Background

The Boolarng Nangamai Aboriginal Art and Culture Studio was formed in 2000 by Kelli Ryan and nine other founding artists.
Boolarng Nangamai’s art has developed independently from their South Coast oral history passed on from elders and from their own experiences. The Boolarng Nangamai Aboriginal Art and Culture Studio records their unique history in a contemporary version of traditional art. However, Boolarng Nagamai also seeks to:

• Establish employment opportunities and skills for Aboriginal people
• Promote positive Aboriginal role models
• Promote and enrich the longevity of Aboriginal Cultures
• Build the bridge between Aboriginal and non Aboriginal communities
• Contribute to Australia’s fine arts industry
• Improve land practices via their educational bush foods and medicine garden and utilising recycled materials in their art
• Promote tourism and a positive Aboriginal presence in the Illawarra

Client Issues & Problems

The broad, community focus of Boolarng Nangamai meant their web presence had to consider many audiences and support the community spirit of their Aboriginal Art and Culture Centre.
The site also had to accommodate an online gallery of artworks as well as a secure option for purchasing artworks online. It was essential that the site included a restricted area for wholesalers and other collaborators to ensure sensitive information was confined to relevant parties.
In addition, the site had to support regular content updates by the network of artists including news, artworks and profiles.

Solutions & Outcomes

Internetrix provided Boolarng Nangamai with an in depth Information Architecture report which not only defined key audiences but also designed a strategy for interacting with these different audiences on the website.
A restricted “member login” section was created to accommodate wholesalers and other collaborators who needed to access more sensitive information. This requires members to type in their username and password.
To encourage greater interaction with audiences, Internetrix applied their ‘Connect’ eMessaging system to facilitate regular newsletters to keep interested parties informed of Boolarng Nangamai news and announcements. This idea was extended further to incorporate a blog. These community centric developments have positioned Boolarng Nangamai as an authority on the range of Aboriginal issues they aim to address.
Internetrix also facilitated an online gallery which incorporated a stylish viewing experience which also linked to the artist profiles section of the website. As well as this the opportunity to purchase available artworks was developed via a secure SSL gateway.
To ensure the above interactive features of the website were consistently maintained as new artworks or developments within the Boolarng Nangamai community, Internetrix implemented their Freestyle Content Management System to ensure users could update the website quickly and easily within pre defined corporate templates. This ensured brand integrity as well as high website relevance.  
Visit the Boolarng Nangamai site at www.bnstudio.com.au