Ken Cameron commenced with Council in February and says he was attracted to the job in Shepparton by its position as a major, regional centre with a reputation for a vibrant and growing arts scene.
Mr Cameron began working in theatre in the UK where he was the Marketing Officer for the St Andrews Arts Festival in Scotland and later at a Shakespearean theatre in London.
He took up a position as Director of an arts centre in the north of England before moving to Australia in mid-1990’s where he worked as the Manager of the Hamilton Performing Arts Centre.
“I managed the Hamilton Performing Arts Centre for 20 years which included operating the commercial cinema in the town,” said Mr Cameron. “I worked with local musicians to establish Hamilton Symphony Orchestra which has just celebrated its 10th anniversary. At one stage, I also managed the Leisure Centre.”
Mr Cameron is keen to build on the strengths of Riverlinks, Eastbank and Westside as live performance venues for Greater Shepparton. “I’d like to continue the expansion of the arts program which has been built up over the past dozen years or so,” he said.
“It would be good to develop programs for specialist types of music as well as concerts from major, popular artists. Another area of growth for the performing arts is the collaboration between Council’s Riverlinks and local arts organisations and this is something I am certainly keen to expand where possible.”
Mr Cameron is also a keen soccer fan. “Whilst in Hamilton I also helped establish soccer in the area and was President of the Soccer Club for seven years,” he said.
“My wife is from Yarrawonga so I am fairly familiar with this area of the state. I actually like the heat, despite growing up in Scotland, and am looking forward to a climate that is warmer than the south west corner of Victoria!”
