COMMUNITY
Project Design & management / Creative Production / Consultancy / Arts & Culture
Specialising in Community Arts & Cultural Development projects & Social Enterprise aimed at advancing the collective through art, design, music, storytelling, community celebration & ceremony.
Passionate about work that encourages and supports wellbeing, self determination, creativity & leadership through community co-design.
how we transform, together
The Purpose
Passionately share professional skills and personal lived experiences within First Nations & Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities where the Arts creates opportunities for social inclusion, transformation and equality.
The Belief
A strengths-based grass-roots approach to community engagement is key in supporting communities to create their futures in culturally appropriate and sustainable pathways.
The recipe
Acknowledge and honour the role of lived experience to heighten community connection + work with a strong sense of ethics and compassion for all living beings + cultivate passion and purpose to deliver in a state of gratitude. Celebrate Australia’s amazing cultural diversity.
The Offering
‘Whether I’m designing projects, programming or helping community to reach their potential I work with compassion and deliver with purpose. i require a mutually shared space of clear communication, conscious intent and transparency. If you think we are a good match then get in touch! Let’s start this conversation!’
Check out some of the amazing organisations I have worked with to Design, manage & Co-Create Community Projects & Programs
Wearable Arts Awards - Yarrentyt-Arltere Learning Centre (YALC) Social Enterprise, Alice Springs, N.T
A collaborative project between MOPOKE and the YALC town camp residents in Alice Springs producing soft sculptures created from blankets and silk dyed from native plants and rusty objects. MOPOKE was invited to create a wearable arts project to showcase at the annual Araluen Arts Centre Wearable Arts Awards – a first for an Indigenous entry. Also a first, the costume won both the ‘Natural Fibres Award’ and the ‘Peoples Choice Award’ – a reward in itself for mentoring youth at risk through fashion photo shoots and catwalk performance to build confidence.
Social Enterprise / Nganampa Walytja Palyantjaku Tjutaku Aboriginal Corporation (aka The Purple House), Alice Spring, N.T
Originally designed as a means to give end-stage renal patients a way to connect to their culture after having to permanently leave their remote desert communities for treatment in Alice Springs, the Social Enterprise in ‘bush balms’ (aka traditional bush medicine) was born. Native plants sustainably harvested from Arrente, Lutitja, Pintupi, Pintantantjara and Warlpiri country were used to create healing balms for many ailments. Under Christy’s management the social enterprise grew rapidly and went on to employ Indigenous youth studying Cert IV Business Management to work and study simultaneously in the enterprise, produce an organic skincare range sold nationally and internationally, provide balms for other Indigenous people in hospitals and facilitate demonstrations at significant events around the country. Harvesting workshops and preparation also took place on communities where trainees living in Alice Springs learnt from elders on remote communities. The enterprise grew further to include a cultural tourism, arts projects and community-workshops-in-sustainability arm, which generated money back into the enterprise.
Highlights included advocacy for Indigenous rights and wellbeing, an opportunity to work alongside Fair Trade Australia and New Zealand (FTAANZ) to advocate for a change in policy to allow for inclusion of the certification of wild harvest for some of the most marginalised people in our country.
The enterprise won The Australian Ethical Enterprise Award presented in Federation Square, Melbourne– the first Indigenous project to be recognised for social impact achievements. The umbrella organisation The Purple House is the recipient of multiple awards for service delivery.
TROPICAL FYAH: Afro+Carib music collective, Cairns QLD
An African + Caribbean inspired community music collective with members from Australia, Sudan, The Congo, Jamaica, UK, Grenada.
Tropical Fyah aims to provide styles of music that have little to no representation in the FNQ region to the wider public, provide performance opportunities at industry events such as Industry Awards, support to National and International visiting artists such as the Kingston meets Havana project and commercial opportunities for youth to perform with a backing band under the self funded ‘Emerging FYAH’ project at major festivals and events such as Commonwealth Games Festival, National Steelpan Band festival, Cairns festival, Townsville Cultural festival and many more.
This collective is currently a platform for newly arrived Congolese refugees to participate in commercial events.
Dance North, Townsville QLD
A leading Australian dance company creating contemporary works for National & International audiences with an ethos of shared ownership, collective conscience, support, interconnection & empowerment through the universal language of dance.
‘We all Belong’ Multicultural Month, Cairns QLD
A initiative designed to create opportunities for newly arrived refugee students under the Australian Migrant English Program (AMEP) and migrant digital class students at TAFE Cairns to produce a short grass roots film and an audio version to promote Multicultural Month via social media and Cairns Community Radio station Multicultural programs.
