The Central Coast Art Society (CCAS) honoured the achievements of former Society president, Ms Margaret Hardy, with an afternoon tea in the Gosford Regional Gallery Foyer.
Over 80 guests attended to celebrate Ms Hardy’s illustrious career as CCAS president and all that she achieved for arts on the Central Coast. With a catalogue of achievements to her name, some of the highlights of Ms Hardy’s presidency were: initiating the campaign to lobby council for a cultural facility at Caroline Bay, now the Gosford Regional Art Gallery, which was followed by a donation of $10,000 from the CCAS to the Gallery Fund, raised by a calendar of drawings of the Central Coast from 1986 to 2000; representing CCAS on Council Committees; 25 years on the Gallery Advisory Group; establishment of the Arts Centre Library; restoration of Kincumber School of Arts; as well as representing CCAS in the Sister City programmes with Edogowa (Tokyo) and Nitra (Slovakia).
Ms Hardy also initiated the Young People’s Incentive Award in 1995 to encourage young people to participate in exhibitions; supported The Margaret Smith Memorial Award which was founded in 1998 when the CCAS inherited monies from the estate of past member, Margaret Smith; and orchestrated ‘The Overfl ow Exhibition’, initiated in memory of Dawn and Harry Smith by their daughter Rusty Wallace, to displays works not selected to be hung in the prestigious Gosford Art Prize. CCAS members, Ms Fran Mackey and Ms Coleen Martin, said the Central Coast was indebted to Ms Hardy, who continues to campaign for the promotion and advancement of facilities for the city of Gosford. “The CCAS wishes you a long and happy retirement Margaret,” Ms Mackey and Ms Martin said.
Email, Jun 9, 2016 Fran Mackey and Coleen Martin, Central Coast Art Society