RMIT celebrates return of cultural activities and events

A rich program of cultural events and activities is on offer at RMIT’s venues with The Capitol and RMIT Gallery reopening this month and creative residencies once again resuming at McCraith House.

RMIT Culture venues also include Design Hub and First Site Galleries and art, design and film research collections as well as programs, fellowships and prizes.

The University’s RMIT Culture team is thrilled to welcome students, staff and the wider community back into its spaces this month, with COVIDSafe procedures in place.

Paula Toal, Head of Cultural and Public Engagement, said she was excited to be welcoming students back on campus to engage with just a taste of what RMIT Culture has to offer.

“We offer a year-round program of exhibitions, events and performances for the entire community and we’re thrilled to be opening our doors again to kick off what we hope will be a year of rich cultural engagement across our spaces,” Toal said.

What’s On at The Capitol

In March, The Capitol will present Me Three an International Women’s Day triple bill of screenings and conversations for everyone on 11 and 12 March about the legacy of feminism and how it connects with younger women today.

In April, The Capitol will collaborate with Melbourne Music Week-Extended co-presenting live audio visual performances by Melbourne-based producers Ara Koufax and iconic electronic performer and academic Simona Castricum.

The partnership will also allow The Capitol to provide free tickets exclusively for RMIT students.

Simona Castricum in The Capitol, photographer: Sam Wong, courtesy of Melbourne Music Week

Creative Producer of The Capitol, Ghita Loebenstein said she is ready to welcome audiences after delivering a successful digital program in 2020.

“We are delighted to reopen The Capitol’s doors again this month, with some of Melbourne’s best festival events on offer to both students and the public in our iconic cinema,” she said.

RMIT Gallery Exhibitions

On 9 March, RMIT Gallery opens its doors with two high-impact, fashion focused exhibitions.

Andrew Tetzlaff, Senior Curator of RMIT’s galleries, said he was excited that the Gallery was reopening its doors after almost a year.

“We are pleased to be opening with two exhibitions and we are reminded how the world outside those doors has shifted significantly over these past 12 months, as we look to creativity and culture for solace, advice and inspiration,” he said.

In Jenny Bannister Raids the Archives, legendary fashion designer and RMIT alumnus Jenny Bannister takes a look inside RMIT’s Cultural Collections to curate an exhibition that reflects the University’s history as an incubator of design.

Jurassic Skin Collection, designed by Jenny Bannister, c. 1984. Photograph by Derek Hughes. [Colour slide, Gift of Jenny Bannister 2014, RMIT Design Archives Collection]

The Pattern & Print: Easton Pearson Archive exhibition celebrates the internationally acclaimed fashion house Easton Pearson, which was at the cutting edge of international fashion between 1998 and 2016.

Produced by Museum of Brisbane, the exhibition features a selection of Easton Pearson’s most vibrant designs and a mural designed by Stephen Mok, a Brisbane-based painter, illustrator and long-time Easton Pearson collaborator.

The Designers’ Guide: Easton Pearson Archive 2018, Photo: Carl Warner, Illustration: Stephen Mok, Donated by Dr Paul Eliadis AM through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program 2017, Easton Pearson Archive, Museum of Brisbane Collection

Site and Sound at the McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery

RMIT Culture is also collaborating with McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery in Langwarrin, on the exhibition Site and Sound: Sonic art as ecological practice.

The exhibition invites audiences to consider the importance of listening as a means towards a better understanding of the urgent and complex environmental issues facing our planet.

Drawing from RMIT’s Sonic Arts Collection – Australia’s first dedicated collection in this field, augmented by four significant new commissions.

Site and Sound runs until April.

Ali Barker, RMIT Culture’s Senior Coordinator, Partnered Projects said that the program ahead reflected RMIT’s deep ties to the cultural industries, and a desire to give back after such a challenging year for the sector.

“So much of the co-curated cultural experiences we are developing for our audiences in the coming year are through innovative projects with leading cultural partners, also showcasing RMIT’s wealth of expertise," Barker said.

"We look forward to sharing these experiences with the community.”

Story: Elise Barton

Art, Design and Culture

09 March 2021

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09 March 2021

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RMIT celebrates return of cultural activities and events