Community Art Curation with City of Whittlesea

Curating the Belong Art Exhibition was such a special experience for me. There were around 170 artworks involved, which made the exhibition feel full of life, energy and so many different creative voices.

My favourite part was getting to meet the artists. I didn't get to meet everyone, which I wish I could have, but I was lucky enough to have a few beautiful glimpses into the lives of some of the artists who took part. Hearing small pieces of their stories, their creative process, and what their artwork meant to them made the exhibition feel so much more personal.

The theme of the exhibition was Belong, and I was invited as the Art Curator to help organise the space. One of the interesting challenges of the role was curating a community exhibition where artists of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels were invited to participate.

That is what makes community art exhibitions supportive. They give people who may not usually have the opportunity to be part of the art world the confidence, support and space to share their work. At the same time, it also means the curatorial process becomes a fun challenge, because not every artwork naturally fits together.

When designing the space, I thought carefully about the entrance and how audiences would move through the exhibition. I wanted the beginning of the show to feel inviting, so I placed some of the most vibrant and eye-catching works near the entrance to draw people in. It was also important to give local skilled artists the attention and appreciation they deserve.

From there, I started grouping artworks that felt cohesive together. It reminded me of working on a 1000-piece puzzle, where you begin by grouping similar colours and patterns before seeing which pieces might connect. I considered colour, shape, subject matter, mood and how each artwork might sit beside another. It was such a fun and satisfying challenge.

Another challenge was that, according to the data, this year had the highest number of artworks compared to previous years. City of Whittlesea hosts a grant art exhibition yearly, so I was a little nervous when planning the space. Thankfully, we ended up having enough wall space, but we were short on plinths. We rearranged the sculptural works so they sat together in one central area, and I actually really liked the final result.

Opening night was phenomenal. There were around 300 people in attendance, and I had so many warm conversations with artists, families and community members. It felt really special to see the space come alive after all the planning, organising and careful placement.