DUBBO has its own voice and it is surprising.
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That's the word from Western Plains Cultural Centre manager Andrew Glassop who is keen to see our city "differentiated" as a region through programming and exhibitions.
"Dubbo is more than a sporting centre," Mr Glassop said.
"It is a place of craftspeople, artists and performers.
"The people here are diverse and an increasing multicultural element is evident.
"It is a really exciting time as Dubbo begins to announce itself on the state and national stage."
Mr Glassop said WPCC had strong ties with the National Gallery of Australia and was one of the sole state venues for a number of important shows.
"You can see some exhibitions in Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Dubbo but you can't see them in Sydney," he said.
"That's testament to the sophistication and professionalism with which the cultural centre runs. We are a reflection of what Dubbo wants us to be and a far cry from the stereotypical country gallery around the back of the council chambers.
"WPCC programs a fairly adventurous set of activities and exhibitions, many of which are not shown in comparable regional galleries.
"We are happy to canvass subjects like hunting, feminism and Indigenous issues. Artists are given freedom to do what they want and we have faith and confidence our audience will understand what is being said, shown or explored, even if they don't agree or find it slightly offensive."
Mr Glassop said the rise of local MP Troy Grant to the position of deputy had helped to increase Dubbo's profile.
"People are interested in what is happening here and view many aspects of our city as progressive," he said.
"There is great interest in the programs run by Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre and sophisticated cultural groups such as the Dubbo Filmmakers, Orana Arts and the Fire Station Arts Centre.
"A whole range of things are going on and Dubbo is doing really well. There is a general buzz around the city and opportunities are opening up. It is a good time to be here."
Mr Glassop grew up in Lismore and studied and lived in Sydney before spending 11 years in Singapore.
He went to Singapore as a teacher and moved through different education fields before becoming manager of programs and education at the Asian Civilizations Museum.
Mr Glassop returned to Australia in December 2007 and took up the position of education officer at WPCC in May 2007.
"I never imaged still being here eight years later," Mr Glassop said.
"The plan was to stay for three or four years before going back to Sydney.
"I became acting manager of WPCC at the end of 2009 and was full-time appointed in 2010.
"Life in Dubbo is very similar to Lismore and I enjoy the freedom offered by a country centre.
"Coming to WPCC can be a surprise for some people because the building is modern and well designed and the programs on offer are not always what is expected in a country location.
"WPCC has very good visitorship and hit over 85,000 this financial year. That's rather stunning in a city of 40,000 people.
"In our last major survey we had the highest return visitation rate of galleries in comparable cities such as Tamworth, Orange and Bathurst.
"People come back to us more often than in other centres. We have a really strong, committed audience that enjoys the diversity WPCC gives them.
"Our aim is to continue to increase visitation and we take note of that when we think about programming."
Although Mr Glassop appreciates the art gallery, museum and community centre "can't be everything to everyone", he'd like to see every resident of Dubbo visit WPCC at least once a year.
"But not everyone in Sydney goes to the Art Gallery of NSW and it has more resources at hand that we do," he said.
"A lot of people meet regularly at the Outlook Cafe and that's a very good thing.
"Every similar cultural institution being built now has a cafe at its heart. We want people to come along in groups to look at things and turn to each other to say 'Wasn't that beautiful?' or 'What the hell was that?'
"We want WPCC to be a place where engagement happens and conversations are started.
"Half or our exhibitions come from other agencies, including the National Gallery of Australia and Sydney Living Museums.
"We curate the other half on our own through regional art spaces and visual art shows from private collectors and other places.
"We also have a very successful program designed to nurture regional emerging artists."
Mr Glassop is interested in developing community theatre and WPCC has been working with programs run with the support of philanthropist John Kaldor, a dedicated collector, patron and supporter of contemporary art.
"For many years Kaldor Public Art Projects have been creating groundbreaking projects with international artists in public spaces," Mr Glassop said.
"We have been working on running performance art workshops and some local school students have been involved with people from Kaldor.
"Public art is something that people are really interested in. It can take myriad forms and I believe Dubbo will be very open to it.
"The thing I love about this industry is its insatiable curiosity. Everything under the sun has already been done but people still reach forward with new ideas.
"It is a privilege to be involved in something that cultivates that."
Mr Glassop sees challenges ahead in the next five to 10 years and says the threat from the online world is as real for cultural centres as it is for television stations and movie theatres.
"Will people come to WPCC when they can do a virtual 3-D tour of the Smithsonian (museum and research complex) in Washington?
"We need to be able to compete with those sort of opportunities by becoming more distinct, more local and more relevant and embedded in our particular region.
"WPCC is like the hub of a bicycle wheel. The spokes in the wheel are connected to us and other groups. At different times the spokes will be on the ground and up in the air doing things as we all work together to move forward.
"WPCC is very much about the past, the present and the future. In a sense the museum represents the past and the message that people can't know where they are going unless they know where they have been.
"The art section represents the present and what people are doing, making and saying now.
"The community arts centre is very much about the future and conversations pushing us forward.
"WPCC is an amazing organisation and it is a privilege to be involved in what is happening here.
"We are custodians, not the end owners of what we do. "There is a need to grow it and nurture it and pass it on to the people who come after us in the greatest possible shape."