Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
The big finale planned for next year’s Fremantle Biennale is dead in the water after its host council refused to sponsor the event — partly because of the Fremantle name.
Fremantle Biennale producers had been planning to “resurface” the Omeo shipwreck at Coogee Beach using a light show of 250 drones and illuminated underwater divers until Cockburn council voted not to foot the $70,000 request.
Fremantle Biennale artistic director and executive officer Tom Muller told PerthNow the rejection was “bonkers”.
“Seven Fathoms was specifically developed for the Omeo wreck and it needs major support from the City of Cockburn, so if they’re not on board we can’t do it unfortunately,” Mr Muller said.
The site-responsive public artworks has been a two-yearly fixture in Fremantle and more recently surrounding areas. Organisers hope next November’s festival could exceed 100,000 visitors and generate an economic benefit of about $2 million.
The exclusive drone show would have been co-presented with a second show featuring a chorus of sailing boats. The boats were to journey down the Swan River and stop at four locations in four separate local council areas across three weekends, with the initial plan for them to finish at Coogee to close the exhibition alongside Seven Fathoms.
The sailing boats were set for Point Heathcote in Melville, Rocky Bay in East Fremantle, Bathers Beach in Fremantle and then the Coogee coastline in Cockburn.
But without an injection from Cockburn, the sailing boats will now end in Fremantle and the Seven Fathoms light display will be cancelled.
Mr Muller confirmed the City of Melville had committed $40,000, the Town of East Fremantle $10,000 and the City of Fremantle $92,500 for next year’s event.
They had sought $70,000 from the Cockburn council on top of their personal contribution of $42,700 to bring Seven Fathoms to life.
During the Cockburn council’s vote, Cr Michael Separovich said they should not be supporting a Fremantle-branded event when the council already could not support many Cockburn-branded events.
“I don’t see why we should be throwing $70,000 at events that will soak up a large amount of funding that could be used for our pre-existing events around the city,” he said.
“If it was the Cockburn Biennale, then it would be a very different conversation.”
Five councillors agreed with Cr Separovich, ensuring his motion passed.
Mr Muller told PerthNow City of Cockburn officials had approached Fremantle Biennale last year asking if it would consider renaming to include Cockburn in the title.
“We thought it was funny for them to ask that because they are not a major supporter or principal partner,” Mr Muller said.
“We discussed it at board level and thought about naming ourselves the WA Biennale to incorporate others, and we all concluded after a strategic meeting that the Fremantle Biennale is totally fine because that’s where it started.
“It’s a bit like the Perth Festival which began at UWA but exists all across the State. I can appreciate Cockburn’s perspective, it’s a fair call but not something we are willing to consider going forward.”
But he admitted Cockburn’s shun had come as a shock, given the work that had gone into laying foundations for the event with its mayor Logan Howlett, chief executive Daniel Simms and its arts and culture team.
“The mayor, the CEO and the community director from the arts and culture team have been asking us to actually pitch something to them for like two-and-a-half years now,” Mr Muller said.
“So I don’t think it’s reflective of the team we’ve been working with. They’ve been amazing and we are huge fans of Cockburn. Maybe it’s just a few councillors to be really fair. I think that it comes down to individuals.”
Cockburn’s director of community and place Kylie Johnson said the artistic display was welcome to go ahead at Coogee without council funding.
“This is a financial decision relating to sponsorship and not a decision to prohibit the event from taking place,” Mrs Johnson said.
“If an event application is made, it will be considered through the regular approvals process.”
But Mr Muller said: “If they want an aspect of the art to be staged down at Coogee Beach and for Seven Fathoms to work, then it needs to go back up to council for funding to get approved.”
“I’m leaving that in the capable hands of Cockburn city.”
