HEAR OUR VOICES- WOMEN OF THE WEST SPEAK OUT

The Museum has always had a commitment to facilitate and encourage community members to express their stories and experiences. 'Hear Our Voices' is an exhibition about women from Melbourne's western region who have contributed to different facets of their community, from the Irish pioneers to those newly arrived from Eritrea. This is one of many Museum projects that have acknowledged the important role women play in the life of the community. From its inception, the Museum made women one of its main priorities, along with work and the environment.

I was eager to extend the Museum's work in this area after completing an oral history project 'Time For a Cuppa' in 1997 when I had the opportunity to talk to local women about their lives and their opinions about their health and their relationship with health professionals. Their stories were full of inspiration and challenges. Olwen, our past Director, put me in contact with Enza Gandolfo, who also had a strong interest in the lives of women in Melbourne's west . This exhibition is a culmination of Enza's material and the Museum's research. It shows the tremendous diversity, vitality and commitment of women in this region and the significance of their role in the community. The exhibition shows the diversity, commitment and vitality of a sample of women from this region. It also shows the wealth of heritage and culture in the region and encourages other women to participate in the life of their community when they see an issue that affects them.

During 1999, I worked with Robert Celeste on the design and production of ten panels. We worked closely with Accord Printing in Moonee Ponds who are printing and mounting the panels and also providing the display equipment.

I would like to thank the funding bodies - the Stan Willis Trust, the Lance Reichstein Foundation, Visions of Australia Development Fund and Arts Victoria. Thanks to Enza Gandolfo for sharing her material with us, and to Robert Celeste who has put in many hours designing the exhibition and has been a very patient and flexible partner in production.

Finally, I would very much like to thank all the women who offered their stories and those who put forward names of women to be included and hope that their efforts will encourage other people to act on issues that they feel strongly about.

A proposed touring itinerary throughout Australia has been planned (pending funding ), visiting places such as the Robert O'Hara Burke Museum in Beechworth, Eden Killer Whale Museum, Albury Regional Museum, Newcastle Regional Library, Global Arts Centre Ipswich, George Evans Gallery - Sunbury, Museum of Lilydale,Victoria University, Altona Library, Colac Community Arts Centre. Its first venue outside the Living Museum will be the Queen Victoria Women's Centre in Melbourne in July 2000.

Helen Laffin