Socially Engaged Art Overview

My interest in socially engaged projects stems from my research interests in Curating Inclusive Cities, which has evolved from my PhD research on The City as a Curated Space (completed in 2012). Working with local urban communities and industry partners, projects are developed through understanding place in relation to the community. In these projects, I generally focus on giving a voice to communities who are considered unheard. Recognising that we are living in a 'super-diverse' society, the projects attempt to draw out these voices and emphasises the diversity of people existing in Australian cities.

My social engagement projects sit some where between curating and making art. The projects usually involve collaborating with the community to develop a narrative, which is translated as a public project. Certain aspects of the project are developed with the various community groups to develop the outcome. I enjoy art making, as it allows me to explore many personal issues in a broader social context, but at times the studio experience can be isolating if not shared with others. My experience as a curator, gave me great insight into how the development of exhibition based projects can build relationships, dialogue and stimulate discussions around contemporary issues facing our society. It is through social engagement projects, I feel I can share the creative process with participants, with the development of the project a part of the curation of the project and caring for their narratives.