Aragon’s ARTRAGE relationship a licence for collaborative creativity

Aragon Legal, which recently became an incorporated law firm, has won this year’s best first-time partnership award for its work with ARTRAGE.

During the past 12 months, ARTRAGE and Aragon Legal worked together to prepare and submit an application for a Special Facilities Licence.

Together they undertook an extensive consultation process to assess the levels of community support and identify potential problems with the submission.

Aragon Legal director of business administration, Dr Catherine Bachleda, said that, as an incorpor-ated practice, Aragon had a multi disciplinary group on its board, which had a non-legal services approach.

“When looking at how to promote ourselves, we thought we would take a more innovative approach to increasing our profile, and we were aware that ARTRAGE supports up and coming actors and that they were an under funded cause,” Dr Bachleda said.

She said ARTRAGE was using occasional licenses to sell alcohol with its events, a practice not encouraged by the Office of Racing and Gaming.

“If you have functions or exhibitions, you are encouraged to apply for a permanent licence, which is a costly and timely exercise,” Dr Bachleda said. “So we did that work for them over the period of a year or so, and they now have a Special Facilities Liquor Licence.”

The Bakery is now a fully licensed venue that enables ARTRAGE to support a diverse program of cultural activity throughout the year.

ARTRAGE established The Aragon Gallery at Aragon’s premises in early 2005, and artists also hang their works in Aragon’s boardroom.

The gallery features works by selected artists who have exhibited at Breadbox Gallery, and a ‘meet the artist’ afternoon tea is held for Aragon Legal clients throughout the year.

“We display up and coming artists’ work in our boardroom, which gives their work exposure to a wide variety of our clients who wouldn’t otherwise see the work,” Dr Bachleda said.

ARTRAGE has also created special festival packages for Aragon Legal staff and their families.