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“I never just start a project because ‘oh, this is cool;’ I start with my values,”

Amira Halabi.

After the past few months of hibernation at home, it looks like we’ll soon be able to slowly, safely meet in public once more. It’s a little terrifying to consider! Of course, we’re all itching to go out, but what will happen? Are we prepared? How do we know things won’t end up the same?

We know that we can’t connect, make great work, or act on our values if we’re paralysed by fear. So while we’ve been at home, reshuffling our programs (look out for future announcements about FUNPARK and the GENerate 2168 Festival in 2022!) we decided the way to move forward was to go back to what mattered:

What are we doing? Why are we doing this? Who are we doing this work for?

After all, if we say that we create work with, by & for the communities we care about, what does that mean? And how are we embodying our values in the projects we create and the artwork we share with you all? How do we make sure we’re always working with care and consideration?

Reflection and evaluation is perhaps not the most fun part of creating, but it’s vital to what we do. After all, it’s been a long time since we’ve been able to meet in person, and when we do, we’re going to make sure it’s worth it.

FUNPARK’s Mount Druitt Press Conference

“I think people ask enough who, what, when, and how. We need to ask more why, and we need to actually listen and unpack those answers,” Zoe Tomaras.

FUNPARK will return in 2022… but the FUNPARK Mount Druitt Press Conference is coming back in October!

On Thursday 28th October, the FUNPARK Mount Druitt Press Conference returns online with a new panel of Pasifika youth cohorts. Under the mentorship of cultural facilitator Mekiafa Oli, the panel will discuss mental health, racism, barriers experienced by Pasifika Mount Druitt youth and how the community can support them.

Tickets to the event are free of cost, but attendees are requested to register their attendance. We’ll see you online!

GENerate 2168’s Youth Leadership Council

“Don’t underestimate Western Sydney, especially Western Sydney artists. We have so much more to offer than just ‘being displaced,’” Sandra May.

Over the past few months, local Curious Creators Diego Murillo and Amira Halabi have been developing the GENerate 2168 Youth Leadership Council. The GENerate 2168 YLC is a pathway program designed to empower Miller-based youth and provide a safe space to actively engage in the community and participate in dialogue that generates positive social change through creativity and advocacy.

They’re currently developing a community-engaged work for the upcoming GENerate 2168 Festival (now moved from November to April 2022). They’re aiming to build a program with a group of young Liverpool-based leaders that will explore and complicate the meaning of community and develop skills in program development.

When asked about the program, Diego and Amira said:

“We want people to know that they are important and that their input matters. We want people to know that there are many great ways to create opportunity. There is an abundance of creativity and passion within the community we feel is important to tap into.”

Look out for the GENerate 2168 YLC making waves in Miller next year at GENerate 2168!

In Conversation with the Artistic Directorate

“Share even if you’re scared because the world needs to see more of you, and you deserve to be appreciated,” Saarah Hanif.

If you liked the quotes you’ve seen in this newsletter, all of them are from interviews with the 2021 Emerging Artistic Directorate. After the Leadership Retreat, their mentorship has continued online over the past few months. They’ve been developing their practice as individuals and as a collective, and will be sharing their work at the upcoming GENerate 2168 Festival.

Handle With Care

As a last gift to our curious friends, we wanted to share Better Together: a collective playlist created by CuriousWorks emerging artists as part of a project called Handle With Care. Each month, the artists come together to explore the concepts of healing, thriving, and collective power through various art-forms - including the art of curating playlists. The works they’ve been developing through these workshops will eventually be collected into the Handle With Care zine - which will be shared at the GENerate 2168 festival next year.