DRAWN TO THE LIGHT; BALLARAT BIENNALE ATTRACTS FUNDING FOR BOGONG MOTH INSTALLATION

The 11^th Ballarat International Foto Biennale (BIFB) will receive $26,800 in support from the Albanese Government’s Festivals Australia program.

Member for Ballarat Catherine King and BIFB CEO Vanessa Gerrans today visited the imminent National Centre of Photography in Lydiard Street with Natimuk artist, Dave Jones and Wadawurrung artist, Dr. Deanne Gilson to see plans for the upcoming installation titled Life Force Mumu Mirri.

The public art project will see a large-scale illuminated installation of a Bogong Moth on the facade of the National Centre for Photography over the 60 days of the Ballarat International Foto Biennale program.   

The project will draw on Wadawurrung ancestral knowledge merged with contemporary and First Nations storytelling to highlight the ecological and spiritual significance of the Bogong Moth.

It will celebrate the Bogong Moth as a symbol of sustenance, survival, and interconnectedness.

Life Force Mumu Mirri is one of 18 projects in regional and remote communities to receive funding through Round 20 of the Festivals Australia program.

A diverse range of festival projects are being supported from community arts to music, literature, visual arts, circus, theatre and beyond.

The ongoing program supports regional artists, arts workers, and organisations to showcase projects of importance to their communities. It also drives local economies by fostering cultural tourism and encouraging more people to visit the regions.

This year’s Ballarat International Foto Biennale program includes Australian exclusive exhibitions by Robert Mapplethorpe and Campbell Addy as well as a world premiere exhibition of the work of the late French photojournalist Catherine Leroy.   

The 11th Ballarat International Foto Biennale will take place 23 August to 19 October 2025. The full program will be announced in July along with tickets on sale for the popular 8-week event.

The full program of announced exhibits can be found here.

A full list of Round 20 recipients for the Festivals Australia program can be found here.

Quotes attributable to Member for Ballarat Catherine King:

“In 2023 the Biennale delighted us with an enormous gold monkey hanging off the side of the National Centre for Photography. It was the talk of the town and a must see for the many tourists visiting our city for the Biennale.

“The 2025 program is already incredible and Dr Deanne Gilson and Dave Jones’ installation is yet another reason for people to come to Ballarat to experience our immersive Biennale.

“The Biennale makes make a massive cultural and economic contribution to our city and the Albanese Government is proud to support it through our Festivals Australia program.”

Quotes attributable to Ballarat International Foto Biennale CEO Vanessa Gerrans:

“This year’s festival program will explore photography as a life force in storytelling. This playful photo opportunity is another reason for people to visit Ballarat and is a beacon - literally and symbolically- for what the Ballarat International Foto Biennale stands for: cultural storytelling, artistic innovation, and meaningful engagement with place and community.

“We’re thrilled to work with regional Australian artists Dr. Deanne Gilson and Dave Jones, whose collaboration reflects the essence of the Ballarat International Foto Biennale - honouring tradition while embracing the future.”

Quotes attributable to Wadawurrung artist Dr. Deanne Gilson:

“The Bogong Moth were feasted upon amongst First Peoples and is now on the endangered species list. For many generations, it was a valuable food source, smoked over a fire and the body eaten. The decline is partly due to climate change, including droughts and floods and many predators like the pigmy possum, rats and feral cats. By capturing this story, I hope to draw attention to our traditional ways and climate change itself, we need to take better care of our environment. the land and all that lives and grows on this Country for future generations to thrive.”

Quotes attributable to Natimuk artist Dave Jones:

“Working with Deanne Gilson and the Biennale team has been incredibly enriching. This installation will be a striking visual moment for Ballarat—art that stops people in their tracks and invites them to reflect on the layers of meaning it holds for environmental storytelling — something I’m deeply passionate about.”