The Esplanade Hotel Foundation

Esplanade Hotel Foundation Ltd
ACN 096 909 321

A cultural organisation established by the Esplanade Alliance to secure the Esplanade Hotel's continuing evolution as an incubator of new, experimental and alternative cultural activities

Vision for the Espy

The Esplanade Hotel Foundation is based on the ethos that the Espy can successfully continue, beyond 2001, in its cultural role as:

• a crucible of affordable, leading edge music, comedy and art
• a vehicle for on-going cultural evolution and metamorphosis
• a symbol of resistance to the glamorised, monocultural, corporate ethos

In conjunction with the current opportunity to refurbish the upper two levels, it can build capacity across the arts sector for innovation, creativity and new experiments within the challenges of the commercial market place.

Structure

The Esplanade Hotel Foundation is a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee, which has been established to encourage and promote alternative music, performing arts, visual arts, crafts, design, film, video, television, radio and other cultural activities within the three levels of the Esplanade Hotel.

The Foundation can receive grants, gifts, loans and deposits; it can enter into partnerships and various collaborative arrangements; and it can carry on business and other activities that it considers desirable to promote the company’s objectives. An application for cultural organisation status is currently with the Australian Tax Office. When this status is received, all gifts and donations to the Foundation will be tax deductible.

Actions

the operations of the ground floor areas (Front bar, Gershwin room, public bar, kitchen) continue to encourage and promote alternative and fringe music, comedy and art within (more or less) the current layout/fit-out and service and door policy, thereby excluding gaming machines, gambling halls, beer barns, expensive clubs, bars or restaurants and other major alterations that would destroy the egalitarian and intimate nature of the venue;

complementary activities are established and managed on the refurbished upper floors by providing:

• studios for visual artists and performing artists
• exhibition space for visual art, craft, photography and design
• performance venue for commercial and community ventures
• offices and studios for community radio, television, film, cultural foundations and educational organisations
• recording studios, editing suites and rehearsal rooms

Finally, the Esplanade Alliance will continue to campaign to ensure that any development on the remainder of the site reflects the planning guidelines for the site, respects the urban context that defines St Kilda, and complements the cultural activity of its immediate neighbour, the landmark and iconic Esplanade Hotel.

Proposed structure and current and proposed cultural activities

Official Media Release

For further information about the Esplanade Hotel Foundation and to register your support please contact espyhf@yahoo.com

Guarding the Heart and Soul of St.Kilda

This webpage is maintained by Cyndy Vogelsang on behalf of the Esplanade Alliance