The project offers ‘real world’ experience and an opportunity for people to contribute to the wider community. The film also became an assessable unit for both AMEP and Digital class students.
‘Fashion Extravaganza’ Centacare, Cairns , QLD
A series of workshops for all ages (youth to Elders) teaching basic skills in photography, design, styling, catwalk and performance skills and event production for refugees to celebrate culture and creativity through a fashion lens with a public performance for Harmony Week.
‘Pot Luck Picnic’, Multicultural Month, Cairns QLD
A Multicultural Family Picnic with traditional Cultural dishes cooked with love by Cairns local Multicultural community groups and gifted to the general Community for free! This event promotes identity through the transference of food which knows no borders or boundaries, promotes sustainability and encourages attendees to ‘bring your own plate’ (literally) whilst offering a platform for newly arrived refugees to participate in a community event for the first time. The event allowed for smaller and less established cultural groups to participate under the auspice of a host community organisation, allowed the general community of Cairns to participate and experience different cultures through food and music sharing. A series of community engagement and capacity building workshops with members of each of the community groups was delivered to equip participants to deliver the best quality outcomes.
Australian Desert Expeditions, QLD / N.T
Scientific and ecological research that contributes to cultural heritage preservation, using pack camels as a method of slow travel. The living link to Australia’s great desert scientific expeditions of the 19th century.
‘Women Weave’, International Women’s Week, Cairns QLD
‘Women Weave’ represents the creative soul of women worldwide and mixes various forms of weaving and crafts-womanship into a day of workshops in celebration of International Women’s Week held at the Tanks Arts Centre.
Workshops included: Gimuy Yidinji women’s business yarn & song with Gimuy Custodians, Plant Resonance & Sound, Kahoa’ Pacific Island Weaving, Maori Poi making and Poi dancing, The Junk Weavers recycled weaving, Yalanji Traditional weaving, Luiseno Native American weaving, Ugandan doll making and a Bhutanese community lunch fundraiser for Bhutan refugees.
Miriki Performing Arts, Cairns QLD
Miriki Performing Arts is a company of young (11-20 yr old) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dancers based in Cairns and the surrounding regions. Artistic Director, Elder & former Bangarra dancer Pauline Lampton mentors dancers to express their Indigenous heritage and history through unique choreography.
Tjanpi Desert Weavers N.T / S.A / W.A
A social enterprise of the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women’s Council, working with women in the remote Central and Western deserts who earn an income from contemporary fibre art.
Bulmba-Ja Contemporary Arts Centre, Cairns QLD
Theatre, gallery & creative development space showcasing unique stories of Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander people’s.
CIAF (Cairns Indigenous Art Fair) QLD
Australia’s premier Indigenous Art Fair providing a platform for Indigenous Arts & Culture with a festival program including marketplace, workshops , music & fashion performances.
ABRICULTURE, Cairns QLD
An Indigenous owned environmental and natural resource management organisation where Tribal science meets Western ecology, passionate about reviving and promoting the ancient connections between people, land and ecosystems.
Cairns African Association, QLD
An organisation providing African cultural activities, support and opportunities to improve the welfare and wellbeing of members of the African community. The organisation provides platforms for youth, elderly and newly arrived migrants and refugees to the Cairns region.
CAYLUS , Central Australia, N.T
The Central Australian Youth Link Up Service (CAYLUS) is an organisation supporting community initiatives that improve the quality of life and address substance misuse affecting young people.
MacDonnell Regional Council, Central Australia, N.T
Youth development services and programs in remote communities, including ‘Break The Cycle’ youth at risk media project.
Shelter WA
Shelter WA drives change by facilitating collaboration amongst those who have an impact on housing, while providing evidence-based policy, advice, engagement, representation and strong advocacy for an effective housing system.
Community Arts Network WA
An organisation creating positive social change through the arts, building inclusion and understanding between people..
Waringarri Aboriginal Arts, Kimberley Region, W.A
A living, growing art centre celebrating the uniqueness of Mirawoong Cultural identity supporting economic independence for artists and their communities. Includes the Kira Kiro artists in Kalumburu on the Northern Kimberley coast.
East Kimberleys Job Pathways- Mango St Women’s Hub
An organisation providing training and education opportunities for employment outcomes for local people across the East Kimberley region. The Mango St Women’s Hub provides a safe space for gathering and creative projects.