​‘IT’S AN HONOUR’: COSTA NAMED ARTS CENTRE AMBASSADOR

He’s on our television sets, has won a Logie and now he’s been named an ambassador of the Bankstown Arts Centre.

Today, Aussie icon Costa Georgiadis joined the likes of actor Bryan Brown as official champions of the Centre. His ambassadorship comes during one of the Centre’s busiest years, despite COVID-19.

“While everything else seemed to slow down, the Bankstown Arts Centre powered ahead to thrive by creating and holding the first Bankstown Biennale,” Georgiadis said.

He said he was most excited about the Centre’s core ethos to use the power of art to ask questions, and portray and encourage people to think about issues which might otherwise go under the radar.

At a sold-out Bankstown Biennale event, he said it was an “honour” to be an ambassador.

“I’ve been absorbed by the fact that the Centre has an embedded art and ecology focus in its program, while it constantly looks at ways to engage community on challenging environmental issues,” he said.

“Its approach to showcase global challenges through local engagement at the community level is working … and I believe this wonderful community-based contemporary arts centre has a massive role to play moving forward.

“It’s a wonderful example of how the arts scene in western Sydney is building, and growing valuable relationships with communities across the region.”

He said the Centre demonstrates a unique, innovative and creative approach while working with high calibre artists – especially as it serves the state’s largest Local Government Area, where more than 170 languages are spoken.

CBCity Mayor Khal Asfour was proud to welcome Georgiadis as ambassador.

“Arts, culture and ecology aren’t topics that get a lot of headlines or a great deal of attention, but they are the essence of what differentiates our City from other areas,” Mayor Asfour said.

“We have an incredibly diverse community, enriched in the arts and culture. I praise Costa for joining us in doing all we can to build on and promote this great work.”

The Bankstown Biennale, open until November 21, features 20 emerging and well established artists, whose work explores a theme of symbiosis to prompt ways society can grow and transform when met with crises.

For more information, visit cb.city/bankstownbiennale