Global Arts Factory

A Grand Opening

Founders of Global - left to right - brothers Daniel, Andrew and Joe McGuiness with helpers

Live ice carving

T.U. How did the Global Arts Factory come about?

"Any chance of having some of that ice for my drink?

Our involvement with the Arts industry started with our research into art materials in late 1991. We wanted to formulate in the laboratory a product that was of the very best quality with minimal chemical content, minimal toxicity and a competitive price. We've been able to get the business going well and are now exporting to a number of countries. We outgrew the building here and secured a new place in Sydenham but we'd put so much love and energy into this special place that we wanted to keep hold of it so we re-leased it and set up the Global Arts Factory.

The idea for the studio has been around for three or four years. We wanted to make a creative haven where local and international artists could hang out, paint and feel comfortable and relaxed.

Traditional Aboriginal dance

We wanted it to be a non profit organisation, something that could ride on it's own back. Whatever money is made we can put back into updating the facilities - putting in welding facilities, ceramic facilities, ovens etc.

Downstairs will have studio space and a gallery. Dean Wilmont, a world famous surfing photographer, is moving in there and installing a state of the art computerised equipment and will be able to take care of those things involving pre-print production and photographic work.
We also have Les Naumovsky, a framer, who will be running a small framing shop from downstairs.
Upstairs will be an art studio but we've set up the infrastructure for a gallery. We can turn the studio into an art gallery in a very short time because we've installed a hanging and tracking system.

"Buy this painting or I'll whack you over the head with it."

T.U. Has the project received much support?
Support from the media, the public and the local politicians has been fantastic. On Friday night we expected up to five hundred people - seven hundred and fifty turned up. We're lucky that we've got so many talented people giving of their time. Basically everyone who's been involved in the project in any depth so far has been giving their time for free because they think that we can play an important part in the Art community. Now it's time for us to follow through - the proof is in the pudding.

T.U. How did you select the artists for the exhibition?
It was an open ended invitation to artists. Using paint was not a prerequisite to being in the exhibition. There is photography, pastel and sculpture as well. Some of the artists had been working for thirty years or more like Ron Robertson-Swann, Sno Brewer, Louis Allach and Brian Agnew but we also had four or five people for whom it was their first exhibition. Friday night was a special moment for them - getting that positive feedback about their own work.

Global have installed a state-of-the-art heating system.

T.U. What is the future for the Global Arts Factory?
We want the Global Arts Factory to set a precedent within the industry for environmental practice and that's pretty easy to do if people are aware of what's happening with their materials. It's all about working comfortably with each other within some type of parameters. If we can give something back to the community and set precedents in the work practice then we're going in the right direction.




The Global Arts Factory is situated at: 5 Comber Street, Paddington, Sydney 2021 Tel: (02) 9360 2171


David Cotter