about the yarra sculpture gallery

Introduction
The Yarra Sculpture Space is located at Abbotsford, Victoria, Australia. It is the home of the Contemporary Sculptors Association (CSA), which is an artist run initiative that has developed and manages the Yarra Sculpture Space.

The Yarra Sculpture Space houses three exhibition spaces suitable for both large and small scale work.

The Yarra Sculpture Space is made possible through the continued support of the City of Yarra.

Contemporary Sculptors Association
The Contemporary Sculptors Association Inc. was founded in 1997 as a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting contemporary sculpture, and to extending and developing the role it plays in the Australian community.

Funded principally by its membership, the CSA's is run by a volunteer Committee of Management. The CSA has developed and manages the Yarra Sculpture Space.

The Association's overall aim is to work with individual artists, government and professional organizations, the commercial sector and the community to expand public awareness of contemporary sculpture and to stimulate the growth of sculpture as a professional practice.

Membership
Membership of the Contemporary Sculptors Association is open to all sculptors, students and interested supporters.

Artists and students members receive weekly emailed updates which include details about exhibitions, prizes, commissions, jobs and events. Each artist/student has a profile and up to 9 images on the website which they can update regularly.

All members receive invitations to all exhibitions at the gallery and notice of upcoming events & programs. Committee
The CSA is an artist run organisation which is overseen by an excitative board. A complex Manager, Gallery co coordinator and researcher are employed and assisted by a team of Volunteers.

Current Committee: Supporters and Sponsors
The CSA acknowledges the continued growing support of the City of Yarra, without we would not exist. The CSA also wishes to thanks our foundations partners of who many have continued ongoing support over the past ten years, including: If you wish to support the Yarra Sculpture Space and the work of the Contemporary Sculptor Association, tax deductible donations can be made via the Australia Culture Fund. If you wish to become a sponsor please email the CSA at info@sculptors.org.au for a list of benefits and opportunities.

Services for business
The Contemporary Sculptors Association can provide consultancy services business, government and Private enterprises.

Services include the management of prizes, commissions and major exhibitions in conjunction with partners. The Contemporary Sculptors Association can provide advice on arts commissioning process, awards, prizes, artist fee rates, referral for goods & services.

History
In 1997 a small group of Melbourne Sculptors became concerned about the downturn in the commercial & non commercial gallery scene. Galleries, who traditionally represented sculptors were either closing or moving to smaller, often second floor spaces, making exhibiting sculpture near impossible. Many sculptors found themselves cut loose from the commercial gallery system and without representation. Though, even more tragically, younger sculptors, including those who operated outside the commercial system were not been given an opportunity to exhibit at all. Sculpture was suffering; a whole generation of sculptors where finding it difficult to experiment with scale, radical concepts, new media and non traditional material usage. This was the time before a healthy artist run network, big outdoor sculpture prizes, major commissions, specific sculpture collections, brave private collections and sculptors seen as bankable by commercial galleries.

We needed a space that was affordable, large scale, good access and versatile. Artist should be able to do anything within the space and not be restricted by elements such as polished floor boards, precious interiors or a curatorial ethos; it should be a place of experimental development.

After a search across Melbourne we located what now is the Yarra Sculpture Gallery, luckily owned by the City of Yarra, who allowed us to have 3 trail exhibitions late in 1997 as a test run gallery. The support was enormous, from artists, the arts community and the general public. And thanks to visionaries within the City of Yarra we were able to secure a lease of the gallery space.

We formed the Contemporary Sculptors Association Inc (CSA) to manage the gallery and develop other programs associated with expanding audiences, lobbying for artist rights, creating networks and exhibiting opportunities. A master plan for a gallery and accompanying studios was developed. With the vision that the sculpture complex would become self funded, with full time staff employed, overseen by a volunteer committee of management.

Well over 2000 sculptors have exhibited at the Yarra Sculpture Gallery since 1997, with a healthy mix of solo, group & curated exhibitions. Artists at all career stages have exhibited, from student show to senior artist, with the space being available for hire by commercial galleries, who may want to showcase a sculpture exhibition, but may not have a suitable gallery. Exhibitions are by proposal to the committee, whose philosophy is to exhibit a wide and varied selection of what's happening in contemporary sculpture across all stages of careers, whether that is a senior, mid, emerging or a student artist. This basis means that you will always find something different at the Yarra Sculpture Gallery, and not be presented with a curatorial house style or movement.

Located in Abbotsford, the Yarra Sculpture Gallery gives an opportunity for sculptors to exhibit in an artist-run space which has the size, access, and versatility to exhibit both large and small scale work. A Gallery where no commission is taken & rental is low means artist can experiment & push artistic boundaries. The CSA has produced bi monthly newsletters, host web sites featuring members, presented forums, workshops, events, major external exhibitions, managed prizes, advised private and governments organizations on subjects such as commissioning processes, leasing agreements, artist fees and rights. Sculpture is experiencing great success presently with awards and major exhibitions of which the CSA has played a major behind the scenes role.

Our thanks to our founding members, Kate McCaughey, Gibson Carlisle, Emily Clarke & Julie Collins for the vision. To the hundreds of volunteers, who swept, painted & patched the gallery initially and over the years. All the artist who have exhibited, keeping contemporary sculpture alive and progressive. Our sponsors and founding donors who all have continued to help out on special projects over the past 10 years. And especially the City of Yarra who's continued support makes the CSA and the Yarra Sculpture Gallery possible. And finally, and most importantly to all the past and present committee members who have juggled there own studio practice & careers, financial & family commitments along with the day to day, to volunteer their skills and time in making the vision continue and flourish.