whose substantialpresence in the gallery ensures that it is the leading institution holding work of this calibre and depth.

In 1998 the gallery acquired a largepainting by acclaimed Japanese-Koreanartist Lee U-fan, and in 2002 purchased his sculpture Relatum, prompting theartist to present two works to thecollection, making it the sole nationalinstitution to represent his work.

The gallery also holds four importantworks by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama,two of which were acquired using theCentenary Grant.

Mr. Doug Hall AMDirector

Queensland Art Gallery PO Box 3686, South Brisbane,Queensland 4101T (07) 3840 7333F (07) 3844 8865E gallery@qag.qld.gov.au

www.qag.qld.gov.au

30

Royal Melbourne HospitalEducation Centre and Sidney Myer Lounge

Australian and New Zealand CoeliacResearch Fund Inaugural Dinner

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$400,000 $100,000 Royal Melbourne Hospital

BackgroundThrough a dedicated workforce skilled in patient care, teaching, research,community health, education andresource management, the RoyalMelbourne Hospital provides healthservices to all those seeking care.

For many years, the hospital lacked a multi-purpose space that could accommodatethe increasing need for staff and communityactivities. The development of a centre oflearning was included in a 1999 plan toupgrade facilities on the ground floor of the hospital building.

Traditionally, the hospital has had closelinks with the Myer family, particularlythrough Dame Merlyn Myer’s years of serviceon the hospital board and as a donor.

The ProjectThe Education Centre area funded by the Centenary Grant houses a largeconference space that can be dividedinto smaller rooms and four additional breakout rooms. It has a lounge area

that can be used for functions andevents and allows direct access to the existing Latrobe Theatre.

PartnershipThe Education Centre is a functional and professional area that hosts events,seminars and exhibitions. The SidneyMyer Lounge was named in recognitionof the significant role that Sidney Myerand the Myer family have played in thehospital’s history.

The Centenary Grant enabled theproject to proceed, with the hospitalcontributing the balance of the funds.

ImpactThe functional and attractive new centreoffers increased opportunities forparticipation and learning. It has notonly enhanced community activities atthe hospital but also improved morale.

The Sidney Myer Lounge was officiallyopened in June 2001. At the same time,

a dedication ceremony was held at the Merlyn Myer Historical Room toacknowledge Dame Merlyn Myer’sdecades of support for the hospital.

Dr. Paul ScownChief Executive Melbourne Health

Royal Melbourne Hospital Flemington Road, Parkville,Victoria 3050 T (03) 9342 7000F (03) 9342 8555E enquiries@mh.org.au

www.mh.org.au

International Nurses Day celebrations at The Royal Melbourne Hospital

31

The Smith Family’s educationalprogram; Learning for Life

The Smith FamilyNew Headquarters

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$2.65 million $100,000 Victorian Government

Trusts and Foundations

BackgroundBy focusing on prevention rather thanband-aid cures, The Smith Family makes a positive difference to the lives ofAustralians living in poverty.

Unprecedented demand for emergencyrelief, family support and educationalservices in the late 1990s forced thecharitable organisation from rentedpremises to a larger centre.

The 2500-square-metre building inCollingwood is double the size of the previous premises.

The ProjectWork on refurbishing the new premisesbegan in mid-1998 and they wereopened in September 1999. The newbuilding contains the programs Learningfor Life, Educational Support Service,the Case Management Department(where families receive long-termsupport), Material Aid (where theychoose free clothing and householdgoods) and Emergency Relief (where

they receive financial help, counsellingand budget advice).

PartnershipThe total cost of the building purchase and refurbishment was $2.65 million. The major donors were The Ian PotterFoundation ($500,000) and the VictorianGovernment ($450,000).

The Myer Foundation was a majorcontributor to a fundraising campaignlaunched early in 1998. Its nameencouraged other donors to come forward at a crucial time and gave the project a much needed lift.

