SUPPORT THE CONSERVATION OF MANNING CLARK HOUSE AND ITS CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
Manning Clark House Inc. (MCH) seeks your assistance in supporting our cultural and heritage activities and meeting the substantial recurring costs of the heritage-listed property. We are a wholly volunteer–based cultural charitable organisation, based in the former home of Manning and Dymphna Clark (see also tabs ‘Home’ and ‘About us).
This daring modernist home was designed for Manning and Dymphna Clark in 1952 by acclaimed architect Robin Boyd. The house represents some of the best in Boyd’s domestic architecture, remaining essentially as it was lived in by the Clarks for almost 50 years. Set in spacious grounds the Clarks designed and constructed, it has remarkable integrity both as architecture and as a family home. It reflects much of the sensibility of Manning Clark (1915-1991), a pioneering historian of Australia, and the central place he and his wife had in the cultural life of Canberra and the nation.
MCH honours that contribution in maintaining the house as a centre for ideas, creativity and debate over issues of public concern. We run an active program of events and tours throughout the year. Central to that role is preserving the unique character of the house itself, which can now be experienced online through the Virtual 3D Tour developed by the Robin Boyd Foundation with the support of the Alastair Swayn Foundation (available soon on this website).
The house and grounds are listed on the ACT Heritage Register and the ACT chapter of the National Trust of Australia’s listing of significant buildings.
Any receipted donation of $200 or above to any of the Funds/general account will be treated as a benefaction and will entitle the benefactor and family to one 1-year complimentary individual or couple membership of the association, as well as invitations as honoured guests to special events. Unless you indicate otherwise, we will recognise receipted contributions on our website and in our programs, as a vital dimension of the ways in which ‘friends’ of Manning Clark House engage with us and enrich our work.
How to donate to our work
The easiest way to make donations to our two tax-deductible Funds (Heritage and Cultural, below) is:
- by directly clicking on the GiveNow buttons below, or
- by printing, completing and sending the Donation Form (below) to the address shown.
Donations to the general account of MCH may be made by means of the Donation Form (below). You may also make cash donations at the house itself, but if you want a receipt for tax purposes (for donations to the two tax-deductible Funds referred to below) you will need to provide your details on a Donation Form or otherwise.
For periodic payments to one of Manning Clark House’s tax-deductibe Funds, or general account:
- For the Heritage or Cultural tax deductible Funds, through the GiveNow buttons below; OR
- As shown on the Donation Form below.
If you wish to discuss how you might help us, or if you would prefer your donation not to be made public, please send us an email at the following address: manningclarkhse@gmail.com , and we will get back to you.
For further information on the house and the association go to the other tabs on this website.
Donate here!
You may choose to donate to one or more of the following three Funds/account:
- The MCH Heritage Conservation Apeal Fund is a collaboration with the National Trust of Australia (ACT) and the Clark Family, to raise funds for the strategically-managed conservation of the house, its heritage collection and grounds. Donations over $2 are tax deductible.
We welcome donations that will assist us in maintaining the house, its gardens and grounds, conserving the extensive library, artworks and furnishings that evoke the Clarks, their networks, contributions and personalities, and ensuring that the property retains the capacity to educate and delight its visitors.
Recent donations have helped us to undertake urgent preservation work on the exterior of the building. In 2022, we seek to raise funds to continue work on the external fabric of the house, as well as preservation of the painting by John Perceval (1923–2000) and protection of cartoons of Manning Clark and family photographs on display. The management of the garden, and especially of ageing trees, is another priority. Other projects will follow, building on expert advice provided by members of our Heritage Sub-Committee.
OR via the Donation Form below.
2. The MCH Cultural Fund is designed to promote various approved cultural activities in whatever medium, such as Australian literature and history, performing arts (including music, and poetry readings), together with the preservation of movable cultural heritage such as the heritage collection in the house. Donations over $2 are tax-deductible.
Recently a specific donation to the Fund enabled MCH to repair and conserve many of the fragile paper-based images in Manning Clark’s study. Future projects may include completion of the conservation of the images in the study, publications and other work in history and related fields, assisting the Manning Clark Choristers and the MCH Poetry Group, and preservation of other elements of the heritage collection, for example the substantial library of Manning and Dymphna Clark.
OR via the Donation Form below.
- The general account of the association.
Financial support from donors is vitally important in keeping the association operating, both as the organiser of cultural and other activities and of heritage conservation measures for the site and collection. We especially need your help to meet the high property management costs of a heritage-listed site such as rates, utilities and maintenance. Donations to the general account are NOT tax-deductible, but are essential to the future of all our activities.
The best way to donate to the MCH general account is by direct transfer to the MCH general account, as shown on the Donation Form.
Using the Donation Form
Please print the Donation Form on the next 2 pages, complete the form and either post or email it as shown.
Please mark any email or correspondence for the attention of The Treasurer, Manning Clark House, PO Box 3096, Manuka ACT 2603.
Manning Clark House Inc 