Talking Difference Blog

 

Comic Workshops with Hampton Park Primary School

23 May, 2012 14:52 by Sarah

On Monday 14th May Mandy Ord and I ran workshops with the very enthusiastic students and teachers from Hampton Park Primary School. Both Mandy and I were totally  impressed with the quality of their ideas and comics. They were a real pleasure to work with and a huge thanks goes to Shilpa for her assistance and to Monica Rios for dropping in and giving us great feedback.

Hampton Park student Hampton Park student
Image: Museum Victoria/Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Many Ord with Hampton Park student Many Ord with Hampton Park student
Image: Museum Victoria/Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Hampton Park student with Shilpa Hampton Park student with Shilpa
Image: Museum Victoria/Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Sarah with students Sarah with students
Image: Museum Victoria/Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Hampton Park student Hampton Park student
Image: Museum Victoria/Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Hampton Park student Hampton Park student
Image: Museum Victoria/Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Hampton Park students in the galleries Hampton Park students in the galleries
Image: Museum Victoria/Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Many Ord with Hampton Park student Many Ord with Hampton Park student
Image: Museum Victoria/Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Sarah Firth and Mandy Ord Sarah Firth and Mandy Ord
Image: Museum Victoria/Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Hampton Park student with comic Hampton Park student with comic
Image: Museum Victoria/Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Sarah with a Hampton Park student Sarah with a Hampton Park student
Image: Museum Victoria/Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Hampton Park student with comic Hampton Park student with comic
Image: Museum Victoria/Dylan Kelly
Source: Museum Victoria
 

 

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Portable Studio Regional Tour mid-way point

23 May, 2012 11:39 by Dave

After over 1,000kms and five residencies in public libraries around the State, the Talking Difference Portable Studio is now half way through its regional tour.

We started in Shepparton in February where the studio was launched and linked in with community groups as part of VicHealth’s Localities Embracing and Accepting Diversity program and the Emerge Festival.

Shepparton Library Shepparton Library
Image: Museum Victoria/Dave Henry
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Portable Studio in Sheppaton Library Portable Studio in Sheppaton Library
Image: Museum Victoria/Dave Henry
Source: Museum Victoria
 

The next trip was a special outing for the brand new pop-up version of the Portable Studio at Cobram Library. The pop-up studio will be used for events and short residencies.

  Pop-up Studio in Cobram Pop-up Studio in Cobram
Image: Museum Victoria/Dave Henry
Source: Museum Victoria
 

After touring the Goulburn Valley, we headed to East Gippsland where I facilitated workshops with TAFE students from Bairnsdale, members of local Aboriginal Cooperatives and communities and Shire staff. At the moment, the Studio has a home in the foyer of the library in beautiful Lakes Entrance.  

Lakes Entrance Lakes Entrance
Image: Museum Victoria/Dave Henry
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Portable Studio at Lakes Entrance Library Portable Studio at Lakes Entrance Library
Image: Museum Victoria/Dave Henry
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Stay tuned for some of the amazing videos that have been created in the Portable Studio so far. And look out for more updates because next week we make the trip across the Horsham as part of the Art is… festival.

http://visithorsham.com.au/events-festivals/2012-art-is-at-waters-edge-festival/

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Comic Workshops with St Albans Primary School

14 May, 2012 15:38 by Sarah

 On the 7th of May Shaun Tan and I ran the second set of comic-drawing workshops with year 6 students from St Albans Primary School. The workshops were held in the theaterette at the Immigration Museum and students participated in a live reading of Shaun Tan’s story “Eric” and discussed themes of belonging, difference and identity.

Students then participated in both a comic discovery trail through the Museum and a cultural walk along Sandridge Bridge followed by comic-drawing workshops, where they drew their own stories.

Workshop introduction Workshop introduction
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Workshop introduction Workshop introduction
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Workshop introduction Workshop introduction
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Workshop introduction Workshop introduction
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Workshop introduction Workshop introduction
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Workshop introduction Workshop introduction
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Dave introducing the Immigration Museum Galleries Dave introducing the Immigration Museum Galleries
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

St Albans student doing the Comic Hunt St Albans student doing the Comic Hunt
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

St Albans student doing the Comic Hunt St Albans student doing the Comic Hunt
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

St Albans students doing the Comic Hunt St Albans students doing the Comic Hunt
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

St Albans student doing the Comic Hunt St Albans student doing the Comic Hunt
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

St Albans student doing the Comic Hunt St Albans student doing the Comic Hunt
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Shaun demonstrating cartooning Shaun demonstrating cartooning
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Shaun demonstrating cartooning Shaun demonstrating cartooning
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Shaun demonstrating cartooning Shaun demonstrating cartooning
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Shaun with a St Albans student Shaun with a St Albans student
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

St Albans student and teacher St Albans student and teacher
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

