Sporulation curator hopes Wollongong event will spark conversations about psychedelics
The Sporulation Art Exhibition+ is back for 2024! First run in 2022, the exhibition continues with its mission to raise awareness of psychedelic-assisted therapy and provide a place for the local community to learn, connect and share their experiences.
By the curator and founder of Sporulation, Wollongong artist Melissa Errey
The Sporulation Art Exhibition+ is back for 2024! First run in 2022, the exhibition continues with its mission to raise awareness of psychedelic-assisted therapy and provide a place for the local community to learn, connect and share their experiences.
To be held at Project Contemporary Artspace from April 23 to May 5, Sporulation is more than just an art exhibition, it will also host events taking a deep dive into various aspects of psychedelics.
I first became interested in this topic in 2018 and was determined to find a way to get involved. I founded Sporulation as part of my volunteer advocacy work in support of psychedelics when I crossed paths with fellow Wollongong artist Cassandra Kavanagh in 2020. After lively discussions, Cassandra and I hatched a plan to hold an art exhibition about psilocybin use for mental health and wellbeing which became Sporulation 2022.
An exercise physiologist by day and artist by night, in 2021 I returned to complete my qualifications as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP). As a long-time advocate of exercise being foundational for health and wellbeing, I became an AEP to support people back to their self-directed version of an active, joyful life through movement.
Now working as an Australian Defence Force (ADF) rehabilitation consultant, I plan to expand my scope of practice to move into clinical work with people who are experiencing mental health difficulties or recovering from trauma.
The reason for this is that in 2023, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) re-scheduled MDMA and psilocybin in the Poisons Standard for tightly controlled use by authorised psychiatrists to treat PTSD and treatment-resistant depression. Currently, the psychedelic-assisted treatment model is focussed on talk-based therapies. However, there is an increasing understanding of the role of the body and body-based therapies in recovery from mental health conditions. I am optimistic that over time exercise physiologists will be recognised as healthcare practitioners with a strong role to play in psychedelic-assisted therapy.
In the meantime, I’m teaming up with other healthcare professionals who are trained in psychedelic-assisted therapy to deliver workshops and seminars in the Sporulation space. This year Wollongong psychologist Mark Baxter will talk about legal treatment options, current clinical research and harm minimisation. Victorian-based psychologist/social worker Dr Lani Roy will present on the somatic integration of psychedelic experiences in an Auslan-supported workshop.
And Sporulation wouldn’t be the same without psychedelic gardener Dr Liam Engel providing his hands-on cactus growing workshops. Participants will go home with their own cactus seedlings or grafts, plus a new appreciation of the world of cacti. Liam will also discuss the most commonly consumed psychedelics in Australia (psilocybin, DMT and mescaline) and the different plants they come from (mushrooms, Acacia trees and cacti).
I hope that Sporulation will continue to grow into a signature event for Wollongong that blends art and science into a unique offering where there is something interesting, fun and informative for any person interested in psychedelics.
Sporulation 2024 will be held from Tuesday, April 23 until Sunday, May 5 at Project Contemporary Artspace. Visit www.sporulation.online or follow on Facebook and Instagram
