Congratulations to the newly elected 2021/2022 APDG Committee and thank you to those who served on the 2020/2021 Committee. This quarter, I would like to share my yearly AGM report.
It has been a tough year, 12 months of Covid pain and uncertainty in our industries with many colleagues facing tough times and financial hardship with little support from the federal government, live performance suffering the most with most venues dark throughout this period.
As a community we have managed to survive with the zoom catch-ups and APDG Dialogues in Design throughout the year, this has helped to keep our design community connected, it’s what the APDG is all about not only promoting design and designers and design associates but nourishing our design community.
With that difficult period behind us we can look forward to a future that looks a lot brighter (Covid permitting) live performance venues opening up and the screen industries both TV and film going gangbusters.
I would like to give a massive thank you to Victorian Committee Chair Aphrodite Kondos, Queensland Committee Co-Chair Michelle McGahey APDG and South Australian Committee Chair Casey Van Sebille, who have all dedicated numerous hours to the APDG over the years and who have stepped down from their chair positions this year. I would also like to thank Marta McElroy, who has resigned as an APDG director and announce that Stephen Curtis APDG and Michael Rumpf have been appointed as new APDG directors.
The excitement mounts as we close in on our 10th Anniversary APDG awards, at last we are able to come together and celebrate the work of our colleagues. Thanks to Michael Rumpf for his hard work in putting this year’s awards together. Look forward to seeing many of you in Brisbane in August.
The APDG only survives with the participation and commitment of members who form our state and special interest committees including our steering, Live Performance, Screen, Education, Emerging Designers committees, MENTORAPDG, online managers and of course all these disparate groups supported and held together by our business manager Rebecca Whittington who has had a full and busy year keeping us connected and has put the Guild on a professional and solid business footing, thanks Rebecca.
Given the horrendous past year the APDG moves forward in a stable financial position and an increasing membership with positive plans such as Eamon D’Arcy and Bob Hill’s exciting proposal for an exhibition of design, “Making a Scene”. Adding value to membership of the guild being a constant goal.
Our future looks bright.
– George