ImpactThe project will allow The Smith Family to meet an ever-increasing call on itsservices: in 1999, 36,000 Victorians soughthelp its help – today it is assisting morethan 100,000 people each year.

Ownership of the building has resultedin annual savings of $200,000, allowingmore money to be spent directly onservices rather than rent.

Ms. Heather BartonManaging Director

The Smith Family 73 Wellington Street, Collingwood, Victoria 3066 T (03) 9419 7666 F (03) 9416 0725E heather.barton@smithfamily.com.au

www.smithfamily.com.au

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The University of MelbourneSidney Myer Asia Centre

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$18.4 million $2 million The University of Melbourne

BackgroundThe Sidney Myer Asia Centre was a long-held dream of Asialink, an organisationestablished by The Myer Foundation in1990 and whose first chairman wasKenneth Myer.

Initially, Asialink was an independentuniversity centre based in a terracehouse. It soon evolved into a leadingnon-government link between Australiaand the countries of Asia, promotingunderstanding and opportunities withinthe region through education, publicaffairs and culture.

As a result of its success, pressure grewon the organisation’s physical resources.While The Myer Foundation providedcontinuing recurrent support forAsialink, the Centenary Celebration offered a timely opportunity to work

with the university on a permanent

home. Construction of the new centre was completed in June 2001.

The ProjectThe Sidney Myer Asia Centre is alandmark building on Melbourne’sSwanston Street, and incorporates in itsfacade the last work of eminent Japanesesculptor Akio Makigawa. Together withAsialink, the centre houses the MelbourneInstitute of Asian Languages, theuniversity ’s centre of research andteaching in Asian studies.

The five-storey building comprises a 500-seat public lecture theatre, theYasuko Hiraoka Myer exhibition space, 17 classrooms, Asialink’s boardroom, administration spaces and executive areas. It also includes a beautiful

courtyard and water feature.

State-of-the-art technology allowsoptimum communications and the designtakes advantage of plentiful natural light.Akio Makigawa completed documentationfor the magnificent sculpture on theeastern and northern faces before his death in 2001. He considered it his most important public work.

Opened by the Australian Foreign Ministerin July 2002, the centre is now the majorvenue in Melbourne for events with anAsian focus, including public lectures,forums, cultural activities and Asiancommunity events. Since it was completed,it has hosted more than 100 major events.The Centenary Grant enabled Asialink to move into premium accommodation on the top floor, along with an entranceon Swanston Street and priority use of

33

Sidney Myer Asia Centre

the public spaces.

PartnershipThe partnership with the University ofMelbourne to build the Sidney Myer AsiaCentre has given Australia a significantAsian education and cultural centre andmajor public facility. The co-location ofAsialink and the Melbourne Institute ofAsian Languages and Societies has createdthe largest Asian centre in Australia.

The Centenary Grant and the work ofthe building committee ensured that the result, enhanced by Akio Makigawa’s sculpture, was outstanding. The buildinghas won several architectural andbuilding awards and, according to one citation, is noted for its ‘most successfulmarriage of art and architecture’.

The Myer family commitment to thecentre has supported Asialink’s corporate

sponsorship strategy, stimulated thecreation of the Asialink 500 Fund and

encouraged additional university fundingto support public events.

ImpactThe long-term impact is the creation of a major Asia-focused centre for theMelbourne community. The Centre’slocation has positioned Asialink as Australia’s leading Asia-Australia instituteand allowed its programs to reach a wider audience, both within and beyond the Sidney Myer Asia Centre.

The spirit of the building, together with its central location on a campusnumbering 43,000 people, ensures that it will continue to be both popular andprominent. It offers increased capacityfor large-scale events and for hosting

international dignitaries.

The Centre’s impact on the promotion of Australia within the region is ofcritical importance to the country’sfuture. In the current climate of changeand uncertainty, Asialink’s vital role is brought into even sharper focus.

