BON SCOTT Project Ideas Sought

Fremantle Arts Centre is calling for proposals which celebrate and critique the life and legacy of Bon Scott, the lead singer and co-lyricist of AC/DC, 1974-80. Proposals are welcomed from individuals and groups of artists, curators, and organisations of all kinds.

Scotland-born Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was raised in Fremantle, Western Australia where he learnt to play the drums with the Coastal Scottish Pipe Band. Years after his death he is still embraced as a "Fremantle boy" and his performance style is increasingly acclaimed internationally. His grave in Fremantle Cemetery, now listed by the National Trust, is the most visited in Australia.

Fremantle Arts Centre is seeking to engage with the local resonance and international reach of Bon's appeal. The Centre is open to gallery-based, off-site and online proposals which take a strategic view of the relationships inherent in the Project.

One of the programming strands will be linked to an artist’s residency in the Moores Building flat. The Project is envisaged to encompass exhibitions, radio and the web. The exhibitions at Fremantle Art Centre will open mid 2008 to coincide with the dedication of the Bon Scott Memorial Statue, instigated by his fans. Fremantle’s live venues will be approached to support the Project through their programming. The Chamber of Commerce will also be approached about artists using their LED billboard.

Proposals will be assessed according to:
* their ambition and their inventiveness;
* the manner in which they are conceived in terms of their contribution to strategic relationships; and
* the budget and other resources available.

The Centre welcomes proposals which engender local, national and international exchange. Proposals will also be considered from the point of view of how they build on connections between the Centre and local constituents such as "the fans," the tourism and entertainment sectors, education audiences, and Centre sponsors.

Potential project ideas include:
* Bon's story as the story of post-War British migration to Australia
* The links between Bon's story and the gentrification of Fremantle
* The potential of the Bon Scott project to expand definitions of "heritage"
* Historical and gender perspectives on Bon's hyper-masculine style
* The contribution of the juncture of music, video and television to the formation of Bon's image
* Bon's belated appeal for fans who were not fans when Bon was alive
* The steadfastness of the original fans who have kept faith with Bon regardless of music trends
* Bon's fans and their relationship to their tattoos as signifiers of their devotion
* The transmission of identification with Bon from fathers and uncles to sons
* The influence of Bon on younger bands
* The competing interests vying for ownership of the Bon Scott myth
* The perceived conflict between Bon's status as an outsider and the selection of a bronze statue to commemorate him
* The potential of the Bon Scott project to critique notions of public art

Fremantle Arts Centre is a multi-arts organization uniquely situated in a magnificent neo-gothic building. Part of the City of Fremantle, the Centre's program of exhibitions, events and residencies brings together local, regional, national and international artists working with concerns that have currency with the Centre's audiences.

Fremantle Arts Centre has four galleries at the Centre and one residential (Moores Building) and four non-residential (FAC) studios. A fourth non-residential studio pavilion is located in the Centre's grounds. A fifth gallery is managed by the Curator of the City of Fremantle Collection. The Centre presents a program of live events ranging from the intimate to those attracting capacity audiences of 2,300.

Proposals are due Friday, June 29, 2007. Please send a recent CV for each of the participants, one page outlining your idea and a non-returnable disc of images.

For further information, go to this location or contact Jasmin Stephens, Tel: 61 +8 9432 9553 Email: [email protected]