For Real Project 2014
On August 25th, 2014, Cultivator set out with some students from RMIT, Swinburne University and SuniTAFE to the Broken Hill Film Studio, a former BHP Mine power station with a long history and a lot of mystery, to embark on the For Real Project.
Facilitated by Mark Haynes and Russell Kerr, The For Real Project provides a forum for creativity, and an opportunity to collaborate with new people from different walks of life in this remarkable part of regional New South Wales.
“Young people are often nervous to say how they think and feel. They don’t necessarily feel comfortable expressing themselves; they’re worried about what impact they might have. During the project, creative visualization and image-making was a way for young people to feel more comfortable about sharing their ideas and to express how they feel about things. It was less confronting, but also more meaningful, rich and fulfilling.”
This year, high school students from Willyama and alternative learning students from Robinson Community College were encouraged to use creative methods to explore issues relevant to them as young people living in Broken Hill.
During the project, students created zines (handmade, craft-oriented publications), designed and screen printed on t-shirts and threw around ideas about their vision for Broken Hill’s future.
Initially, the students found it challenging to speak up and find the courage to participate. But eventually, as the days wore on and more activities were introduced into the program, the students took to the projects with enthusiasm.