Johnson Martin
| Type of person | Individual |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1950 |
Martin Johnson
Martin was born 25th September, 1950 in the Hutchinson Hospital on East Terrace, Gawler. He grew up at the married workmen’s camp during the building of the South Para Reservoir.
Martin went to Williamstown Primary School; taken there on the back of a red Bedford workmen’s truck. After service in the Royal Australian Navy, Martin returned to Gawler in 1972.
The following is a snapshot of Martin Johnson’s contribution to the Gawler Community
June 1995 – October 2016:
established and convened 97 Gawler Poetry Readings from June 1995 to November 2009;
convened poetry & music festival at the Railway Family Hotel in February 1996;
researched and wrote 300+ Human Interest Stories for Gawler’s The Bunyip newspaper where he established ‘The Arts Page’ providing a voice for poets as
well as musicians;
visual and experimental local artists, from January 1997 to May 2003;
In 2000, Martin attained the following Certificates after studying at Community Arts Network SA Inc for a Graduate Diploma Community Cultural Development: Community Based Arts Practice; Models of Community Arts Practice for Cultural Development; Philosophy of Community Arts for Cultural Development; Developing a Concept with the Community, and Management and Evaluation of Projects.
A bust of Martin acknowledging his contribution to the Arts in Gawler was installed in the Reading Room of the Gawler Library on 12/10/2001.
Martin's contribution to the Arts in Gawler was acknowledged in Hansard [page2876] on 10/4/2008.
Martin featured on BBC World Service - The Strand- Tuesday January 13th 2009, when he spoke about Gawler's history and read a poem about Gawler to an estimated 160 million listeners.
Martin produced several books of poetry capturing aspects of Gawler’s historical significance to the State of South Australia, as well as a glimpse of Gawler’s modern Social history;
edited ‘The Colonial Athens’, a book of poetry Celebrating a Centenary of Federation 1901 – 2001;
established the Gawler Literary Fund from sales of this book;
established and ran, for its first 10 years, the Gawler Poetry Competition;
assisted in an exhibition of photographs of the Marcel Marceau “Emily’s Restaurant”;
assisted as MC for Gawler Poetry Festival at various venues;
convened National Poetry Day reading at the Gawler Library;
ran several series of poetry writing workshops at the Gawler Library;
convened a weekend of Writing Workshops in several Gawler venues;
convened the Arts Page Connection visual art exhibition at the Gawler Arms Hotel;
assisted in a mixed media art exhibition held at Emily’s Restaurant;
convened several poetry and music events at the Prince Albert Hotel;
convened exhibition poetry & photographs, which ran for four years at the Prince Albert Hotel;
convened the first Gawler-based Adelaide Fringe Festival Event at the Prince Albert Hotel in February 2013;
convened Fund Raiser for Gawler Community Broadcasting in the Prince Albert Hotel;
member of the Gawler 175 Events Community Reference Group from August 2013 to December 2014;
creator and convenor of Gawler’s 2014, 2015 & 2016 CHANGE Original Music Festival;
assisted with the Painting Section of the Gawler Show as Chief Steward 1998 to 2007;
and
performed in excess of 500 footpath shows in Gawler singing and playing guitar to the passers by.
Martin Johnson 12/8/15
Please click here for photos of Martin Johnson.
Memories of Johnson Martin
Do you remember Johnson Martin ? Then Join up and add your memory here.
Support our sponsors!
