Sharing the Wisdom

The Aboriginal Health and Ageing Program at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) is inviting Aboriginal artists in NSW to submit artwork that identifies with the themes of a new project called Sharing the Wisdom. The project acknowledges the central role that Elders have in the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal communities and the role that art plays in representing their stories and traditions. The Program is particularly seeking applications from artists in one of its partner communities; Coffs Harbour, Nambucca Heads, Kempsey, Tharawal and La Perouse. Themes include Culture, Sacred Grounds, Sharing the Wisdom of our Elders, Dreamtime and Spirituality.

The Sharing the Wisdom project, funded by the Lowitja Institute, explores the meaning of healthy ageing in Aboriginal communities based on information collected for NeuRA’s Koori Growing Old Well Study (KGOWS).

Participants in the KGOW Study were asked what they consider to be important for growing old well. Sharing the Wisdom is a project launched in response to NeuRA’s research highlighting limited awareness of ageing and dementia across Aboriginal community members and requests from KGOWS partner communities for a strengths-focused Aboriginal-specific resource to increase community knowledge of dementia prevention. The KGOW Study has found dementia is three times more common in older Aboriginal people and likely linked to preventable risk factors from early life onward.

Artists who are descendants of the Aboriginal Nations of NSW are invited to submit works of art or concept designs that relate to our themes: connection to culture, community and Country; respect for Elders and all the Mob; growing old in good health with dignity; keeping your body and mind healthy to live a long life; value of learning and education in all its forms; living a good respectful life; remembering the old days and resilience; and avoiding drugs and alcohol.

Successful artworks will be incorporated into a range of Aboriginal-specific healthy ageing and health promotion resources.

Payment of $500 will be made to selected artists for photography of their art and payment for acquisitions will be negotiated in accordance with NAVA rates of pay (National Association of Visual Arts). NeuRA will respect the artists’ intellectual property rights and a formal agreement will also be negotiated with the successful artists.

Key dates

24 July 2018 Call for Submissions

14 September 2018 Submissions Close 5pm

28 September 2018 Selected artists will be notified. Contracts will be signed as soon as practicable after this date

29 October 2018 Artworks completed / handed over / photographed as applicable