Kids These Days & Surrealesville (It Takes a Town)

About Project

The Youth Public Art Project was the second stage of a multi-year community and youth development project titled It Takes a Town (ITAT). Kids These Days & Surrealesville were the outcome if a youth-led public art initiative developed in Healesville, through fourteen co-design workshops, where young people contributed ideas, stories, and creative direction, which became the basis for two large-scale vinyl mural artworks.

The project used young people's ideas, concepts, and lived experiences as the creative catalyst for the final public outcomes. The artworks were initially intended to remain in place for three months but were extended in response to community demand.

Impact

The project amplified young people's voices in the public realm and demonstrated the value of placing young people's creative ideas at the centre of public art development. The resulting artworks transformed everyday community spaces while celebrating local identity, imagination, and youth. Tthe project was successful in meaningfully engaging young people, giving participants a chance to explore interests, build skills, and confidence, and presenting public art of a professional standard, which positively engaged a large percentage of the local community.

Testimonial

“The mural connects all our drawings to make a unique world.... ‘Kids these days’ is also very clever. I like how the design works so that when you travel around the corner and see the whole artwork, everything changes, lightens up, because you have a different view on everything. It makes you happy.”

— Young participant/collaborator

Location: Koo Wee Rup / Cardinia Shire, Victoria

Date: 2019

Artists: Project Manager / Lead Artist, Choreographer & Facilitator — Gülşen Özer;

Video Artists — Vanessa White and Tim Stone;

Sound Designer — Roderick Price

Collaborators: Twelve local senior participants

Organisations / Partners: Cardinia Shire Council; Creative Victoria

Photography: Cathy Ronalds