Outreach Workshops – East Gippsland

This ambitious 12-month program of printmaking workshops for First Peoples Artists living in Regional Victoria in 2010 and 2011, built on Australian Print Workshop’s printmaking expertise and record of success in working with culturally diverse communities.

APW partnered with East Gippsland Aboriginal Arts Corporation (EGAAC), a First Peoples organisation based in Bairnsdale, to deliver workshops for artists in Lake Tyres, Nowa Nowa, Orbost, Cann River, Bairnsdale, Lakes Entrance, Sale and the Latrobe Valley.

The workshops provided an opportunity for these artists to get together, talk and share their stories, as they developed ideas and imagery for their prints. Through this process it became clear that Gertrude Street Fitzroy, Melbourne (APW’s home), held significant memories and relationships for many of these East Gippsland-based artists.

This link was realized in the prints and culminated in an exhibition ‘Coming Home: Gertrude Street’ that celebrated the diverse stories, lives and locations of all the artists involved in the project.

31 artists participated and more than 180 prints were produced.

The exhibition ‘Coming Home: Gertrude Street’ was mounted at APW Gallery in July 2011, to coincide with NAIDOC week.

A catalogue of the exhibition can be viewed here.

This project was made possible with the generous support of APW’s long-term philanthropic partner, The Collie Print Trust.