We R You Ballarat Photography Paste up project kicks off!

We R You Community Engagement project

We R You Ballarat community photography project Photography & Design: Aldona Kmiec paste ups — We R You Ballarat community photography project Aldona Kmiec

WHO

We R You is an initiative of the CoB Arts & Culture Unit, involving partnerships with community and Council agencies across Ballarat. Those providing letters of support and participation include:

Victorian Police
CoB Community Safety Committee
Ballarat Health Refugee Support Group – participation
UnitingCare Ballarat – participation
Ballarat African Association – participation
CoB Cultural Diversity Unit
CoB Youth Services
BLX LinkUp – participation
Victorian Dept. Of Human Services / Delacombe Neighbourhood Renewal – participation

WHAT

We R You is modelled on the global Inside Out initiative, which is providing a ‘face’ for marginalised and disadvantaged people in communities around the world. Inspired by JR French street artist Inside Out global art project. If you haven’t heard of Inside Out Project – please read how much impact it had on engaging community and building positive connections.

Conceived as a graffiti intervention initiative, Ballarat’s We R You project will create large (A0 x 2) sized, digital photographic portraits of diverse people who are otherwise ‘invisible’ in our community. These portraits will be printed on paper and then pasted in identified graffiti hot-spots around Ballarat.

WHEN

We R You is poised to begin NOW, with the project coordinator, confirmed installation sites, and individual participants in place. Activities are planned with the participant organisations as well as in conjunction with community events such as the Ballarat Backyard Tasters and Harmony Fest. The project will be completed in late May 2013.

WHERE

We R You photographic activities will take place in a range of community venues and during a number of community events. The eventual digital portraits will be installed in identified graffiti hot-spots across Ballarat.

WHY

The Victorian Department of Justice provides grant support for projects that engage the community in graffiti prevention & intervention initiatives. We R You is designed to be widely participatory & consultative, to create new works of art acknowledging & empowering marginalised community members, to teach new skills, and to provide an environmentally benign alternative to aerosol-based graffiti.

I’m very proud to be facilitating yet another great community initiative. Today I’m meeting my first group from CMY – Centre for Multicultural Youth in Ballarat. Our photos will end up on buildings and walls around Ballarat!

To get involved, please contact Community Arts and Culture Coordinator Deborah Klein on deborahklein[at]ballarat.vic.gov.au