Artists and Creatives Workshop

In this free workshop, we will be seeking your ideas and input into the development of a new Public Art Strategy.  On Friday April 4 at 6pm at Wurriki Nyal, 137-149 Mercer St, Geelong. 

As part of the workshop we have invited 3 outstanding public artists to present their work in person, so come along and be inspired, share your ideas and explore ways that you want to be involved. 

This workshop is specifically seeking Artists and Creatives interested in public art, whether you have worked in this area or not, we invite you to be part of the conversation as we develop a new Public Art Strategy for the City.

Artists who will join us for the night are:

Callum Morton has exhibited nationally and internationally since 1990 and represented Australia at the 52nd Venice Biennale in 2007. Morton’s practice explores the personal and social impact of architecture and our built environment, drawing on notions of history, absence, drama and humour. Recent public works include The Underneath 2024 for Sydney Metro and Bull 2023 at the Australian embassy in Washington. He is the Director and founding member of the research lab Monash Art projects (MAP) who research and realise artist led public art projects across Australia. 
 
Natasha Johns-Messenger is an Australian / American installation artist and filmmaker. With a primary interest in perception and site, Johns-Messenger creates installations that employ body-scaled architectural interventions, optical works and site-determined film/photography. Recent public works include Compass 2023 for the McClelland Commission and In 2007 Johns-Messenger won the Rabbobank Den Haag Sculpture Prize and in 2005 Natasha won the inaugural Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture with Open Spatial Workshop. 
 
James Tapscott’s body of work explores the link between matter and energy, a fusion of subjective and objective reality, and the effect our perception has on the world around us. His works are essentially non-objective, functioning more like a conduit between the observer and the environment. By using simple, elegant forms and light he attempts to create a balance between displaying evidence of ritualistic artistic process, and purely natural phenomena. Recent public works include Arc ZERO: Eclipse 2023 in Lake Tyrell and Diaphanous Bloom 2018 in Shenzhen.    

This is a rare opportunity to hear from these outstanding public artists. 

Date: Friday 4 April  

Location: Podium level, Multipurpose Room 1, Wurriki Nyal, 137-149 Mercer St, Geelong. 

Time: 6pm – 9pm. This session will go for 3 hours, and allows for 30 minutes of questions. 

The session will be facilitated by our consultants, with support from the City Public Art Team. 

Accessibility: Wurriki Nyal is an inclusive and accessible space. The room is fitted with hearing loops and has elevator and stair access. Please let us know if you require support accessing the event. 

Parking: Various parking options in Central Geelong are available – there is an extensive list on our website. Disabled parking is in Bailey Street, Civic Carpark on Gheringhap Street, or Westfield on Brougham Street. 

Public Transport: The Geelong Railway Station (for train and buses) is the closest station to Wurriki Nyal (290m away and 4-minute walk on Google Maps). You can find more information about your public transport options here. 

If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected]

We Acknowledge the Wadawurrung People as the Traditional Owners of the Land, Waterways and Skies. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present. We Acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are part of our Greater Geelong community today.