The Petition of the residents of the Eltham Electorate and other Victorians draws to the attention of the House the culture of management by the Board of Montsalvat, which is eroding the values of Australia's longest running artist collective. Montsalvat's success was once sustained through engaging the wider community in a spirit of collaboration and encouraging artists to come together in creative activities.
The Last Will and Testament of its founder Justus Jörgensen gifted Montsalvat to the people of Victoria with the wish that a Trust be established to manage it and a Board appointed with the founding families represented on it and accountable to a General Membership.
The current Board has eschewed family representation, developed a Constitution which excludes any General Membership and appointed Board members without scrutiny. It fails to involve its artists-in-residence and no longer engages the broader community. The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Assembly of Victoria protects the cultural asset of Montsalvat bequeathed to the people of Victoria and:
Dismisses the current board.
Reforms the constitution to create a membership.
Allows the membership to elect the new board on a biannual basis with staggered terms.
