Following the funeral of Bill Marshall OAM last weekend, I have been invited by Orange Regional Gallery to share some personal reflections of Bill, who was so instrumental in fostering support for the arts in Orange.
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As so often happens, it is only when someone finally leaves us that we start to put all the pieces together to get a more rounded picture. Some of Bill’s large family intimated this to me following his magnificent send off from Trinity Church.
I wonder how many people knew that Bill’s dedication and commitment came from his abiding faith in Jesus Christ; In the nine privileged years I worked for him, I certainly didn’t.
But he did share with me his conviction that “the arts were uplifting”
When Eileen Watts arrived from Wagga Wagga in the early 70s, Bill listened; and from her enthusiasm, the seeds of the first major regional arts festival in NSW developed. This became the catalyst for Orange to develop the Civic Centre theatre complex in 1976 and the library-gallery complex in 1986.
It was Bill who saw that by gradually purchasing all buildings in the block adjacent to Robertson Park there was the potential for the development of a regional cultural precinct.
The magnificent new museum – like the library-gallery complex – was awarded the much-coveted Sulman Award for Architecture, and now, we understand that a new purpose-built conservatorium and gallery extension are being proposed.
Bill was a keen listener, and a supporter; his door was always open, so when a group suggested the development of the Orange Eisteddfod, it became a reality.
Bill Marshall was there for everyone.
