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Footscray Community Arts

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50 Years of Art | Community | Culture
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OPEN HOUSE MELBOURNE AT FOOTSCRAY COMMUNITY ARTS

This Friday and Saturday, join us for an Open House, exhibition and self-guided tour through our evolving precinct.

Start in the warehouse with SURFACED, our collections exhibition highlighting contemporary practice and local voices. From there, wander through the heritage-listed bluestone Henderson House to learn about the site’s industrial history as Henderson’s Piggery and see how it has transformed into a vibrant community hub housing our Entrance Gallery and Basement Theatre.

Step outdoors for exclusive, pre-public early access to the new Lango Stage, an architecturally designed contemporary performance space nestled within re-Indigenised greenspace. You can also explore information about native flora and symbolic markings along the route as you make your way toward the riverside lawns.

Together, these spaces form a living cultural landscape that honours Footscray’s rich history while actively shaping its creative future.

Link in bio for full details.
@cityofmaribyrnong @openhousemelb

Credit: Photo by Safiah Rind @safiahlmtd from Lango Stage: Planting Day, February 2026 by @footscrayarts

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3 days ago

This NAIDOC Week, we join communities across the country in celebrating 50 Years of Deadly.

As we celebrate 50 years of NAIDOC, we honour the generations whose strength, advocacy and cultural leadership have made this moment possible, while celebrating those carrying stories and futures forward.

At Footscray Community Arts, First Nations leadership is woven into our organisation through the guidance of the Indigenous Leadership Group, who help shape our programs, relationships and the way we work with community.

Those relationships have created space for many powerful projects over the years. From supporting the next generation of First Nations creatives through Tarnuk-ut baany, to working alongside renowned artists Mitch Mahoney and Maree Clarke on the landmark tapestry commission for the new Footscray Hospital in collaboration with the Australian Tapestry Workshop, we’re continually reminded that culture is strengthened through connection, collaboration and community.

NAIDOC Week is an opportunity to celebrate those contributions, to listen, learn and show up with respect, while recognising that supporting First Nations leadership is work that continues well beyond this week.

We thank the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, Elders, partners and communities who continue to share their knowledge, generosity and vision with us. We look forward to continuing that work together.

Happy NAIDOC Week.

Image credit: @astridmulder.photography by @footscrayarts

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18 days ago

🎨Artworks bring colour, energy and community stories to Footscray Hospital. 🏥

Footscray Hospital is now home to 83 stunning artworks created by local artist Olana Janfa, titled Heal and Thrive.

Last year, Olana led a series of creative workshops with Footscray Hospital staff and volunteers, community members and local schools to inform the stories and themes of the artworks. These workshops were facilitated by Footscray Hospital’s official arts partner Footscray Community Arts.

Olana’s style is characterised by bright colours, layered textures, and a sense of joyful naivete which brings warmth, calmness, and positive distraction to the hospital environment.

Olana was born in Ethiopia, and says that “Melbourne’s west helps many immigrants navigate the complexities of settling in a new place. The sense of connection I have found here over the years is something I strive to replicate in my works, so that patients, visitors and staff of the new Footscray Hospital feel just as welcomed and valued as I did when I arrived in Footscray.”

Heal and Thrive was commissioned by the Plenary Health consortium in partnership with the project’s arts partner Footscray Community Arts, and in collaboration with Western Health and VIDA Health.

#WestIsBest #CommunityArts #Footscray by @footscrayarts

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24 days ago

One of our FAVOURITE #free activities in Melbourne 💛

This is @vuplay_ at @footscrayarts , a free play program run by Victoria University where university students create incredible open ended play experiences for children 💛

We usually head to the Moreland Street location at Footscray Community Arts because it has access to an indoor hall. While some of the outdoor pop up locations can occasionally be cancelled if the weather is unpredictable, this session usually still goes ahead, which is one of the reasons we keep coming back. There’s also a CAFE on-site with toys so even if you can’t make the workshops save this for your next play date 💛

Every visit is different. We’ve made canoes, built cars, cooked up a storm… the list goes on. It’s such a beautiful space for little imaginations to create, explore and just be kids.