St Albans student and teacher St Albans student and teacher
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Sarah Firth with a St Albans student Sarah Firth with a St Albans student
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Shaun demonstrating cartooning for St Albans students Shaun demonstrating cartooning for St Albans students
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Shaun discussing cartooning with St Albans students Shaun discussing cartooning with St Albans students
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Sarah with St Albans students Sarah with St Albans students
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Sarah Firth with a St Albans students Sarah Firth with a St Albans students
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

St Albans students St Albans students
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

St Albans students St Albans students
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

Shaun with a St Albans student Shaun with a St Albans student
Image: Museum Victoria/Rodney Start
Source: Museum Victoria
 

 

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Comic Workshops in Shepparton

10 May, 2012 16:46 by Sarah Firth

On the 1st of May Adi Firth and I ran our first comic-drawing workshops with Bourchier St Primary School’s year 5/6 students. The children were energetic and enthusiastic and we had an excellent discussion with them about cultural issues and commonalities.

  Sarah and Adi getting excited Us getting just a little bit excited about the day ahead
Image: Sarah Firth
Source: Sarah Firth
 

The students drew comics on subjects such as bullying, hobbies, belonging, losing family members and the value of friendship. I was particularly touched by one boy who bravely drew a comic about losing his father, and explained his subsequent bullying and emotional stress he is dealing with.

Sarah with Class Sarah with the class
Image: Sarah Firth
Source: Sarah Firth
 

Adi and I would like to than Helen and Danny Ryan, and Tasman the dog, for having us to stay at their lovely house in Shepparton! 

Student drawing at Bourchier Street Primary School in Shepparton Student drawing at Bourchier Street Primary School in Shepparton
Image: Sarah Firth
Source: Sarah Firth
 

Adi Firth with Students Adi Firth facilitating a comic workshop at Bourchier Street Primary School in Shepparton
Image: Sarah Firth
Source: Sarah Firth
 

Students Drawing Students Drawing
Image: Sarah Firth
Source: Sarah Firth
 

Mission Accomplished Mission Accomplished
Image: Sarah Firth
Source: Sarah Firth

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Portable Studio sparks conversation in Brimbank

13 October, 2011 10:34 by Dave

“I was proud of my colour as long as I was in my place of birth … but then when I came to Australia in 2010 my daily experiences in the community has compelled me to think that there’s something wrong with this colour.” Ash, Talking Difference Portable Studio

Three-legged and felt covered, the Talking Difference Portable Studio landed in Sunshine in September. Ash was one of the people who stepped inside to record his thoughts about culture, racism and diversity.

Are you happy and proud about your colour?
 

Click here to watch this video with a transcript

Ash and other Sunshine library visitors created a series of beautiful responses spanning culture, language, music and all things in between.

The guiding questions were created by young people in Brimbank in a series of workshops with  Museum Victoria. We dropped their work onto the touch screen at the heart of the Portable Studio and over two weeks visitors to Sunshine library could create audio, text, videos and drawings using the studio’s high definition camera.  The results were startling. From beatboxing, to multilingual counting, Auslan signing, singing and couples reminiscing. And it is all just beginning.

Here's another example from the Studio:

 

What does music mean to you?
 

Click here to watch this video with a transcript

If you would like to check it out and make your own work using the Portable Studio visit Sydenham Library during opening hours until 23 October. From there the studio tours Brimbank Libraries and the Immigration Museum between now and the end of the year. 

Tour Dates:

10–23 October

Sydenham Library

Station Street, Watergardens Town Centre

Taylors Lakes

 

31 October–11 November

Immigration Museum

400 Flinders Street, Melbourne

 

14–27 November

Deer Park Library

Corner of Neale and Station Roads, Deer Park

If you would like to respond to the questions yourself, feel free to make a comment below or head to the Portable Studio facebook page to upload video or pictures.

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Young People get creative with Victorian Arabic Social Services

3 June, 2011 09:55 by Dave

VASS short film from Vessal Safaei on Vimeo.

Check out this great film made by Vessal Safaei with Victorian Arabic Social Services (VASS). It documents an amazing program VASS ran last year with young people from Arabic backgrounds.

Workshops in public speaking, art and rap all came together to build confidence and skills with incredible results.

It makes me wonder, when was the last time you did something that gave you more confidence to stand up for yourself? Feel free to post comments below.

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About this blog

Talking Difference is dedicated to sparking dialogue about cultural difference.

Here you can keep up to date with the latest Talking Difference news, images and videos. You can also post your questions and comments about the project so far.

Blog authors

Dave - is the project lead for Talking Difference. He also works at Immigration Museum in Public Programs.

Tatiana - is Community Engagement Manager at Museum Victoria and the Talking Difference Project Manager.

Sarah - is the 2012 Talking Difference Fellow