Perth’s New Djinda Boodja Art Centre Grand Opening in August

This NAIDOC week, we welcome you to Djinda Boodja: Star Country.

Djinda Boodja, the renamed arts and culture organisation formerly known as Abmusic, is opening a new art centre in Perth now on Wednesday 4 August.(previously Tuesday 6 July)

(Please be advised that due to the lockdown, we have rescheduled our NAIDOC events. We will be holding our grand opening on Wednesday, 4 August, from 10.30am to 3.30pm.)

To celebrate Djinda Boodja‘s grand opening, Djinda Boodja and collaborator, not-for-profit Perth creative collective Curate, will be running an art workshop together on the day.

The free-to-attend NAIDOC art workshop is open to everyone, offering participants the chance to paint a drum skin (recycled from the organisation’s drum kits), guided by Carrie Millson and Estella Penny, two of Djinda Boodja’s resident artists.

“The theme for NAIDOC week 2021 is Heal Country, and I think this is perfect because the new Djinda Boodja Art Centre will be healing for a lot of people. I love it!’ : Vicki Warn, General Manager for Djinda Boodja

Also a part of the new arts centre will be Curate’s new musical micro-factory, producing art installations and selling products made from recycled instruments and instrument parts, gear, and associated music industry waste.

Having won a weekly award at Fringe World in February this year for their Recycle Instrument Project, Curate’s Founder and chair, Patricia Alessi, says the collective will still run workshops in the communities it visits, with two new workshops coming in 2022.

Alessi said: “The Recycle Instrument Project provides a service to communities: by recycling old broken instruments into painted artworks, bug hotels, garden planters, wind chimes and more. Through fun and creativity, the project also addresses the very real ‘waste culture’ in the music industry, with a focus on recycling as well as increasing home arts.”

Djinda Boodja Arts Centre Family Fun Day activities from 10:30am AWST

• Jackson House: The FREE ‘Create Art’ workshop with trainer Vicki Warn and Leadership 2 Art students
• Percussion Room: ‘Try an instrument’ workshop with trainer Kim Batty and the organisation’s Leadership Music 2 students
• Classroom 3: Noongar Language workshop with trainer Tom Little.
• Break- 12:30-1:30PM AWST
• Welcome by Tom Little followed by performances by Djinda Boodja students & staff

“Creating art together is an important step in the journey of healing country, and we’re beyond excited to help the Perth community learn about country from the artists of Djinda Boodja and work with them regularly.” Vicki Warn

Where: Djinda Boodja (on the site of Clontarf Aboriginal College) 295 Manning Rd, Waterford WA 6152

The Djinda Boodja Arts Centre/Curate Arts Micro Factory is in the heritage building, Jackson House, with the rest in the main buildings. There will be signs or head to the Djinda Boodja Front Office for directions.

When: 4 August 2021, 10.30 – 15.30 AWST

Starting from September’s school holidays, Djinda Boodja will be offering regular workshops and exhibitions, with a complete program available from August.