📍 Footscray Community Arts (shown in the video)
45 Moreland St
Thurs 10am to 12pm

📍 Clarke St Pop Up, Footscray
Clarke St & Barkly St
Mon, Tues, Wed & Fri 10am to 12pm
Tues & Thurs 1pm to 3pm

📍 Alistair Knox Park, Eltham
829 Main Rd
Tues & Thurs 10:30am to 12:30pm

📍 Lakeside Park, Pakenham
61 Botanic Drive
Mon to Fri 10am to 12pm
Mon & Tues 1pm to 3pm

📍 Point Ormond Playground, Elwood
87 State Route 33
Sat 10am to 12pm
Sat 1:30pm to 3:30pm

📍 Hannah Watts Park, Melton
183–225 High St
Thurs 10am to 12pm

📍 Rippleside Park, Geelong
101–123 Melbourne Rd
Fri & Sat 10am to 12pm

📍 University Park Primary School, St Albans
Lister St
Thurs 10:30am to 12:30pm

Save this for when you need a last minute activity and send this to your play-date buddy 💛 #footscray #melbourne #visitmelbourne #fun taken in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia by @footscrayarts

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a month ago

Tarnuk-ut baany is about investing in the next generation of First Nations creatives.

Meaning "wooden vessel holding water" in the Boonwurrung language, the program brings together emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists with Elders, First Nations creatives and community leaders to strengthen creative practice through cultural knowledge, mentorship and shared experience.

At Footscray Community Arts, we know that supporting artists goes beyond just funding projects. It means creating the conditions for long-term creative and cultural leadership to grow. Through Tarnuk-ut baany, self-determination is at the centre, with each participant supported in ways that reflect their aspirations, individual practice and community.

Your support helps ensure the next generation of First Nations artists has the time, resources and guidance to develop their practice, build lasting connections and shape the future of our cultural landscape.

This EOFY, help us continue investing in First Nations-led creativity and leadership.

Community first. Creativity always.

This EOFY, double your impact thanks to Creative Australia’s Plus1 program where every leadership donation will be matched and your support goes even further. Donate via the link in bio!

Video: Footscray Community Arts hosts a day of storytelling and cultural exchange led by Elders N’arweet Dr Carolyn Briggs AM, Uncle Larry Walsh, Aunty Annette Xiberras, and Uncle John Terricks (@simon_aubor) by @footscrayarts

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a month ago

Projects like Sekala Niskala show what’s possible when artists, communities and organisations come together around a shared vision.

Presented in partnership with Project 11 @project11foundation , the exhibition brought contemporary Balinese artists into dialogue with local audiences through a program of a major exhibition, workshops and cultural exchange. Exploring the relationship between tradition and contemporary practice, the work opened up conversations around identity, social change and belonging.

It’s part of an ongoing relationship with Project 11 and co-founder Monica Lim @monicalimmusic , whose collaborations with FCA have included projects such as Guài, an interactive augmented reality experience that brought together art, technology and audience participation in unexpected ways.

At Footscray Community Arts, we back bold collaborations that bring people together, spark new ideas and create meaningful cultural exchange. Work that crosses disciplines, connects communities and creates opportunities for artists and audiences to learn from one another.

This EOFY, double your impact thanks to Creative Australia’s Plus1 program where every donation will be matched and your support goes even further.

Donate via the link in bio!

Community first. Creativity always.

Image credit: 1-6 Gianna Rizzo @meaty
Image credit: 7,8 Emile Zile @rebus_cut_ by @footscrayarts

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a month ago

At Footscray Community Arts, First Nations leadership is embedded in the way we program and collaborate. Guided by our Indigenous Leadership Group, we work alongside First Nations artists, Elders and communities to ensure cultural knowledge, authority and self-determination are centred in our work.

It’s this approach that shapes how ongoing relationships are built, how stories are shared and how resources are directed to support lasting cultural outcomes.

This EOFY, your donation helps us continue supporting First Nations-led projects and long-term partnerships.

Projects like Marungka Tjalatjunu (2024) by @diggalynch6130 and @matthewjjthorne demonstrate the power of First Nations-led storytelling.

This immersive four-channel video installation explored Country, identity, memory and queer First Nations experience, inviting audiences into a deeply personal and culturally grounded work.

Double your impact thanks to Creative Australia’s Plus1 program where every donation will be matched and your support goes even further.

Donate via the link in our bio!

Community first. Creativity always. by @footscrayarts

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a month ago

Reflecting on identity, memory and the collective migrant experience, Salote’s Tawale’s ‘Exquisite Corpse’ work from 2024 invited audiences into conversations about belonging, history and cultural connection.

For decades, Footscray Community Arts has supported artists and communities to develop work that might not otherwise have a platform. It’s a place where artists can test ideas, take creative risks and tell stories on their own terms.

