Art for one and all: Footscray Community Arts Centre

At Bubba West, we think one of the best things about Melbourne’s west is the spirit of community. There are several local organisations busily bringing diverse groups of people together in the pursuit of education, engagement, and enjoyment. Footscray Community Arts Centre is one of them, and has an exciting array of programs and activities on offer for everyone – from babies to the elderly. If you haven’t been yet, now is the time to check it out!

In our last interview, we brought you Footscray’s fantastic (and fantastical!) 100 Story Building, the social enterprise improving kids’ literacy and engagement. Now, we bring you Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC): a hive of local creativity where everyone’s welcome.

The pram-, child- and breastfeeding-friendly Centre collaborates with artists, the local community, not-for-profit organisations and others to run a huge range of arts activities, exhibitions and programs spanning circus, music, dance, design, and fine arts, to name a few.

The main gallery space, Rosyln Smorgon Gallery, within the main entry is spacious, with local community-based exhibitions frequently changing. Arriving at the Centre with prams was a joy; the wheels positively gliding over the polished concrete floors.

On our visit, several excited four year olds (and their mums) spent some time perusing the art on display, excitedly pointing out and discussing the works they liked best.

There were no solemn back-clad security guards, or snooty bespectacled gallery directors to shush the group or shoo them along – on the contrary, FCAC is all about engaging with all members of the community, and this includes kids. In addition to the curated arts exhibitions, the Centre’s cultural enterprise model is informed by engagement, collaboration and conversation with communities.

With local, national and international program outcomes, the Centre works closely with people with disability, Indigenous communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, marginalised and disadvantaged communities, and the communities of Melbourne’s west.

The Centre offers exhibitions, performances, theatre, film screenings and concerts throughout the year, as well a contemporary arts festivals and events. FCAC also runs workshops, masterclasses and training programs. Their Learning and Development program contributes to FCAC’s goal of subsidised community programs for disadvantaged and marginalised groups, using funding generated from ‘fee for service’ workshops. The workshops contribute to the core programs, such as Emerging Cultural Leaders, the Indigenous Cultural Program, and ArtLife, a multifaceted day arts program for people with intellectual disabilities.

Image courtesy of Footscray Community Arts Centre

Among the workshops on offer, there are some great options for children, including Kids’ Circus Club and Toddler Music (both featured on Bubba West this month), Kids’ Animation, Acting Up, Dance Story Time, School Holiday Programs, and the brand new and very exciting Baby Has a Curly Line music program.

Bubba West spoke with Simon de Lacy-Leacey, FCAC’s Creative Producer Learning and Development, and one of the Centre’s 18 full-time staff.

He says that, in an effort to increase accessibility, some of the children’s progams are run by casual drop-in, requiring no prior booking.

‘As a parent, you might be having a bad day, and it can be hard to commit to a regular class, so our casual classes are very popular,’ says Simon.

The classes are intimate – most of the music classes run with 8–12 children, while the circus class holds 5–6 – meaning the kids get lots of quality interaction with tutors.

‘The Baby Has A Curly Line course is a new one we have introduced,’ says Simon. ‘There’s one class for the 0–9 month age group, and one for 10–18 months, with workshops running each term.’

Through sound and song, music-making, and a range of engaging multi-sensory activities, babies and parents learn new ways to nurture and extend children’s natural musicianship. Babies experience the surreal through the integration of Sydney Nolan imagery, combined with auditory, tactile, motoric and kinaesthetic elements (stay tuned for the in depth Bubba West story!).

‘Another program that we’re quite excited about is Dance Story Time,’ says Simon. ‘We’re working with Ausdance to combine dance movement and literacy. Tutors go through all the childhood favourites, like Alice in Wonderland, or Where the Wild Things Are, and bring these stories to life with movement, getting the kids to act out the parts of the story.’

These drop-in sessions are designed to completely immerse children (aged 3–5) in the story, while improving literacy and getting them active, too! At only $10 per child, these sessions make a great weekly activity to look forward to. For older kids, the GamePlay workshops have been popular, where kids aged 10–15 learn the basics of video game design through developing a platform or puzzle game.

‘While we run all these great programs that the public sees, a lot of what we do here goes under the radar,’ says Simon. ‘We’re all about working with the wider community and we develop a lot of partnerships. For example, we’re currently working with AMES (providing assistance to newly arrived refugees and migrants), with a Refugee Week exhibition in June, and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre; so, there’s lots going on!

Image courtesy of Footscray Community Arts Centre

‘It’s all about access for all – FCAC’s mantra for 40 years – and working with the wider community here in the west. We focus on working with marginalised groups, and our eventual aim is to have some subsidised places in each of the fee-for-service classes.

