By Lynne Paterson
In a building that began as a Silent Movie Theatre in the late 1800’s, the Bendigo Bank branch of Tewantin is yet again transforming, by offering its spacious foyer, meeting rooms and boardroom into a vibrant Community Hub.
With other banks closing down their branches and customers rarely visiting branches, Bendigo Bank decided to reinvent themselves into a Community space to survive.
“We thought of a creative solution to find other ways to bring the Community into our Branch to keep it going,“ Local Engagement Officer for the Tewantin Bendigo Bank, Zoe Reinke said.
The only reminder of the Bank that still exists is a stand alone teller, all other space has been converted.
Zoe is the dynamic young woman driving the initiative.
She explains, The Bank has taken it’s existing connections with Community Groups, to completely transition from a traditional bank into a place for Not-for-Profit Organisations, Charities and local Artisans to exhibit.
Zoe said the mix of Community Groups was essential to keeping the space vibrant and a diverse representation of the whole community.
“We understand the educational and healing benefits of art,“ she said.
“One of the artists we support runs a photography workshop for foster children here.
“It’s a way for art to provide the children with an opportunity to experience a positive self-discovery, for them to thrive and reach their full-potential in life.“
To announce to the outside world the inspiring community initiatives that are happening inside, a striking mural painted by a local artist, expands across the entire street front.
It’s a vision of a women floating among a sea of purple butterflies.
Zoe said the butterfly was a great representation of the transformation of the Branch but the idea came from their connection to local charity, Sunshine Butterflies.
She said the Branch has run an art program where the Sunshine Butterflies would visit the Branch and a local artist would run a workshop with them monthly.
What’s really exciting and unique, is that the mural artwork is completely interactive and can be viewed in 3D.
A sign on the wall guides visitors to an APP to download onto a smart phone.
By holding the phone’s camera up the mural the APP will read the artwork through a QR code and suddenly an animation of fluttering butterflies will appear across your phone screen.
It seems as if the butterflies in the mural have come to life and flown out of the wall.
The idea is to attract local families passing by the striking mural to take a photo in front of the mural where the animated butterflies can be captured on video flying across the screen.
A great experience for young children to experience the artwork in a fun and multi-dimensional way.
