When it comes to promoting creativity in our local youth OLLY and SAM are a great match!

OLLY is Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project's after-school program for young people aged 12-24. The program, located at Shepparton's GoTafe campus, offers young people access to food and positive social and learning experiences. Throughout term 1, OLLY participants visited the Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) and unleashed their inner creativity by participating in SAM’s new workshop series, Creative Arts Storytelling.

The workshops series, developed and led by SAM over six weeks, engaged local artists and facilitators, including Tiarne Parker, River Loizou, Ally Knight, Neil Morris, and Christopher Walker. Under their guidance, the young people could delve into various artistic mediums such as filmmaking, poetry, and painting.

Students produced a variety of artworks, some of which were featured in 2024 Shepparton Arts Festivals 'Exploring the Present Through Our Past' exhibition, displayed in the Riverlinks Eastbank Foyer.

Chris Walker, SAM First Nations Creative Industries Residency Coordinator, says of the program:

“This workshop series has been a great experience for both the artists and the students. The process of creating and sharing has helped the kids engage with each other and their community in an open, warm way. The incredible support from all of the facilitators and organisers have gone a long way in helping these students feel supported and valued, and they’re excited for the community to now enjoy their very own exhibition".

For further insights and to hear from those involved in the program click on the link below.

The following photos were taken during a storyboarding session with film-maker River Loizou.