Vera Scarth-Johnson Gallery Association president Bev Stone says she hopes recognition in a recent state museums and galleries awards will help boost volunteer numbers for the must-see Cooktown institution. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
They may not have returned home with the silverware, but the president of the Vera Scarth-Johnson Gallery Association is hoping just having the Cooktown institution shortlisted for a prestigious award will help boost volunteer numbers.
The gallery, located at Nature’s Powerhouse, was in the running to bag the Volunteer Museum/Gallery of the Year category of the 2025 Gallery and Museum Achievement Awards on 9 September after being announced as one of five finalists across Queensland.
While the prize ultimately went to the Queensland Air Museum at Caloundra, Bev Stone said she believed just being in the mix of finalists had paid dividends for the south-eastern Cape York gallery.
“It was just great to be there, and to meet some incredible people and see what everyone else is doing in the museum and gallery world,” she said.
“When you’re competing against someone that’s got something like 200 volunteers, with our core group of about 16 or 20, it’s a bit of encouragement for what we’re doing to get that far.
“We certainly put Cooktown on the map.”
Ms Stone said she and her committee would love to see more Cooktown residents put their hand up to volunteer at the gallery, especially younger members of the community.
“It’s like every small town – every organisation is competing for volunteers,” she said.
“We’d just like to see, perhaps, the schools get a bit more involved in educating the kids that to come and see the exhibition, and learn what it’s all about.”
