New migrant families of Birralee Primary School in Doncaster are discovering their local and cultural heritage through a 10 week intergenerational art program at the Manningham Art Studios.
Eleven students and their guardians are taking part in Manningham Council’s weekly art program, Far Flung: Connecting Intergenerational Families, collaborating on a contemporary art project, while fostering creativity and exploring the community.
Manningham Mayor, Cr Paula Piccinini said the program gave children an opportunity to take pride in their cultural heritage and explore their own connections to Manningham.
“The families participating in this art program come from countries including China, Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Colombia,” she said.
“Awareness of their cultural heritage and a sense of belonging in Manningham, can give our families a deeper connection and sense of local identity.
“Through various mediums including drawing, photography and ceramics students and their parents are using art to tell their stories.”
Birralee Primary School Principal, Ashley Ryan said the school population has grown significantly.
“Since 2013, our student population increased by 326 per cent, with more than 60 per cent of students speaking English as a second language,” he said.
“Far Flung: Connecting Intergenerational Families helps address and support cultural connection in new immigrant families by building relationships through collaborative art activities.”
With the guidance of with professional artists, Tammy Wong-Hulbert, Sofi Basseghi, Amy Kennedy and Yuso Lee, every Friday after school during Term 3, students and their parents participate in drawing, photography and ceramics at the Manningham Art Studios.
Artworks created throughout the program will be featured in an exhibition at the Manningham Art Gallery in November. The exhibition will express a global sense of home in Manningham and include a ceramic installation.
Far Flung – Connecting Intergenerational Families is an initiative of Manningham Council run in collaboration with RMIT University and funded by Creative Victoria’s Creative Suburbs program.
