When you look back to some of the great events of 2014, you might remember a Night in the Lane, a Brush with Poetry and Sculpture in the Paddock. What you might not know is that for all those, we have YASSarts to thank.
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YASSarts is a not for profit incorporated organisation run by volunteers with the aim of celebrating arts and culture in the Yass Valley.
For years they have been organising events for the community to encourage the arts and now they have decided to go in another direction.
Chairman of YASSarts Al Phemister describes it as an opportunity for the artists to own their own events.
“YASSarts was created to support the artists and that’s what we are doing now, we’re going back to our roots and supporting the artists,” he said.
“Artists are really great at coming forward and asking us to do events. They are really generous with their time and what we want to do is take that momentum and let them run with it, and we are going back to being a supporting role.
“Giving artists an opportunity to own something themselves.”
Al has a strong passion for sculpture work and big plans for this year's Sculpture in the Paddock event.
“This year we plan on getting the artists into the High school to work with some of the year 9 classes, to hopefully get a school sculpture submitted to the event,” he said.
“This is something that as an artist I am passionate about, whereas other artists may be more interested in something like poetry or painting or writing, and know more about creating an event for those particular fields, so us as the YASSarts group will support whatever event, but we won’t run them.
“We think this will create more events for the community, and be tailored more effectively so that people can own their initiatives.”
YASSarts has supported the Dragon Dreaming festival, Yass Repertory Society, the Turning Wave Festival, Yass Music Club and Binalong Poets among many others.
This year the group is holding informal meet-ups each month where people interested in the arts and artists can get together and share information and ideas.
The group meets at the Yazzbar every third Thursday of each month from 5.30 until 7pm, the next will be held August 21.
“The idea is to promote and support these events and organisers, we will provide as much or as little as needed,” Al said.
“I’m very excited about this year's events already! We encourage everyone to come along and get involved in YASSarts, the more people involved the better it will be for the community.”
