A full-day creative workshop celebrating identity, creativity and self-expression through contemporary wearable art.
Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance is proud to announce Wear Your Power—an exciting new creative initiative that will invite a new audience to experience The Gallery through art, storytelling and community connection. The project is the first in a planned annual series of audience development programs designed to create welcoming, inclusive and culturally safe experiences for communities who have traditionally been underrepresented in regional gallery spaces.
Led by acclaimed Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay artist Dennis Golding, Wear Your Power is a full-day wearable art workshop where participants will create their own personalised “super capes”—powerful symbols of identity, resilience, culture and pride. Using textiles, colour, storytelling and creative expression, participants will transform their lived experiences into wearable artworks that celebrate who they are.
The inaugural program has been developed specifically for LGBTQIA+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from the Gumbaynggirr, Dunghutti, Biripi and Worimi nations, while also welcoming non-Indigenous LGBTQIA+ participants through an Expression of Interest (EOI) process. Aboriginal participants will be prioritised, ensuring the project remains First Nations-led and culturally grounded.
The workshop will be held at The Gallery, Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance, with all materials, catering and creative support provided. Participants will also have opportunities to yarn, share stories and connect with others in a safe, supportive environment. A subsidised participation fee will help ensure the program remains accessible while encouraging commitment to the experience.
Following the workshop, the completed capes will be professionally curated into a public exhibition at The Gallery, accompanied by participant artist statements. The exhibition will celebrate the diversity, creativity and strength of LGBTQIA+ voices from across the Mid North Coast, inviting the wider community to experience these powerful stories through contemporary Aboriginal-led arts practice.
The project will also be professionally documented through photography and video, creating a lasting digital legacy and extending the reach of the exhibition beyond the gallery walls.
Wear Your Power represents an exciting milestone for Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance. It is the first project of its kind at The Gallery, placing Aboriginal LGBTQIA+ voices at the centre of a creative program that combines wearable art, personal storytelling and public exhibition. More importantly, it establishes a new pathway for audience development—introducing new communities to The Gallery and building lasting relationships through creativity, culture and belonging.
Expressions of Interest Are Open
Expressions of Interest for participants are open through the event.
If you identify as LGBTQIA+ and are interested in exploring identity, culture and creativity through wearable art, we’d love to hear from you.
Stay connected through our website and social media channels for Expression of Interest opening dates, workshop details and exhibition announcements.
Presented by Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance
Supported by Museums & Galleries of NSW
Share this post