Abbotsford Convent Foundation is excited to celebrate 20 years as a leading arts and cultural precinct embedded in community. To mark this moment, they welcome you to a large-scale celebration with all our communities, past, present and future.

This exhibition encompasses a curated collation of archival materials demonstrating the changes in the ACF landscapes over the last 20 years – i.e. from the moment the community were given the key to restore and create an arts precinct in the heart of Yarra. The exhibition demonstrates the many ways community interacts with place and art here onsite as well as the labours undertaken to develop what many thought was a white elephant and has grown to welcome and embrace a space of cultural space sand green spaces for over 550,000 people a year.

Focussing on how people impact on the sustainable future of this precinct, Catlin Langford, curator at Centre for Contemporary Photography, has undertaken extensive research at the State Library as well as the ACF community archives and has carefully curated a body of work including photographs, and other material that represent significant moments in Abbotsford Convent’s history.

This presentation is a unique moment to reflect on the tremendous impact the shared experiences this place offers the diverse and large Convent community.

The exhibition is part of the Convent’s Art Place 2024 Program, supported by an Annual Grant from Council.