‘We already have some supported places in our school holiday programs, which are provided to people through the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre courtesy of support from the Bendigo Community Bank in Seddon. Our April school holiday program was so successful we had to turn people away. We hope to have more places available in future for single parents out there. We’d love to take our Toddler Music into an outreach program.’

FCAC also works with schools, providing art and culture workshops. ‘We recently had Baby Guerilla come in and do a paste-up workshop with high school students,’ says Simon. ‘The kids loved it and created artwork on the side of FCAC.’

While there is a lot going on behind the doors of the FCAC, there are also things happening in the local community. Perhaps you’ve been past the corner of Donald and Barkly streets in Footscray lately? There, you’ll see the start of the animated mural project, an initiative by artist Christie Widiarto, supported by FCAC  through the Emerging Cultural Leaders program.

‘Christie’s idea was to combine stop-motion animation with the outcome of a mural to combat the graffiti issue here in the west. Christie’s told us that already some of the taggers have acknowledged what they’re doing and have said they’ll leave the wall alone,’ says Simon.

The wall mural involves painting repeated layers with slight changes to create the sense of movement, all captured in a series of photographs. The design will feature stories about Footscray. In particular, the project aims to give people aged 15–25 in Melbourne’s western suburbs the chance to contribute to the mural, learn animation, gain new skills through free arts workshops and connect with the community’s cultural leaders.

And there’s plenty more in the works at FCAC.

‘We’re looking at collaborating with PBS’s Rockabye Baby model here, as well,’ said Simon. ‘Live music for parents during the day time, so that kids can attend too. It would be kid-friendly music, but nothing like The Wiggles!’

With outdoor performance spaces, a basement gallery, perfect positioning beside the lawns of Happy River Café, and so much happening for the inner west’s littlest residents, Footscray Community Arts Centre will be on our list of favourite destinations for a very long time. See you there!

Footscray Community Arts Centre
45 Moreland Street
Footscray

 

Phone: 9362 8888

Fax: 9362 8866

Email: reception@footscrayarts.com

Seen and heard: Improving access and attitudes to babies and children

Living in inner west Melbourne, we are blessed with quite a few kid-friendly restaurants and cafes.  What I love about this area is that many establishments go out of their way to make things more enjoyable and easier for parents.   I think this is a huge reason why we have such a strong, vibrant and connected community. Businesses and people look out for one another, genuinely care and try to accommodate all walks of life.   It is why I choose to live in this part of Melbourne.  When venturing out of our wonderful district, I am often shocked by how few venues cater for young ones and their parents.

Last night, we headed out for an early dinner and screening of my clever sister-in-law’s short film in Windsor.   We were unable to secure a babysitter and, as the film was only 7 minutes long, I decided to bring my boy along and walk out if he got restless.  The venue had no access for prams, and while the doorman was very helpful assisting us to lift the pram up the entrance, we next encountered 3 flights of stairs we had to navigate once inside.  While this is a slight annoyance with a pram, it got me wondering, what would someone do in a wheelchair?  If it seems undignified to hoist a child up stairs in a pram, then what would it feel like to an adult?  Later, in search of dinner on Chapel Street, amongst the plethora of restaurants, we struggled to find anywhere that would accommodate prams and restless babies.

I found the experience irritating, and a bit depressing, and it surprised me that on a street packed full of restaurants, there was not one that was appropriate.    This is not just an issue of access, it is about fair treatment for parents and children; it is about making sure that parents and kids are part of our community, rather than forgotten and at home.  It is about valuing our little ones as important and equal members of our society, rather than annoyances that need to be seen and not heard.

We live in a society where post-natal depression (PND) is rampant.  One in 7 women are diagnosed with PND every week  and many are believed to suffer without being diagnosed.  I can’t help thinking that one of the reasons that post-natal depression is so prevalent in our society is because we are asking parents to go into seclusion until their kids are grown.  Parents that have had full social lives and successful careers are suddenly left at home alone with new babies and little support.

For myself, getting out of the house and amongst other people is really important.  Being able to have a cup of coffee out with my baby makes a huge difference to my overall mood.  So a cup of coffee out, or dinner, may seem frivolous, but it is one way in which parents can feel connected to the community, interact with others and relax in different surrounds.  Happy parents make happy children and, later, happy adults.

I chose to become a parent and I love being a mum. As a teacher prior to parenthood, I was well aware of the challenges and joys of raising children.  I also knew that my social life would be different. What I hadn’t anticipated was the friends that stopped inviting us out, the waiter that rolled his eyes when I nervously tried to breastfeed my son for the first time in public, the passengers that made snide comments when we walked onto an aeroplane or train, and the countless venues that have been inaccessible for our small pram.

