Wellington residents of all ages are set to be empowered through a community art project that will establish the town as the natural home for superheroes.
Member for the Dubbo electorate Dugald Saunders has today announced $35,000 from Round 1 of Create NSW’s 2021/22 Arts & Cultural Funding Program for Orana Arts to deliver ID(hero).
“Wellington is a wonderful town with a rich history and a really vibrant community,” Mr Saunders said.
“The term everyday hero is thrown around but with what our region has been through in recent years, from drought and bushfires to COVID, mouse plague and now floods, it’s the everyday heroes who have gotten us through.
“ID(hero) will redefine what being a hero means, and inspire youth in Wellington to be the hero in their own lives.”
The project brings together emerging Wellington photographer Tara Stanley, Kandos photographer Alex Wisser and Kamilaroi artist Dennis Golding.
Golding recently wrapped up an exhibition at Carriageworks which showcased superhero capes created in collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
ID(hero) takes this concept to the next level: the three artists will work with young people in Wellington to decorate capes while engaging in conversations about what it means to be a hero in different cultures. The artists will then work with older people, including Elders, to design a single ‘cape of wisdom’, and photograph them posing as heroes performing everyday tasks.
“Sometimes, doing the everyday thing can be heroic and this will be a good opportunity for the kids to talk about their culture, and what it means to be a hero in their culture,” said Orana Arts director of partnerships and engagement Andrew Glassop.
“You think you need to be an NRL player but sometimes just looking after the family, getting yourself to school, turning up at work is heroic and that needs to be emphasised.
“We believe that if people feel they can control their future then they’ll start to make better choices, and the community will progress when they see themselves in this new light.”