Wollongong City Council media release: 6 June 2025
Working in the arts and creative industries can be a solitary vocation. At times, it can be flat-out lonely. It’s something Wollongong City Council’s Creative Dialogues looks to address with its focus on connecting local creators through strategic partnerships and new collaborations.
Building these networks can be particularly beneficial amid financial and logistical pressures that make studio and performance spaces difficult to source. This will be a major topic of discussion for the Symbiosis, Unexpected Alliances for the Arts (Symbiosis) panel at the 21 June event.
One of three panels to be held at The Bank in Port Kembla, the discussion will see convenor and Thirroul-based architect Ben Wollen in conversation with Buckaroo Leather Works CEO Tanya van der Water, Holy Pavlova founder and director Harrison Hall, and Brand X co-founder and director James Winter.
The panel will discuss ways in which creative communities can work together to find new studio space and performance venues through collaborations within industry, small business and the arts.
It’s something in which van der Water has found in recent years through utilising surplus space at Buckaroo Leather Works in Bellambi to provide short-term leases for artists navigating the hurdles of developing a creative practice.
“I understand how difficult it is to find space as a creative practitioner, especially without needing to go through the hoops of securing funding or signing a three-to-five-year commercial lease,” van der Water said.
“It's a real gamut of financial stressors that form part of the decision to go out and make your career path a creative one. The experiment was to see how we could create a community for artists and like-minded people backed by the support of an existing business.
“The bottom line is it's worked and, now that it can be considered a blueprint for success, I'm advocating for more people thinking about this as a way to use their own surplus space.”
The Bank will host two other panel discussions as part of Creative Dialogues, with panel #1 Staying with the Trouble – Truth Telling in the Arts – an exploration of the tensions and responsibilities of truth telling, for First Nations and non-First Nations artists and curators –kicking off the panel program from 12-1pm.
Symbiosis will follow from 2-3pm, with Creative World Building, Community Against the Odds to discuss how artists and creative communities can forge cross-disciplinary collaborations and mentorships from 4-5pm.
The panel discussions at The Bank are one aspect of a program featuring 14 free creative workshops, installations, and live music across Port Kembla venues, The Servo, NASA Gallery, and Red Point Arts.
The free event is open to everyone and is particularly aimed at young and emerging artists, arts workers, professional creatives, arts producers, and anyone interested in our city's arts and culture.
The full program is now live, with bookings available via Eventbrite. Wollongong City Council is committed to providing access to Creative Dialogues for people with disability. Please tell us about your access needs when booking.
Creative Dialogues 2025
When: 21 June
Where: The Bank, The Servo, NASA Gallery, Red Point Arts
Cost: Free entry, booking via Eventbrite
Times: 10am –5pm for workshops, art, music and conversations and 5-10pm for live music curated by Holy Pavlova