I’m tired of hearing the phrase ‘well, they chose to be parents, so they must have known that their social life would be impacted, why do we, as customers, have to put up with a crying baby?’.  That phrase irritated me even before I had kids.  We choose to be parents, but I’m not sure when we choose to be treated as second-class citizens.   I think general attitudes to children and parents in public need a little shake up.  Children are naturally inquisitive, active and, as a result, sometimes unpredictable and noisy.  That is how they are, and as a community we need to leave behind the archaic Victorian notion that they should be seen and not heard.  I would much prefer a crying baby in a restaurant to a noisy drunk.

The interesting thing is that, of all of the kid-friendly cafes and restaurants I have visited and reviewed, I am yet to witness a child have a melt down.  My belief is that when parents are able to relax, so are the kids.  Having spaces for children that are engaging and appropriate means that dining is a pleasant experience for all involved.  For a business, it also makes monetary sense; stay-at-home parents are potential week-day customers.

I really love it when businesses are creative and manage to accommodate for little ones as well as adults.  Before I had kids, I remember frequenting a pub in Brunswick that had a lawn with colourful cushions outside in the very busy courtyard.  Parents and kids happily spent an afternoon on the grass socialising, and those without kids could still enjoy a drink in peace.  The atmosphere was enhanced with the inclusion of families rather than detracted from.

While it is obviously not practical for every business to be kid-friendly, I would love there to be more conversation in regards to this.  I think it is reasonable for a business to expect that parents make sure that kids are not misbehaving and that they are not deliberately disruptive.  However, I believe that if kids are catered for, there is much less reason for them to act up.

What do you think? How can venues make things easier of parents?   Share your thoughts below, or, better yet, your favourite kid-friendly venue.  Lets get a conversation started.  It is time that parents and children are seen, heard and catered for!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little bit about us

Welcome to Bubba West!

We are Emily and Eden, two mums living in Inner West Melbourne. We met early in our respective pregnancies, both excited and terrified about the arrival of our first babies.

We experienced together the rollicking ride of pregnancy, birth and getting to know our newborns. A few months later, fairly new to motherhood, and somewhat new to this fantastic part of the city, we found ourselves sharing tips on everything from baby-friendly activities, events, and doctors, to cafes, recipes, and local businesses.

And so, Bubba West was born. Inner West Melbourne is brimming with great events, services and programs for kids and parents, and you’ll find them all at Bubba West. We’ll share with you our experiences of parenthood in the west, and invite you along for the ride!

Disclaimer: All activities shown on this site are activities we feel are safe for our own children. As your child’s parents/guardians, you will need to decide what you feel is safe for your family. We always encourage contacting your child’s pediatrician for guidance if you are not sure about the safety/age appropriateness of an activity. All activities on this site are intended to be performed with adult supervision. Appropriate and reasonable caution should be used when activities call for the use of materials that could potentially be harmful, such as scissors, or items that could present a choking risk (small items), or a drowning risk (water activities), and with introducing a new food/ingredient to a child (allergies). Observe caution and safety at all times. Bubba West disclaim liability for any loss, damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from reliance on any information contained within this site, or from engaging in any of the activities therein, including dealings with advertisers. The editorial team disclaims all liability for consequences arising from any errors or omissions on this site. 

Supporting You

When we began our respective parenting journeys, life was a little daunting.  Our small (and great) bundles of joy threw all sorts of challenges at us.  Leaving our homey cocoons to venture out felt like a big expedition.  How were we to breastfeed in public?  Would we fit our prams?  How on earth were we to go to the bathroom with a pram? Would people notice the baby spew on our clothes?  With all these considerations in mind, and being new to the area, it was sometimes easy to give up and stay home.  Some days, it was easy to feel isolated.

As new mums, we bonded over our fears and our happiest moments.  In solidarity, we breastfed in public, sharing tips on how to best adjust our tops for modesty, and the best places to take our babies.  As dishevelled as we felt, we met to share coffee, a laugh and a walk in the park.  Somehow, all those challenges felt easier when we knew that there were others out there travelling the same journey.  Bubba West was inspired by this experience.

We believe that happy, connected and engaged parents are integral to a healthy community.  We believe that supported parents create happy children.  We aim to make life a little easier by providing you with the information and the means to get out there and explore our wonderful area.  We love living in Melbourne’s inner west and cannot wait to share everything we discover about it!

At Bubba West we are about:
Connection – Helping parents connect with the local community.

Community – Showcasing local kid-friendly events, services and businesses.

Engagement – