Spirit of Soul Festival

The Spirit of Soul Festival is a community event that has been organized to raise funds and awareness for Mental Illness. From 18th to 20th of January 2008, is a comprehensive ‘live’ soul music festival that will host its main event at The Factory Theatre in Marrickville over the 3 nights.

We will also be integrating other smaller events into the S.O.S. festival by including on the program, ‘Funked Up Films’ @ Soni’s in Newtown, ‘ReSouled’ Vinyl Auction Fundraiser @Newtown RSL, ‘Bowl for Soul’ fundraiser @ Marrickville Bowling Club, ‘What has touched your SOUL?’ photography competition at Mad Gallery in Enmore, raising funds for Roomies Artspace!

During the 3 days, we will sell afro wigs for ‘Every days a FroDay’ to raise awareness for Bipolar and Depression, and encourage everyone at the festival to wear blue wrist bands from Beyond Blue to support those suffering from various levels of depression at our info stall called ‘Beyond the Blues’.

Roomies Artspace Strategic Plan for 2008

1. continue fortnightly roomies art class Boarding House Project
   
2. annual exhibition Roomies Coordinator and Advisory Board
   
3. create/continue roomies advisory board Roomies Coordinator
   
4. keep roomies artspace open Advisory Board
   
5. extend vol links with roomies artists Roomies Coordinator
6. run art classes Roomies Coordinator
7. merchandise roomies stuff Advisory Board
   
8. outsider art at newtown festival
   
9. outsider art on the road

1. Fortnightly Roomies Art Class
Securely HACC funded, although costs are increasing. Class can be held anywhere if Roomies Artspace has to shut.

2. Annual Exhibition
Fantastic showcase for roomies work and provides funds for artists which they greatly appreciate. Funding for exhibition needs to be sourced (approx $5,000 pa). Smaller exhibition being planned mid year for 2008 due to the next exhibition being at Parliament House early in 2009. The Boarding House Project and Newtown Neighbourhood Centre have previously funded the exhibition but are unable to guarantee 2008 onwards.

3. Roomies Advisory Board
We need to focus our willing and interested friends to achievable outcomes. We have 1 day/week coordinator funding for the first half of 2008 and will use it to generate as much funds and as many linkages as possible. In particular, the Roomies Coordinator's job is to revitalise the Roomies Advisory Board to share the work load. Items 2, 4 and 7 are the Advisory Board's primary agenda!

4. Keep Roomies Artspace Open
The Boarding House Project and Newtown Neighbourhood Centre have been funding the artspace but cannot continue indefinitely. Funding currently exists only until mid 2008. A strong strategic and marketing plan will help us to continue seeking outside funds and partnerships. We have a great profile and relationships already with Addison Rd Centre, Addison Rd Gallery, Marrickville Council, Accessible Arts and Pine St Creative Arts Centre. Roomies is ideally situated for artists from a number of local boarding houses, and we know that travel and lack of motivation are issues the artists face, so we want to minimise change, keeping the Artspace going at Addison Rd as long as we can.

5. Extend Volunteer Linkages
One coordinator hour can generate 4 hours of face to face volunteer art worker/artist linkage. Volunteers require support and assistance. Paperwork and training needs to be properly provided. New volunteers need to be found and followed up! Items 2, 3, 5 and 6 are the Coordinator's primary agenda.

Short History of Roomies Artspace

ROOMIES ARTSPACE started as a series of art workshops in Inner West boarding houses conducted in 1996 and 1997 by KANCAM (later Inner West Cultural Services). In 1999, this developed into fortnightly workshops at the Tom Foster Community Centre in Newtown under the aegis of Newtown Neighbourhood Centre's Boarding House Project.

This award winning art group has had several sell out exhibitions since 1999 and it has long been a dream of the artists and art workers (many of whom are volunteers) to have a space of their own. ROOMIES are people with mental illnesses or disabilities who live in the community in a boarding house. ROOMIES have very little money, they share rooms and often clothing and personal possessions. They have very little privacy and no space to themselves.

With the assistance of Addison Rd Gallery and Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, ROOMIES ARTSPACE was founded at the Addison Rd Community Centre in an old army hut. ROOMIES ARTSPACE was officially opened in October 2005 by Archibald prize winning artist Cherry Hood, with a sellout exhibition and a highly enjoyable opening party.