Sofitel Hotels - Exhibitions and Artist-in-Residence projects
Global Art Projects has had a long and fruitful relationship with the Sofitel (Accor) group of hotels in Australia.
From 2006 - 2024, GAP was Consultant Curators to Sofitel Melbourne On Collins, Melbourne's Hotel for the Arts. During that time we curated an extensive program of over 130 exhibitions of high quality contemporary art from around Australia and overseas, exhibited within the Lounge, Lobby and Atrium areas of the hotel. This included a number of collaborative projects with festivals such as Australia's Photo Festival, museums and galleries.
From 2024, GAP continues the relationship with Accor through strategic exhibitions and artist residencies around Australia. We recently curated Ripple, an exhibition of work by leading Australian sculptor Donna Marcus for Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach, to coincide with her major survey exhibition Radiate at HOTA (Home of the Arts, QLD). Previous projects have included residencies by Gosia Wlodarczak for Sofitel Wentworth Sydney and a tour of Jon Rendell's Iconic Paris photographs for the Sofitel hotel's in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sydney. We are currently developing an exhibition for Sofitel hotels in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Noosa (QLD) for 2024 - 2025.
We have also delivered major site specific artworks for Sofitel Melbourne on Collins Restaurant 35 by artists Lara Merrett and Andrew Browne, and recently commissioned over 2,500 original photographs of Melbourne and Paris for the refurbishment of 350 hotel rooms.
During our tenure at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins we managed an annual Artist-in-Residence program. Artists had access to all areas of the hotel during their residency and often accompany housekeeping, kitchen and engineering staff behind the scenes to get a sense of the workings behind a five star luxury hotel. Artists produce a new body of work following the residency which is presented in the following years. The artwork was often influenced by the stories they heard from staff, their exposure to the rooms before/during/after visitors and of course the incredible views from the upper floors. Sometimes artists used materials discarded by the kitchen or engineering crews to make their new work. Resident artists included: Anne Zahalka, Donna Marcus, Andre Hemer, Bruce Reynolds, Robyn Stacey, Gosia Wlodarczak and Gerry Wedd. In 2023, Rare Bird, a performance duo from Western Australia, were based at the hotel for a number of weeks preparing and performing an audience participation performance project in the hotel's bar.
For many years we showcased the winner of the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins /CRAFT Fresh! award for emerging craft practitioners. Fresh! is an annual exhibition at CRAFT of the most interesting contemporary craft and design from Victorian graduates. Sofitel Melbourne On Collins and Global Art Projects selected one finalist to present their new work the following year at the hotel.
Have a look at the past Sofitel/CRAFT Fresh! award winner exhibitions
See the past Artist-in-Residence artists and their projects
Currently showing at Sofitel Gold Coast, Broadbeach:
