Culture Mix Festival

I was commissioned by the Wollongong City Council to deliver a community based public art project that would engage local youth groups. 

The project "You Belong Here, I Belong Here" stems from a collaboration between Lindsay Park Public, West Wollongong Public, and Keira High School. These schools, chosen for their diverse student cohorts, embarked on a journey to celebrate and explore cultural identities and connections.

I delivered five art making workshops to the schools (fifteen in total), resulting in three large scale sculptures which were exhibited at Town Hall forecourt for the Culture Mix Festival.

Workshops ignited conversations around culture and belonging, with students exploring the vibrant threads that compose their individual and collective heritage. "Culture is about belonging," a student's insight, gave rise to the project's title.

The resulting 'mini forest' sculptures stood as living metaphors. Each student chose colours to paint a branch which represent their individual culture, each tree bringing something unique and essential to the ecosystem in which it stands. Each school's sculpture is a particular expression, mirroring their distinct presence within our community. Vibrant ribbons cascade from the branches, adorned with students' words. These ribbons weave a tapestry of unity, conveying the significance of shared stories.

During the festival, the audience was invited to contribute to the artwork, writing on a ribbon their answer to “Why is it good to learn, share, and celebrate different cultures in our community?”, and add it to the canopy. This act of audience participation bookended the collaboration; student; artist; community, we all contributed to the artwork and place where we belong. 


As project leader, I see "You Belong Here, I Belong Here" as more than art – it's a catalyst for conversations. Students witnessed cultures intertwining, learning empathy and sharing appreciation. The sculptures symbolise our intertwined roles, much like a forest ecosystem where every tree plays a vital part.