Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I was delighted in the last two-week break of the parliament to be able to attend the launch of the Switch Digital Arts Centre, which is powered by the Information and Cultural Exchange, known as ICE, in North Parramatta. Switch will provide access to cutting-edge technology and training to emerging digital artists in the region. The Switch Digital Arts Centre provides state-of-the-art facilities including commercial quality digital media equipment, performance space and screening and training rooms. Importantly, the centre will provide access for the community to industry experts in music and sound, video, screen based art and graphic design. The federal government provided a total of $1.5 million for the new centre out of its education and innovation fund.

The new space and cutting-edge equipment are great, but ICE itself is powered by ideas and heart. The people at ICE are people who make hard ideas happen. Ten years ago, they had a blank piece of paper and a dream, and they now have one of the best digital arts facilities in Australia, if not the world. It is exciting to think what these sorts of creative people can achieve now that they have a world-class space and equipment.

Located on Victoria Road, Switch is just 15 minutes walk from Parramatta train station. It is located in Western Sydney’s new cultural hub, which includes the Parramatta Heritage and Visitor Centre, Connect Studios, the Parramatta Artists Studios, the Riverside Theatres, Parramatta Park and St Patrick’s Cathedral. Acting Executive Director of the Information and Cultural Exchange Lisa Torrance put it well at the opening when she said: ‘Switch Digital Arts Centre is a story-telling playground. It’s a space where we will actively encourage dynamic interaction between creative individuals and community. It’s a creative space that we hope will become a gathering place for communities from all walks of life.’

Many people deserve recognition for bringing about this fantastic outcome. Among them are Susan Green, Lisa Torrance, Caitlin Vaughan, Mouna Zaylah, Indu Balachandran, Jill Chambers, Kristy Mayhew, Trey Thomas, Jerome Pearce, Maria Tran, Gary Paramanathan and Donita Hulme-Cawi, but one person stands out, and that undoubtedly is Lena Nahlous, the Executive Director of the Information and Cultural Exchange. Lena is a phenomenal individual of enormous passion, energy and capability. She is a cultural development worker, arts manager and writer, and she has worked for over a decade in non-government organisations, managing and collaborating on initiatives that have engaged thousands of people, particularly women, refugees, migrants and young people. At ICE she established Artfiles, a portal and directory for Western Sydney artists, and the Switch multimedia and digital arts centre and was a co-founder of the highly successful Sydney Arab Film Festival. Over 10 years, Lena has led ICE from the old Gatekeeper’s Cottage in Parramatta Park to a world-leading community-accessible digital arts facility. The intervening years have not been easy, but she has overcome every hurdle.

Congratulations to everyone involved in the Information and Cultural Exchange. Switch Digital Arts Centre is an amazing achievement which I am sure will give birth to many other amazing achievements, ideas and creations, which I will raise in this place in the future. (Time expired)

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