Bringing young people together through culture, Country and creativity
Young people across Southside will have the opportunity to connect with Boonwurrung culture, Country and creativity through a new collaboration between Artists for Kids Culture and Balert Yirramboi.
Culture and Creation: Young Artists, Big Stories brings together Artists for Kids Culture (AKC) and Balert Yirramboi to create an eight-session program for young people aged 12 to 17, particularly those who may face barriers to accessing cultural and creative opportunities.
The collaboration will receive $10,000 through Southside Community Foundation’s 2026 Grants for Collaboration, helping to bring together Balert Yirramboi’s cultural leadership with AKC’s experience delivering inclusive creative programs for children and young people.
Art. Story. Dance. Country. Play. Film.
Across eight sessions, young people will learn directly from Boonwurrung Elders, artists and knowledge holders through storytelling, art, traditional dance and movement, games and visits to places of cultural significance.
Young people will be active participants helping to shape the stories they tell, who they interview, and how they share what they learn.
Working alongside Senior Boonwurrung Elder Caroline Martin and Boonwurrung artists Marbee Williams and Ngarra Williams, participants will explore cultural protocols, connection to Country, local stories, art, Songlines and traditional games.
Their experiences will culminate in a youth-produced episode of artsbusTV, giving participants the opportunity to become storytellers, interviewers, presenters and filmmakers. The episode will be offered to C31, giving the wider Southside community an opportunity to share in what the young people have learned and created.
We look forward to seeing Culture and Creation: Young Artists, Big Stories come to life, and to seeing the stories, connections and creativity that grow from young people exploring Boonwurrung culture and Country together.
As Kylie Greer, CEO of Artists for Kids Culture, said:
“Artists for Kids Culture and Balert Yirramboi are thrilled to be working together on Culture and Creation: Young Artists, Big Stories. With the generous support of Southside Community Foundation, this collaboration will bring young people together to connect with Boonwurrung culture, Country and creativity through art, storytelling, dance and film. We’re incredibly grateful for this important funding and excited to see the program come to life.”
For Marbee Williams, of Balert Yirramboi, the project is also an opportunity to create a space where young people can build a deeper connection with the culture and Country around them.
“I’m incredibly proud to be bringing Culture and Creation: Young Artists, Big Stories to life alongside AKC, with the generous support of Southside Community Foundation. This funding creates an opportunity to share Boonwurrung culture, stories and connection to Country with young people through creativity, movement and cultural learning.
I’m looking forward to creating a space where young people can connect, learn and express themselves while building a deeper understanding of the culture and Country around them.”
