MOBILE ART SPACES
Artistic Director / Producer
Mobile Art Spaces was a community and cultural development model for Melbourne’s outer western suburbs, produced by Big West Festival over four years.
Its first iteration was Mobile Radio (2012-13), a portable broadcasting station in a caravan, led by artists Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey. Community engagement included workshops, self-curated events, recordings and slots for live broadcasts. Community-led programs included a literature walk followed by broadcast readings and interviews; a local market broadcasting stories about produce, art and designs; live radio plays; new compositions by local choirs; a neighborhood street party curated by a resident, and broadcast elders' stories and histories from Braybrook and Footscray. Over 1100 people participated in Mobile Radio.
Mobile Art Spaces (2014-16) extended the concept to six residency platforms custom-made for Melbourne's burgeoning outer western suburbs. Councils booked Mobile Art Spaces to improve social connection through collective art projects. Participants were offered a menu of artforms led by experts in film-making, song-writing, performance-making and environmental art. Artworks were created and presented at local festivals and fetes. Mobile Art Spaces set up ongoing mentorships in creative arts practice and arts management.
Funded by Australia Council for the Arts, councils and philanthropists. Artists: Madeleine Flynn, Tim Humphrey, David Wells, Jo Mott, Hoang Nguyen, Co-Health Arts Generator, Bo Svoronos, Crystal Harris, Peter Houghton, Ross Daniels. Caravan: Courtesy of Brook Andrew. Project Manager: Jo Trevathan
Photos: Artists, Carla Gottgens
