MAP mima, Australia’s first permanent regional multimedia arts pavilion, will open to the public this spring, with a series of free public events and 10 new commissions by Australian artists celebrating the opening. Located in Lake Macquarie, the exhibitions will champion the region as a cultural hub for contemporary art and performance.

Designed as a flexible, high-tech multi-arts platform, the MAP mima will host a dedicated program of cultural events all year round. This includes national and international contemporary art installations, digital art screenings, live performance and music. The pavilion itself compliments the award-winning Museum of Art and Culture Lake Macquarie and forms part of the Lake Arts Precinct. The project is funded by the NSW Government through the Regional //Cultural Fund in association with Lake Macquarie City Council.

Bold and imposing shapes characterises much of the building’s form. A design created by Samantha Bailey, an architecture student at the University of Newcastle, has been brought to life in collaboration with the university’s School of Architecture and Built Environment.

MAP mima render

The pavilion takes its name from the Awabakal word mima (pronounced me’ma) meaning ‘cause to stay’. The naming of MAP mima is an active invitation for visitors to engage with the Awabakal country on which they stand, and to recognise the thousands of years of knowledge passed down by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Lake Macquarie and around the country.

Jacqui Hemsley, Lake Macquarie City Council’s Manager Arts, Culture and Tourism, says the pavilion is designed to encourage cultural participation in contemporary art outside of traditional venues.

“MAP mima is an ideal stepping stone for emerging artists and a platform to present alternative productions to new audiences. Our aim is to present engaging, experimental works and public programs which create a connection between location, art and audience that visitors won’t find anywhere else.”

The Cube, which sits at the heart of the pavilion, is a central multimedia gallery enabling full-wall multimedia experience. A large hydraulic awning opens The Cube to create a roofed stage area for live performance which leads onto a paved courtyard and into the park. The Node, a trapezoidal structure jutting out of the brick facade towards the lake, is another design feature of the pavilion. Created for the exhibiting of digital art, the structure carries an indoor-to-outdoor projection screen that is viewable in the park, as well as a state-of-the-art soundscape created by speakers strategically positioned around the building, providing a platform for a rotating program of artists’ works.

hiromi tango artwork

To open the pavilion, the MAP mima has sought the creations of Australian artists including Hiromi
Tango, PluginHUMAN, Lottie Consalvo and musician Andy Firth to respond to and celebrate the region. The art installations, digital art screenings and musical performances will bring culture and creation to the pavilion, which is situated an hour’s drive north from Sydney on the shore of Lake Macquarie in Speers Point Park.

For more info regarding the pavilion and it’s exhibits, visit lakemac.com.au/Projects/Multi-Arts-Pavilion.

Jarrod Reedie

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