the history of the women's creative centre
Beginnings
On 26 April 1975 a group of women called a public meeting to set up a Women's Place as a project for International Women's Year. Sixty women attended this meeting and decided to call this organisation the ‘Women's Creative Arts Centre’. Norma Nord was elected as President of the group. This proved to be an excellent choice as Norma was an intelligent, hardworking, fair, and caring president for many years. She was a good speaker as well, with quite a few jokes thrown in with her speeches. She spoke at High Schools, Church Groups, Women's Hospital, and other not-for-profit organisations such as the Blue Nursing Service (now Blue Care).
Change of Premises
The group occupied several premises over the years, starting with the first one at 101 Wynnum Road, Norman Park, in 1975. In 1980, the next move was to 651 Stanley Street, South Brisbane. This was a lovely place, with a cellar for the pottery class, shop on the ground floor and on the first floor the classes were conducted. Classes such as Yoga, Relaxation, Copper Shim, Weaving, Basket making, Lampshade making, Painting, Pottery, Knitting, Crochet, Macramé, Bottle Painting, Drawing and Silk Screen Printing.
Due to an increase in rent, another move was made in 1988 to 723 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba. Lack of 'passing-by' shoppers forced the group to think of a move to a shopping centre. These centres were
being built in nearly every suburb and one cannot deny that to be able to buy all one's needs in one place is a great way to save time and money … so the organisation moved to Greenslopes Mall Shopping Centre in 1988, firstly to shop 3 in 1990, then to shops 13 and 14, because more space was needed. The group still occupies shop 14.