Shining the Spotlight on Young WA Creatives
Project + Live Showcase Recap!
For Youth Week WA 2024 we’ve teamed up with WhyNot and Propel Youth Arts WA to bring you a three part project for KickstART Festival 2024 - a gallery exhibition, publication, and a live showcase! KickstART festival held during youth week (5-12 April) is a week long celebration of the positive contributions of young people in our community.
We’ve shined the spotlight on 12 young WA creatives. This collaboration is all about amplifying youth voices, highlighting diversity, and supporting emerging local Creatives.
⭐️Meet our 12 young WA creatives
Be sure to click on their profiles to get to know them and explore their incredible works!
⭐️ Gallery Exhibition
Open to the public throughout Youth Week, the gallery exhibition took place at The HQ Gallery Space at Y HQ in Leederville.
Fun fact: The HQ gallery space is available for free to artists under 26 years of age or for discounted rates for older, established artists. If you have an idea for an exhibition and need a space reach out to the team @the_y_hq
⭐️ Publication
Pieces displayed at the Gallery were also made available online through WhyNot's digital platform.
Community Over Competition by Em Readman
Music is the answer by Wilson Tan
Through The Eyes of Om (And I) As Fellow Dreamers by by Syarisa Yasin
Potential by Alysia Tay
Lolendo by Vanessa Kalau
Hello Yellow by Efa Mackenzie
From Dreams to Tattoos by Mae Smith
Everybody Knows by Sofie Kerr
Quasi by Rachael Burns
Rage by Lea Simic
Star #4 by Elisa von Perger
Echo by Beatrice Foti
Visitors of the gallery were able to grab a copy of the printed Publication. In case you missed out on a copy - here’s a digital download!
⭐️ Live Showcase
The live showcase held on April 11 was not only an opportunity to amplify youth voices but also a chance for young creatives to connect with peers and industry professionals while receiving support from friends and family.
The Live Showcase, hosted by Maeson Harvey, WhyNot's Chief Editor, kicked off with a powerful reading from Rachael Burns, shedding light on her advocacy to bring awareness about anorexia with her piece Quasi.
Jodie Ellin, Founder of Project See & B, alongside Lauren Pollock from WhyNot, introduced the project and shared insights into how this impactful collaboration came to be.
Lea Simic captivated the audience with her poem Rage, delving into the dominance of the male sphere in the arts industry and its influence on perception, funding, and consideration of creative works.
Following this, Syarisa Yasin, Alysia Tay, and Efa Mackenzie led enlightening panel discussions, addressing the crucial topic of cultural diversity in the creative industry. Syarisa, with her piece Through The Eyes of Om (And I) As Fellow Dreamers, shared her passion for weaving diverse narratives into her work, aiming to create authentic representation. Alysia, with her piece Potential, reflected on her journey as a visual artist and graphic designer, exploring the challenges faced within the industry, particularly coming from an Asian background, and the pressures to follow a traditional career path. Meanwhile, Efa delved into her biracial identity through her piece Hello Yellow.
Wilson Tan then shared his written piece, Music is the Answer, sharing his creative journey and the discovery of his passion.
Lastly, Em Readman concluded the showcase with a live reading of Community Over Competition, emphasising the significance of fostering a culture of support and celebration among fellow creatives—a fitting end that encapsulates the essence of Project See & B.
⭐️ Voices from the Event
Thank you to all the who showed Project See & B some love and support! We loved seeing all your photos and videos!
“This week was Youth Week WA! I had the opportunity to attend the exhibition hosted by The Y and The Project See & B
It is so important that we continue amplifying the voices of creative young people and recognise their contributions to our community 💪”
“Met so many lovely WA writers, makers and artists and heard from some incredible people. Massive congratulations to Lauren, Maeson and Jodie for making this happen!
Yay for youth arts! Make sure to read all the finalist pieces online at WhyNot’s website.”
“tysm @projectseeandb and @whynotau for the opportunity to share my story :) it was a fun experience and i’m super grateful”
“I am honoured to be featured in multiple of the events/ showcases, including the sketchbook project and @projectseeandb ”
⭐️ Thank You!
The success of this collaboration would not have been possible without the dedication and support of all individuals and organisations involved: Project See & B, WhyNot, Propel Youth Arts WA and The Y.
Big shoutout to our 12 WA creatives: Em Readman, Wilson Tan, Syarisa Yasin, Alysia Tay, Vanessa Kalau, Efa Mackenzie, Mae Smith, Sofie Kerr, Rachael Burns, Lea Simic, Elisa von Perger and Beatrice Foti. I cannot wait to see more of your creative works in the future!
Special thanks to Maeson Harvey, Lauren Pollock, Aileen Ng, Rebecca Riggs-Bennett, Naoko Uemoto, Rebecca Hyland, Farah Ellin, and all those who contributed their time and resources to bring Project See & B to live!
Thank you!
Dream Big,
Jodie Ellin - Founder of Project See & B
