The stories and faces from 85 years' of St Giles

A new exhibition has opened at the Queen Victoria Art Gallery at Royal Park, sharing the stories and faces of St Giles' 85-year history.

In early 2020, when COVID-19 first struck, St Giles began collecting the oral histories and photographs of people connected to it; an organisation forged from the 1937 polio pandemic, 85 years later working within a new pandemic, COVID-19.

As part of the project entitled FaceTime former staff, Board members, people living with disability, and supporters, were interviewed.

St Giles Special Project Officer Bridget Sullivan Arkless gathered and transcribed all interviews, and award-winning photographer, Scott Gelston, captured the individual portraits of each person.

City of Launceston Mayor Danny Gibson said the exhibition was a wonderful way to showcase the history of St Giles in Tasmania.

“This exhibition is a great way to explore the rich history of St Giles and the impact the organisation has statewide,” Cr Gibson said.

“The exhibition shares a powerful message of the critical role St Giles plays within our communities through sharing stories of lived experience.

“I encourage everyone to visit and explore this brilliant exhibition at QVMAG.”

General Manager Creative Arts and Cultural Services Shane Fitzgerald said he was proud to welcome this exhibition collaboration to QVMAG.

“Community collaboration and activation is always a key focus for our annual programming here at QVMAG,” Fitzgerald said.

“Exhibitions such as this capture our social history which is an amazing thing.

“To share these stories with our audiences is a great way to celebrate and acknowledge the ongoing role of St Giles within our community.”

St Giles Acting CEO Honni Pitt said the exhibition was a great way to increase the visibility of St Giles across Tasmania.

“The City of Launceston was integral to the formation of St Giles and continues to actively provide opportunities for collaboration that help us tell our story and make us visible to the wider community.”

FaceTime is on display at the Art Gallery at Royal Park until 25 June 2023 with free entry.