Having the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation visit Bayley Arts last week meant a lot to our team and the artists we support. It was a great opportunity to reflect on the tangible impact of their partnership. Their support continues to help us build an inclusive, vibrant, and connected creative space—and we’re proud to be walking this journey with them.
Over the past three years, the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation has supported Bayley Arts—our inclusive arts hub that’s part of Bayley House. From the beginning, they’ve recognised the value of our work, and we remain deeply grateful for their ongoing commitment.
This relationship is more than just funding. It’s a genuine partnership—grounded in shared values, thoughtful advice, and a belief in what creativity can do for individuals and communities. Their support has helped us grow our community and commercial initiatives, and the encouragement and trust they have shown has been invaluable.
Here are just a few highlights from the past year that show what’s possible when the right people back you:
🤝 Community Partnerships Gained
- Brighton Grammar End-of-Year Show
- Brighton Arts Society Members Show
- Ali’s Art School Show
- Kingston City Council – Gallery hire
- Bayside City Council – Studio hires and NAIDOC support
- 576 visitors in November 2024 alone
🌊 Bayside Creatives Month – February 2025
- Seven Creatives exhibition drew 261 visitors
- Launch event held at Bayley Arts with 80 guests
- 4 x artist-led workshops (studios hired by Council)
- Tours and Q&As for the public
- 76% boost in social media engagement
- 90% increase in social views
- Our highest-ever newsletter sign-ups
📷 International Women’s Day with Melbourne Camera Club
- 4 Bayley Arts photographers featured
- 120 photographs exhibited alongside 50 other female photographers
🌱 Plastic Problems Exhibition – March to May 2025
- Held at Kingston City Council’s Parkdale Gallery
- 60 guests at opening, with guest speaker from the Council
- 32 artists explored plastic waste through sculpture, print, film & more
- School holiday program by Carolyn Cardinet
- Also exhibited at Bayside City Council and Bayley Arts—with plans to tour more locations
🖨 Printmaking at Bayley Arts
- Monthly Saturday Social printmaking club
- Monthly workshops focused on different techniques
- Term-based six-week courses
- School holiday workshops for kids aged 8–12
💼 Creating Employment & Opportunities
- New partnership with Alperstein Designs to produce products using Bayley Artists’ designs
- Artists receive royalties from sales
- Bayley Arts will sell products via our new shopfront and at markets
🙌 Artist Recognition
- Teresa McLeod, one of our Bayley Artists, facilitated a public drypoint workshop as part of Bayside Creatives Month—an inspiring step in her journey as a mentor and educator
Looking Ahead
In 2025, we’ll welcome 10 gallery hires from local artists and organisations, expand our curated exhibition program, and host our NAIDOC Week exhibition with First Nations artists Les Stanley and Chrissyray Weetra. We'll continue developing our Arts Mentorship Program with our Day Programs team and exploring sustainable models for our commercial studio.
We’re incredibly grateful for the generosity and trust of the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation. Their support helps us continue creating space for artists of all abilities to thrive.
From all of us at Bayley Arts—thank you.