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Armidale mirrors a metropolitan city in the diversity and depth of its arts and cultural activities. Historically, it has been fortunate with its leaders and philanthropists and their determination to forge a multicultural and sophisticated centre in the inland.

From its early days the city took on a distinctive character with its public and private buildings through the work of noted colonial architects Horbury Hunt (St Peters Cathedral and Booloomimbah) and Sir John Sulman (The Armidale School) and others. Another was added in 1929 when the first teachers college outside Sydney was built in Armidale, a magnificent Italianate structure overlooking the city.

Between 1929 and 1948, Sydney philanthropist Howard Hinton bestowed more than 1,000 works by Australia's best known painters to the Teachers College. That collection now valued at $40 million is housed in the New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) along with the Coventry and NERAM collections. NERAM is recognised as one of the leading regional art galleries in Australia, just as Hinton intended.

Growth of the University of New England from a college of Sydney University in 1938 altered Armidale's demographic. Academics and students merged with the local population to engage in music, theatre, ar t and writing. This impetus generated the cultural riches the city has today.

The Teachers College is now the base for the New England Conservatorium of Music (NECOM), the TAFE Film & Television School, UNE Partnerships and the UNE Department of Music. The musical community is closely linked through the Armidale Symphony Orchestra, an Armidale Youth Orchestra, the New England Guitar Ensemble, Fiori Musicali and many choral and other musical groups. There are also the biennial New England Bach Festival, Musica Viva concerts, jazz concerts and many local and other recitals.

Each year the Armidale Drama & Musical Society stages a major musical. "Sweeney Todd", "Titanic", "Blood Brothers" and "UrinetownTitanic" were recent productions. The Armidale Playhouse and UNE Theatre Studies stage regular performances as do other groups including local schools and colleges. Oz Opera performs in Armidale every two years. Stage One conducts drama, dance and circus classes for young people.

Armidale has a twin cinema with a mixed program of art house and mainstream movie programs. An International Film Festival is held annually at the cinema. The New England Writers Centre has an annual schedule of events including tours and workshops from notable writers and poets as well as promoting regular interaction between local writers. Poetzinc meets regularly for local poets to share their work and UNE holds many public lectures both on campus and in the city.

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TESTIMONIAL

International Airline Crewing (IAC) is an Aviation Crewing, Air Operator and Aviation Management Consultancy supplying crews and aviation expertise to major international airlines, airports and the civil aviation industry in addition to providing expertise and personnel to the professional services sector globally.

IAC typifies the high level of marketing and professional expertise required in the world of commercial aviation and professional services. Captain Paul Moxham, founder and Chairman of the IAC Group of Companies, established IAC in Armidale in 1988. IAC staff and consultants have extensive experience in commercial and military aviation at the highest level.

IAC currently provides in excess of 150 pilots and crew as well as management consultancy expertise to airlines, government and commercial enterprises throughout the world. "With technology, IAC is ideally positioned to market its expertise globally with highly experienced staff in offices located in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific," Captain Moxham says.

His daughter Tara Moxham-Jarvis, Director Group Operations, is also keen about the city. She att...