The Ballarat International Foto Biennale has added another name to its growing list of ambassadors, with former Victorian health minister Rob Knowles AO becoming another face of the photography festival.
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Mr Knowles was born in Ballarat and attended Ballarat North Technical School before taking up farming at Clarendon in the 1960s. He worked for the Rural Finance and Settlement Commission before being elected to the Victorian upper house in 1976 as the Liberal member for Ballarat Province.
He became minister for housing and for aged care, then health and aged care minister in the Kennett government in 1992, before leaving parliament in 1999.
He’s also a keen amateur photgrapher, although he denies having any great skill.
“I’m not even really a rank photographer,” Rob Knowles laughs as he inspects the building which will become the National Centre For Photography and the new home of the Foto Biennale.
“I’ve had an interest from afar of what the Biennale has established and grown in Ballarat, and I was absolutely delighted when the board asked me to become an ambassador.
“I see it as a great honour, and if I can in any way assist in the growing of the Biennale I’m happy to do so. It’s really quite exciting that they have purchase their own building and have ambitious plans. In the past few years under Fiona’s leadership, it has grown way beyond just being a biennial festival. It’s going to make Ballarat one of the cultural icons of photography in Australia.”
Rob Knowles joins former Victorian premier Steve Bracks as one of the ambassadors for the Biennale, and happily admits to a friendship with his former political foe.
“We get on quite well, even though when we were in parliament we were on opposite sides of the political fence,” Mr Knowles says.
“It’s a long time ago; it’s two decades years since I left parliament, you must remember. People ask ‘when were you health minister?’, and I say ‘last century...’”
Mr Knowles’s appointment comes as the Foto Biennale opens a new gallery in Bath Lane. Open to Ballarat photo-based artists, the Bath Lane Gallery will be operating until the 8th Ballarat International Foto Biennale in August 2019.
Samantha McIntosh is also an ambassador for the BIFB in her role as mayor of the City of Ballarat
"As the ambassador for the Ballarat International Foto Biennale I am thrilled to see opportunities for local artists continue to grow in our city, Ms McIntosh wrote in a statement.
“By further activating our city's creative industries we are building on our reputation as leading creative city,” she said.
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