Roxy 'Complex' boosted and enhanced by funding from all levels of Australian Government

I spent the first few days of last week in Bingara, attending a Roxy Museum meeting.

It is my exquisite pleasure to report the following:

1. The foundations have been laid for the TAFE Hospitality training kitchen and training rooms to abut the rear of the Kytherian Roxy Cafe. $750,000 has been granted by the Commonwealth Government of Australia to complete this building / project. This will have a positive impact on youth employment and training in Bingara and surrounding towns - as far away as Tamworth and Armidale.

It also raises the value of the Roxy 'complex' to something approaching $5 million (although I suspect that you could not build / replace the building for that amount).

2. I was privileged to be present on the day that the $60,000 worth of etched glass signage was erected on the Kytherian Roxy Cafe. There are only 3 other examples of this type of signage in New South Wales. That is why the Heritage Branch of the Department of Planning, NSW provided a $30,000 grant for this project. This funding was supplemented by a grant of $30,000 from Gwydir Shire Council.

3. Four days ago it was announced by Arts New South Wales, and the State Government of New South Wales, that the Roxy Museum had secured a grant for $94,500 for the Roxy Museum - which is a mueum of Greek settlement in rural Australia. Because Kytherians dominated the cafe and cinema industries in NSW, and were heavily represented in rural areas, it is also ostensibly a Kytherian Meuseum. The Minister for the Arts in NSW is of course Karaviti and Kytherian George Souris, and his chief advisor for the Arts is Mitatiotisa and Kytherian, Sophia Zantiotis.

The grants were evaluated by an independent assessment committee, and their recomendations had been accepted without alteration.

The Roxy Museum proposal was assessed as a very superior project.

For this reason, it received the largest sum 'granted' in the 2011 round of Arts NSW grants - and one of the largest grants that any cultural group has ever secured from Arts NSW.

The Press Releases from both George Souris's office, and from the office of Richard Torbay (NSW member for the area, and former Speaker of the House, NSW Parliament) were glowing.

Download a .pdf version of George Souris' and the National Party's Press Release here:

MEDIA_RELEASE_Roxy Museum_NSW_National_Party.pdf

MEDIA_RELEASE the Honarable Richard Torbay Member of NSW Parliament, Member for Northern Tablelands

A report about the $94,500 granted by Arts NSW appeared on the front page of the Bingara Advocate, 23rd November, 2011.

Bingara_Advocate_Nov_23_01.pdf

The Arts NSW grant provides the "significant start up capital' that persons such as the late Professor Manuel Aroney, felt was the pre requisite for success of the Roxy Museum project.

Kytherian history in Australia 1854-to date - in particular the history of the the KAA and the Aroney Trust is based on the 'shop-keeping phenomenon' (Hugh Gilchrists phrase). Most Kytherian wealth in Australia has derived from cafes and cinemas. The KAA was 'born' in a cafe in 1922.

The generosity of Australian governments at Federal, State & Local level ensures that a living and working memorial to our Kytherian ancestors (and those currently alive) has been provided in at least one place in Australia.

I will be back in Bingara for 3 days next week, around Wednesday 30th November, for a Board Meeting of the Roxy Complex.

Be advised that along with three other persons (residents of Gwydir Shire) I have been appointed to the Board of Management of the Roxy 'complex'.

I am also one of six persons on the Roxy Museum Committee, along with Kytherians Peter Prineas, and Peter McArthy.

May the memory of Kytherians in Australia be eternal.

Roxy Website Main Page

Roxy Theatre, Main Page

Roxy Café, Main Page

Roxy Museum, Main Page

Katsehamos and the Great Idea, the Book

April 9th & 10th 75 Anniversary celebrations, Home Page

Restoration of Kytherian and Hellenic Sacred sites

Buffer Map of the distances from Bingara to major cities of Kytherian and Hellenic population

Roxy Theatre, Gwydir Shire

http://www.gwydirshire.com/roxy.html