Big City experience teaches artworkers to speak up
11 May 2009
A group of remote Aboriginal artworkers have used a visit to Melbourne for personal and career development.
The ten artworkers from across Central Australia took part in “Marrka Wangka” - meaning “strong talk” – a five day training program designed to develop confidence and skills in public speaking. Group spokesperson, Raewyn Kavanagh said that the program was designed for experiential learning.
“Every time the artworkers step outside their comfort zone, they give themselves an opportunity. It is not just what is learned in the classroom, but the chance to take on challenges and conquer fears,” she said.
The group was set a course of personal challenges including driving up mountains, going to the 55th floor of the Rialto, braving cold weather, city traffic, footy crowds and being squeezed into a crowded city tram. In addition they attended workshops held at the Victorian College of the Arts and Coonara in the Dandenong Ranges.
The artworkers created a visual story using photos from their Art Centres and presented them on stage to an audience of 100 people.
“It is really scary being the only person on stage with an audience,” said Tisha Corbett, a young artworker from Ali Curung.
“Going to Melbourne we went from being shy to being able to mix with the people, introduce ourselves and talk about ourselves to strangers,” said Tisha.
The “Marrka Wangka” program was organised by Desart, the Association of Central Australian Aboriginal Art and Craft Centres, to assist in the development of emerging leaders and representatives of the Central Australian Aboriginal arts Industry.
One of the key roles for artworkers is talking to customers in their community Art Centres and at galleries and markets. This training addressed the need for artworkers to develop workplace skills, as part of the industry workforce development being provided by Desart.
“We are working towards artworkers joining the management teams in their own Art Centres in Central Australia” said Ms Kavanagh.
Film maker Vincent Lamberti captured the artworkers’ experiences for a DVD to be premiered at the Araluen Culture Centre as part of the ‘Desert Mob’ series of events in September this year. The Marrka Wangka film will feature the personal journeys of the artworkers as they build stronger identities as representatives of the arts industry.
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For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:
Jeannette Button, Creative Territory, (08) 8941 9169, 0407 727 080
About Desart
Desart is the member organisation for 43 Aboriginal Art Centres in Central Australia. The Art Centres are owned and managed by Aboriginal people. They are community-based enterprises which deliver economic growth as well as social and cultural benefits. The Art Centres strive to ensure artists work in decent conditions, receive fair returns and have their rights protected.
The Desart Aboriginal Artworker Program supports the training and employment of Aboriginal people in remote communities. An artworker in this program is an Aboriginal person assisting in an Art Centre – generally in administration, and also in maintenance or providing practical support to artists.
