from yaprap October-November 2010
by Isabel Seidel
yaprap Feature Writer
Could Wollongong be known as the next cultural hub outside of Sydney?
Newcastle, north of Sydney has made a name for itself as an artists' hub. Wollongong, affectionately known as the Gong, south of Sydney, could be following in its footsteps with the Council investing in the arts and supporting young emerging artists with its youth artist in residence program.
The Council recognised the need for a program to support young artists and created a strategic partnership between Wollongong Youth Services, Cultural Services and Wollongong City Gallery to develop the youth artist in residence program. The aim is to provide young emerging artists between the ages of 18-24 years who live in Wollongong the opportunity to be mentored. The program provides young artists in residence with:
- a free studio space for 6 months at the Wollongong Youth Centre
- $1000 for materials and equipment
- an opportunity to exhibit artwork at the youth centre at the end of the residency
- promotion and publicity including – design, flyers, media releases, media liaison, invitations, catalogues and assistance on opening night
- mentoring to achieve the programs outcomes from the Wollongong City Gallery.
The potential benefits of the program include giving young people the opportunity to excel in their art practice, gain skills in creating and publicising an artwork, and increasing young people's confidence in becoming an artist. The program aims to achieve this by providing young people with a studio space and funding to enable them to concentrate on their art.
I was lucky enough to meet last year’s young artist in residence, Emma-Lee Crane, who showed so much enthusiasm for the program. It was obvious she had benefitted greatly from the residency. She said that she was very grateful that such a program existed, as opportunities for young people being provided with a package to develop their artistic skills are limited. She created her first public artwork through the program - now installed on the roof of the Wollongong Youth Centre. She was inspired to create the artwork after attending a youth forum in Wollongong in 2009.
One of the main issues raised at the forum was about the need for young people to be ‘heard’. The artwork is a visual representation of a sound wave of the artist's recorded voice saying ‘Listen’.
After meeting with Emma-Lee and two Council staff involved in the program, Megan McKell and Sue Bessell, it was also apparent that providing young artists in residence with a studio space for 6 months at the youth centre had great benefits to the young people using the centre as well. For example Emma-Lee ran some art workshops for the youth centre and organised art exhibitions providing young people with opportunities to show there own art and access art.
The Youth Artist in Residence Program has only been going for a couple of years. In such a short time it seems to be giving young people the support they need to establish themselves as artists. Emma-Lee has demonstrated this by forming her own art and design company, Milk Thieves Art & Design (designer of YAPA's unleash magazine), and has opened a shop selling Australian handmade art, craft and design in Wollongong. So, if the program continues to be successful the Gong may just be the next young emerging artists' hub!
More information
Megan McKell
- Wollongong Youth Services
- mmckell@wollongong.nsw.gov.au
- (02) 4226 5969