First of January and there was no time to waste. With two weeks between shows, we jumped into the renovations and maintenance of the space that were so sorely needed and suddenly attainable thanks to our City of Melbourne arts grant. Though mainly functional, and designed to make our lives easier, there were also aesthetic improvements to please our audience. Artists who had dealt with a cumbersome false wall, were now met with an easy sliding wall come door courtesy of Michael the builder, and helped by John the facilitator, and Amy and Lou – the eager apprentices!

After six plus coats of whiter than white paint, we were ready for another year, our blank canvas crying out for an exhibition. With Sugar Mountain festival corralling the works of American Phil Elverum for our January collaboration, we awaited the international post with anticipation. Elverum arrived a week after his prints to perform at the Toff, in a show that echoed in music, the ephemera of his photographed landscapes and scenes.