FOUR Winds in Bermagui is still savouring the news that its life ambassador, Sheena Boughen, has been awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to the performing arts through administrative and executive roles in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours list. 

Boughen’s work as a pro-bono CEO and chair over many years has resulted in world-class music performance spaces being developed in Barragga Bay, on the far south coast, where hundreds of Canberrans flock at Easter to hear fine music.

Initially developed by a voluntary team, Four Winds has been into a nationally recognised arts organisation, and over the years Boughen and her team have laboured to achieve the significant fundraising targets required from federal and state governments and private individuals to deliver such a project in a part of NSW.

Her work and influence were also recently recognised by Creative Partnerships with the National Arts Leadership Award for 2017.

Boughen served as a committee member with the Four Winds organisation from 1991-98, chair from 2006-16, chief executive officer from 2006-15 and was announced as a life ambassador in 2016.

She and the organisation’s present executive director, David Francis, have, over recent years, developed a year-round program of work at Four Winds, as well as now annual Easter Festival.

In keeping with this, artistic director James Crabb is planning a new “Youth Festival” in spring this year, while its Windsong Series continues to present top artists who always take time to work the community beyond their performance.

As Boughen is fond of saying: “You have not to be frightened by the size of your ambition”.