Ms. Jenny McGregorExecutive Director

Asialink, Sidney Myer Asia Centre Cnr Swanston Street and Monash Road,University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 T (03) 8344 4800 F (03) 9347 1768 E j.mcgregor@asialink.unimelb.edu.au

www.asialink.unimelb.edu.au

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Victorian Arts Centre TrustThe Sidney Myer Music Bowl

TOTAL PROJECT COST CENTENARY GRANT PARTNERSHIP$21 million $3 million Victorian Government

Community Support Fund

BackgroundRenowned as a world-standard outdoorperformance venue, The Sidney MyerMusic Bowl is a much-loved and vitalpart of Melbourne’s entertainment scene.

The Bowl holds a special place in thehearts of Victorians. Long before new-comers like Melbourne Park made theirimpact on the city’s entertainment scene – even before the Victorian Arts Centrebegan rising from the edge of the YarraRiver – there was The Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

The Sidney Myer Fund officiallypresented the Bowl to Melbourne in February 1959, when it was opened by Sir Robert Menzies. At first it was operated by a special trust comprising representatives of local and state government, and members of the arts

community and the Myer family. It was

then handed over to the Victorian ArtsCentre in 1980 by the late Kenneth Myer.

Nestled in the greenery of Kings Domain,its unique canopy rising from the groundand sheltering the nearby lawn, the Bowlhas been an important entertainmentvenue for all Melburnians. In February1998, the Victorian Premier announcedthat his government would accept theCentenary Grant of $3 million to refurbishthe Bowl and would itself contribute $17 million to the task.

Work on the new Bowl began in April1999 and was completed in October 2001.

The ProjectThe $21 million renovation brought the venue up to international standard.Architect Gregory Burgess oversaw the

massive refurbishment, which included

the addition of a green room and sponsorsarea, a larger stage with an upgradedsound and lighting system, a cafe, a new canopy and improved seating.

The new function room is called theMerlyn Myer Room, named for Dame Merlyn Myer who did so much to ensure that the Bowl was built.

An inaugural program of events beganwith the opening of the MelbourneInternational Festival for the Arts inOctober 2001. The Bowl has sinceenjoyed high attendances and offered a diverse and comprehensive program of free and low-cost events.

PartnershipThe Centenary Grant (which included $1 million from the Myer Family

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The Sidney Myer Music Bowl

Company Pty Ltd) was in partnership

with the Victorian Government andthe Community Support Fund. Theredevelopment returned Australia’spremier outdoor performance venue to the people of Victoria.

Without the Centenary Grant, it isunlikely that the complete refurbish-ment would have been undertaken. In addition to the grant, Baillieu Myer and other family members providedconsiderable support and valued advicethroughout the life of the project.

ImpactThe reopening of The Sidney Myer Music Bowl marked the beginning of a newchapter for the Victorian Arts Centre and its outdoor performing arts venue,and places it at the forefront of the

Centre’s programming plans.

Improved technical and back-of-housefacilities have seen a rise in hire of theBowl, thereby increasing revenue andfinancial viability. Improved audienceamenities have increased attendancesand allowed a broader range of activities.

While the refurbishment has increasedits income potential, The Sidney MyerMusic Bowl remains committed tooffering present and future generations of Victorians free access to concerts, just as Sidney Myer would have wished.

Mr. Tim JacobsCEO Victorian Arts Centre Trust PO Box 7585, Melbourne, Victoria 8004 T (03) 9281 8000 F (03) 9281 8282 E tim.jacobs@vact.vic.gov.au

www.vicartscentre.com.au

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Epi logue

When the Sidney Myer CentenaryCelebration 1899-1999 was announced we were still absorbed in student lifeand not active in the Myer family’sphilanthropic activities.

In the previous year, some of the fourthgeneration had attended their firstmeeting at a family muster, where we, as young people, were asked to identifythe social issues that concerned us most.Many ideas were discussed, includingthe degradation of the environment,human rights and war. But the twocurrent problems that emerged as ourmain concerns were youth homeless-ness and youth unemployment.

While we had had little personal exposureto such hardships, we were conscious ofour own privileged position and found itamazing that our community was unableto provide for all of its young people.