When communities can see themselves reflected in the arts, new perspectives emerge, connections are built and culture is shaped by the people who live it.

Your donation helps create space for artists and communities to keep making, sharing and leading these conversations.

This EOFY, double your impact thanks to Creative Australia’s Plus1 program where every leadership donation will be matched and your support goes even further.

Donate via the link in bio!

Community first. Creativity always.

Video: Interview with Salote Tawale for PHOTO2024: Exquisite Corpse, 2024 @simon_aubor

Images: @mattolucasphotography 5 and @will.hamiltoncoates 2, 3 & 4 by @footscrayarts

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2 months ago

What are the ingredients to a perfect community takeover?

1. FOOD @theprinceofyazh bringing the best treats from Jaffna, Northern Sri Lanka

2. YAPS @chenturan in conversation with @sonnair on all things theatre, role play, memory and family

3. TUNES @duchesshalo, @aqueerius___ & @nomadicstatic on the decks all afternoon / evening

And YOU.

Bring your fine selves down (no ticket necessary) and make our little slice of the west the cutest spot to be this long weekend!

PS. Last 5 tickets for closing night still up for grabs 🤫

Cover image: @suzeanthonyy taken in Footscray Community Arts by @footscrayarts

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2 months ago

Only 4 shows of The Supposed To Be remain this season. Get in quick; run don’t walk!

Join us for a free site-wide activation; Community Day this Saturday 6 June, from 3—7pm. Come down for a Q&A with the cast and creatives, DJs @aqueerius___ @duchesshalo and @nomadicstatic AND most importantly, some of the BEST Sri Lankan food from @theprinceofyazh all the way from Dandenong!

Watch @chenturan @mich_on_impossible and @just.an_onion sample some of the treats that will be on the menu this Saturday in-between the matinee and closing show at Footscray Community Arts.

Final tickets available via link in bio!

The Supposed To Be is presented by Footscray Community Arts and Jewel Box Performances with RISING.

@jewelboxperformances @rising.melbourne

Content Warnings: This work contains mature themes including abuse, sexuality, death, mental health issues, war trauma, racism, and discrimination.

🎥 by Jeevika Rajagopal (@nomadicstatic) by @footscrayarts

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2 months ago

The need for connection, belonging, and creative expression has never been greater.

This EOFY, Footscray Community Arts is asking for your support.
Help us keep Community First & Creativity Always by donating before June 30 via the link in our bio.

For more than 50 years, we have been a place where artists and communities create side by side, sharing stories, building trust and strengthening community through creativity. By giving to FCA today, you will help us create the time, space and support needed for artists and local communities to continue coming together and make meaningful work.

If you're looking for another reason to give, with thanks to @creative.australia’s Plus1 program, all leadership donations will be matched, dollar for dollar. This means double the opportunities, double the impact.

Visit the link in our bio and donate to Footscray Community Arts today!

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Pictured is ‘In Place’ by Na Djinang Circus (@nadjinang), a striking performance at Footscray Community Arts as part of Melbourne Fringe, 2024. A powerful example of artist and community collaboration, the premiere of this work was the culmination of a year-long development that blended acrobatics, durational community participation, environmental storytelling and deep listening to Country.

Over the 12 months prior to the premiere of 'In Place', local participants nurtured native plants, growing in tandem with the artists. These plants then became woven into the final performance, showing us what is possible when artists and communities are given the time and space to create together.

Photography: Jacinta Keefe, 2024. @jacintakeefephotography by @footscrayarts

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2 months ago

TILDE OPENING 2026 🖤💛❤️
Presented by @sapphic_flicks

A night of trans truth-telling, led by the First Storytellers.

A night in response to 'Notes on Vanishing' by director @lily_lxndr.

A night that brought together so many of the people we love.

A massive thank you to @sapphic_flicks - Merryn Trescott & Jamie Connor - for your stunning leadership and event curation.

Thank you, Lily 💛, for streaming in live from Montreal and for inspiring the conversation.

Thank you to our legendary artists/ panelists for your generosity:
Merryn Trescott @merryntrescott
Thea Raveneau @theabuffyraveneau
Ari Jills @ari.jills
Jordan Walker @jordanmihiwalker
Ripley Kavara @__lakatoi
💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

And thank you to the wonderful team at @footscrayarts for hosting us, and just supporting us with so much love! 💋

📸 @ottonephotography taken in Footscray Community Arts by @footscrayarts

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2 months ago