'an old person dying is
               a library burning.'

Amadou Hampate Ba, a Fulani man from Mali in West Africa, 1960 addressing the UN

GENERATIONS WANGARATTA created 12 projects over 3 years, each one based on stories of the PAST and PRESENT and hopes for the FUTURE from old and young and in between.

These STORIES of lives in Wangaratta are not just about other times but about other ways of living, different ways of being in the world and making meaningful lives. They are about the creative act of CONVERSATION.

Using old and new EVENTS and TECHNOLOGIES, we took these stories out into peoples lives, into shops and banks, libraries, streets and farmers markets. We wanted to leave LEGACIES in peoples' minds and in their hands, tools that can be used into the future to make and share more stories of the lands and rivers, the lives and livelihoods of beautiful North East Victoria.

'They also needed history. They needed - and we need it too - the distilled wisdom of past, inherited, learned experience. And not just of the recent human past, but of the ancient human past, and also of the deep biological past of the communities of trees. For in those patterns lie the intractable patterns of our future.'

Tom Griffiths Environmental Historian writing on Black Saturday Fires 2009

Generations Wangaratta Artistic Director

Robin Laurie

 

Project Manager & Creative Producer

Maz McGann

(RCoW Cultural Services Officer)

Background Information >

We're All Ears




Audio portraits of sound in people's lives brought to you through The Big Ear.

Heritage Idol




The Search for Wangaratta's most popular old thing. Old is Good!

By Myself




Portraits of older people who value the independence of living at home

An Imagined Future





6 postcards of Wangaratta in 2010, 2020, and 2030

Ukulele Show Band





A show band made up of players from 20 to 80

Conversation Couch




Anything can happen on the couch. Delightfully useful art.

Living Library Books




Conversation and stories to promote dialogue, reduce prejudice and encourage understanding.

Digital Story Telling Project




6 short films about past and present life in Wangaratta.

Mobility Scooters Challenge



Promoting mobility scooters as essential vehicles for independence and community connection.

If Not You Then Who?




3 talks on the Sustainabilty of Daily Life, Land and Livelihood, Rivers and Water.

Viva Le Generazioni




Portraits of several generations of families with Italian Heritage.

Wangaratta Digital
Quilt



The Quilt features short documentaries that explore generational change from the perspective of local residents.

 

Links

Martin Mulligan and Pia Smith are doing a 3 year research project on all 5 Generations projects. It will be completed end of 2009.
RMIT Globalism Institute

Cultural Development Network
www.culturaldevelopment.net.au

Wangaratta Rural City Council
www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au

Wangaratta Digital Quilt Project
www.wangarattadigitalquilt.com.au

 
  • Wangaratta Rural City logo; link to site
  • Reqional Arts Fund logo; link to site
  • logo; link to site
  • logo; link to site
  • Victoria State logo; link to site
  • Australian Council of art logo; link to site

The Generations Wangaratta Project is supported by the Victorian Government through the provision of a Victorian Community
Support Grant from the Community Support Fund.