by Jim Elmslie
On 26 March 2025, the OAS held an important Strategy Meeting at Chau Chak Wing Museum in Sydney University, attended by past and present committee members and office holders. The purpose of the meeting was to address the long-term challenges that the OAS faces as it enters its 30th year.
Much has changed since the formation of the OAS in 1995. Membership has declined and aged while the world has transformed fundamentally with the introduction of the internet, mobile technology and social media. Younger people function in quite different ways to previous generations including in the ways that they interact with art and the OAS has failed to attract them to its ranks. This is a very common situation with many voluntary organisations in Australia and elsewhere, and we are left with the question: how will the OAS survive these changes and what actions are needed to ensure the future viability and flourishing of our Society?
Moderated by Bill Rathmell and Margaret Cassidy, the meeting was held over a full day attended by twelve members in person and one via Zoom. The morning session was a wide-ranging discussion where participants expressed their views on the failings and strengths of the OAS and posited constructive ways forward. Drawing on these discussions Margaret identified 14 areas of interest on which the attendees then voted to allow us to focus on the three issues that the group had collectively decided were the priority to be addressed. These were: changes in membership structure and subscription fees; the creation of an Oceanic Art Foundation/Charity with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status, and the establishment of an ongoing series of recorded (and sometimes live), online lectures.
1. Proposed changes to the membership structure are aimed at encouraging younger people to join the OAS and participate in its offerings, as well as for economic reasons. Whereas engagement with the OAS via the internet is relatively inexpensive to the Society, printing and postage of the OAS Journal is an expensive exercise: the aim was to break this nexus. The possible outcomes of these discussions were the creation of three membership classes:
(a) Membership with online only Journal
(b) Membership with hard-copy plus online Journal
(c) FREE Membership with online only Journal for people under 30
These changes would aim to be cost neutral but would bring down the cost of membership to those members who are happy to receive their Journal only in digital form. Subscription to a hard copy of the Journal is at cost, while it is hoped that free digital membership will encourage young people and students in Australia, the Pacific and elsewhere to become involved with the OAS and its rich offerings via the website and various live and online events. The Treasurer and President will provide detailed costings of these proposals to the 2025 OAS AGM prior to implementation.
2. The creation of an OAS Foundation/Charity with DGR status would allow tax deductible donations and the engagement of the OAS in activities that will further the mission statement of the organization furthering the appreciation and understanding of Oceanic art. In particular, the Foundation/Charity will be able to participate directly with cultural organisations and artists in the Pacific through micro funding of projects and individuals, as well as in facilitating their engagement with institutions in Australia and elsewhere so as to encourage the flourishing of Oceanic art practice and broader research goals. The Foundation/Charity would aspire to act as a bridge between Australian governmental and non-governmental entities and Pacific groups and individuals to allow the Oceanic arts to thrive in contemporary societies, with all the benefits that this brings. David Welch and Margaret Cassidy are currently investigating the bureaucratic challenges and other changes that must be overcome and achieved to make this Foundation/Charity a reality, hopefully by the end of 2025.
3. The establishment of a series of engaging and well produced online lectures, with recorded videos available to members on the OAS website, will go some way to replacing previous live OAS lectures held in Sydney. Logistical constraints, and the geographic spread of the OAS membership made organizing live lectures increasingly difficult, even though they were greatly enjoyed by attendees. Recorded online lectures will provide an enduring resource for the OAS as expert speakers give a detailed analysis of a particular aspect of Oceanic art. Presenters will be able to create these events at a time of their own choosing although it is hoped that, where possible, they can be delivered live at a convenient time for interested members to provide a social element to the talks. It is anticipated that six such presentations will be produced each year with the first one now being facilitated by Jim Elmslie.
The OAS Strategy Meeting achieved its goals of addressing directly the challenges that the OAS faces over the medium and longer terms. As times change so must organisations and we feel confident that the changes outlined here will allow the OAS to not only survive, but to flourish and continue its important role in the promotion of Oceanic art in its many forms.
I would like to particularly acknowledge and thank Bill Rathmell for his stewardship of this event.