ELEVATE - COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS PROGRAM
Mclaren Vale - Workshop 1
July 3rd - 4th 2024
The 2024 Elevate workshop series was developed to build on our strong connections with independent artists in the Murraylands, Coorong, Fleurieu and surrounding areas. Working closely with Kokatha Artist Mickey Barlow, based in McLaren Vale, the Mardawi Sister artists at the Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority in Murray Bridge, and Ngarrindjeri Ruwi Port Elliot-based Ngunawal artist of Wilay Designs, Kristal Matthews, the Elevate Program brings artists together, fostering community connections through diverse artistic practices and skills sharing.
Funded through an Arts South Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander project grant, the Elevate program, delivered through 3 workshop modules, seeks to build knowledge of arts industry-specific business practices, including contracts, legal rights, and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) by bringing artists together from across the region to share their experiences of navigating the art world.
Micky Barlow hosted the first of three creative skills development workshops at her McLaren Vale studio. Micky has run a successful art practice and business for over five years, and she shared her knowledge of the ups and downs of transitioning into a full-time art business, including artwork commissions and dealing with contracts to copyright licenses around artwork reproduction for merchandising.
Many artists met each other for the first time during this workshop, so a hands-on, creative program provided the perfect opportunity for them to connect and share stories. Pilawuk White, an extraordinary textile artist from Malfyin country, shared her expertise in introducing silk painting techniques. Artists learnt textile design techniques, preparing fabrics, applying paint, and finishing products. The final result was that each artist created a silk scarf.
Ku Arts acknowledges the support of our funding partners whose commitment enables our continued delivery of services and programs to benefit Aboriginal artists in South Australia.
The 2024 Elevate Community Connections workshop series was funded by a Arts SA Projects grant
