General News
13 June, 2025
Skipton resident honoured with OAM
A SKIPTON resident has been honoured for his dedication and passion for the arts as part of the King’s Birthday Honours List.
Skipton resident Malcolm Sanders received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division as part of the annual honours list, which was revealed on Monday.
The Order of Australia recognises Australians who have demonstrated outstanding service or exceptional achievement in a variety of fields, and the OAM is awarded for service worthy of particular recognition.
Mr Sanders said it was “surprising and unexpected” to be named among the 830 Australians honoured as part of the list, but he also felt “humble”.
“I’m appreciative of the recognition for work I’ve done,” he said.
“It was a pretty wonderful moment.
“They tell you a couple of months beforehand, and they ask if you’ll accept the nomination – it then goes to the Governor-General for approval.
“You know you’ve been nominated, but you don’t know for a couple of months whether that’s happened or not.
“Then you find out a few days beforehand, so I’ve known about a week or so.”
Mr Sanders, who serves as the manager of the Pyrenees Community House in Beaufort – just half an hour away from Skipton – has been working in the arts field for over 30 years.
He has served as a general manager in arts centres in Melbourne and Geelong, as well as serving as a general manager for the Bharatam Dance Company in Michigan, United States of America between 1994 and 1997.
Mr Sanders also serves as the chair of the Arts, Crafts and Cookery committee for the Melbourne Royal Show, as well as a judge in the same division.
“I’ve been working in the arts for over 30 years now, working with communities and with young and emerging artists,” he said.
“That has been the bulk of my work and the bulk of what I’m really passionate about.
“I grew up in a small regional town where access to the arts for a kid like me was very limited, and so I made it my life’s work to see those options are available for people living in regional areas.
“We’re a culture that doesn’t always have opportunities for people to participate in the arts, so I’ve been really lucky to have worked in places where I’ve been able to create some of those opportunities and fund some of those opportunities for those things to happen in communities.
“For 11 years I worked for Regional Arts Victoria (as senior manager for regional partnerships), and I moved across central Victoria with a lot of different artist and community groups who were creating work in their town or community – festivals, art projects and all sorts of things.”
Mr Sanders is also a board member of the Lake Bolac Bush Nursing Centre as well as a member of the Deakin University Arts and Cultural Management Courses advisory committee, and volunteers at the annual Beaufort Agricultural Show.
Mr Sanders encouraged any young and emerging artists to reach out and look for opportunities around them.
“I would say to look around for those opportunities to collaborate and look for support,” he said.
“They are there, and they’re growing, so find ways you can work with outer people and create something really exciting.
“Speak to people who have done it before – find those connections.”
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