The Sidney Myer Centenary Celebration1899-1999 Committee adopted oursuggestion that there be more supportfor young people at risk. The Committeealso sought our advice and involvement in the development of the projects.Following a strategic review of The MyerFoundation in 2000, the fourth generationestablished its own grants program.

For our generation, which subsequentlyformed the G4 Fund, the concept thatphilanthropy can help the communityheal social ills was awakened through the Centenary Celebration. The YouthTransitions project and the Breakthroughprogram were each developed from theground up and already are creating positivechange in the lives of young participants.

As the great-grandchildren of SidneyMyer, we cousins have all grown upknowing the stories of his philanthropyand patronage of the arts. We have seenour grandparents and our parentsinvolved in the giving of time and moneyto important causes. We have seen themspeak out and take community action –one of my aunts and a great-aunt rodehorses up Collins Street to protest about the state of the Snowy River!

So, it will be hard to avoid a love ofphilanthropy but we are not protesting.Sidney Myer has given us a gift that will be a life interest of real consequence to all of us. The Centenary Celebrationraised the family’s interest in ‘growingphilanthropy ’ so that others mayexperience the satisfaction and impact of giving through partnerships withcommunity organisations.

Through the Foundation for Rural andRegional Renewal and The Foundation forYoung Australians, a number of youthphilanthropy programs are beingestablished that broadcast the messagethat anyone can be a philanthropist, not just those who have wealth.

Who knows where our family philan-thropy will be in the next 100 years? We know that there is something veryspecial about family philanthropy thatallows for flexibility, quick response to social need and the capacity to rallyenthusiasm and commitment throughthe fire that burns in all our veins.

The community we serve, as Sidney Myerasked us to, is our life force and partner.So, if we stick together we can face all thechallenges that will surely be coming our way.

The Sidney Myer Centenary Celebration1899-1999 has been an interestingjourney into the past, a learningexperience for the present and aninspirational vision of the future.

Patrick Myer and Anna ShelmerdineCo-Convenors, G4 Fund 2002-03

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Sidney Myer Fund TrusteesCarrillo Gantner AOSandy ClarkGeoffrey Cohen AMBaillieu Myer ACSidney MyerStephen Shelmerdine AM

The Myer Foundation DirectorsLady Southey AM Andrew MyerJoanna Baevski Baillieu Myer ACMichael Baevski Emily MyerSandy Clark Rupert MyerCarrillo Gantner AO Sidney MyerNeilma Gantner Stephen Shelmerdine AMVallejo Gantner

The Myer Foundation MembersDellarose Baevski Simon Herd Sarah MyerJoanna Baevski Sally Lindsay Sidney MyerMichael Baevski Andrew Myer Anna ShelmerdineSamantha Baillieu Ann Gamble Myer Kate ShelmerdineSandy Clark Annabel Myer Laura ShelmerdineCarrillo Gantner AO Baillieu Myer AC Maree ShelmerdineDashiell Gantner Emily Myer Matthew ShelmerdineNeilma Gantner Jonathan Myer Stephen Shelmerdine AMVallejo Gantner Louise Myer Tom ShelmerdineZiYin Gantner Martyn Myer William ShelmerdineKerry Gardner Patrick Myer Lady Southey AMLindy Hayward Philip Myer Jennifer WebbKate Herd Rupert Myer

The Myer Foundation StaffChristine Dromart Helen MorrisCharles R. Lane Sandy ShawMichael Liffman Andrea Standen-ThomasTamara Logan Irene TuryJane McCaffrey Peter Winneke

The Sidney Myer Centenary Celebration 1899 –1999 wishes to thank the following people whose service in office included the period 1999 – 2003

T H E M Y E R F O U N D A T I O N

LEVEL 45, 55 COLLINS STREET

MELBOURNE VIC 3000

TEL +613 9207 3040

FAX +613 9207 3070

enquiries@myerfoundation.org.au

www.myerfoundation.org.au