The creative industries offer a range of approaches, skills and techniques that can bring a different way of thinking - and doing - to complex social issues to effect change. This potential is recognised in the Creative State strategy and led to the development of Future Makers for Change program.

Our focus in this program is supporting significant new projects that offer a creative approach to building the mental wellbeing of young Victorians, enhancing their sense of belonging, connection to communities, empowerment, and resilience. 

Each of the projects will be delivered as a collaboration between creative practitioners and social delivery partners. The development and progress of each project will be tracked across the next two years by an evaluation team who will be gathering data about how the creative activity has created change in the community. 

The projects being supported by VicHealth are:

 

Next in Colour presented by Colour Between the Lines (CBTL)

auspiced by cohealth Arts Generator

A ground-breaking initiative run by a collective of six African creative practitioners in partnership with cohealth Arts Generator. CBTL will activate a disused space in Footscray and develop a program of exhibitions, screenings, performances and events which facilitate inter-generational dialogue and explore issues of social cohesion and gender equality from African perspectives. As well as building a sustainable business model CBTL will also establish vocational pathways into the creative industries for the African diaspora.

Supported in partnership with the Department of Premier and Cabinet

 

Let Love Rule (formerly From Tough Places to Safe Spaces)

ILBIJERRI Theatre Company

ILBIJERRI and the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) will work with First Nations young people to develop a new theatre work that challenges old - and inspires new - narratives around family violence awareness and prevention. The work will be devised specifically for performance in non-theatre spaces. A 4 week tour will give audiences a platform to speak about their own experiences to counter normalisation of violence, to promote and strengthen positive relationships, and to foster vibrant, healthy communities.

Supported in partnership with the Office of Prevention and Women’s Equality

 

META: mind, emotions, thoughts, awareness (formerly Happy is a habit)

Beci Orpin with Smiling Mind

‘META’ is a major public art initiative and youth mental health awareness campaign, led by acclaimed Melbourne artist/designer Beci Orpin and artists from the Jacky Winter Group in partnership with Smiling Mind and M&C Saatchi. Engaging young Victorians through schools, social media, mass market advertising and pop culture channels, ‘META’ will promote youth mental health via creative expression. It seeks to engage young Victorians in a dialogue about what makes them mentally healthy, happy, resilient and socially connected.

Supported in partnership with Creative Victoria

 

Virtual Reality Platform for Resilience, Emotional Regulation and Wellbeing

Liminal VR Pty Ltd

3D artists, animators, virtual reality developers, behavioural neuroscientists and local game designers will develop a platform that can empower young people aged 15-19 years to choose how they want to feel. Consisting of short, fun experiences designed for emotional regulation and resilience the platform will be piloted in secondary schools in the Greater Geelong area, in partnership with Wellness in Schools Australia. Once tested, access to the platform will be free for regional schools in Victoria with appropriate VR hardware.

Supported in partnership with Regional Development Victoria

 

Click here for more information about the Future Makers for Change program