Port Arthur Project : re-interpreting Port Arthur Historic Site through contemporary visual art.

Port Arthur Project represents a unique partnership between Ten Days on the Island, the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority and the Tasmanian School of Art, University of Tasmania. Through this collaboration several of Tasmania's acknowledged strengths are creatively combined: History, Art, Environment, Tourism and Education. The innovative and stimulating outcome is a significant contribution to the visual arts landscape in Tasmania and sets a benchmark for future collaborations. The exhibition challenges and embraces the complexity and richness of Port Arthur through the concept of revelation - the uncovering of under-recognised or over-looked elements of the site and its environs, or the reinvestigation of conventional readings of history through visual art in new and unusual ways. Port Arthur Project is an ambitious project that has relied on the vision and effort of a large team comprising the 25 artists, the curatorial group and administrative, technical and discipline specialists from the three organisations; all demonstrated their skill and commitment throughout the 18 months it's taken to realise the project. The team members are congratulated and thanked. Port Arthur Project has also relied on funding provided by the Australia Council for the arts, support for which we are most grateful. We are expecting up to 20,000 visitors to the exhibition and hope that as it builds understanding of art and history, it also encourages discussion and debate, and provides reward and enjoyment.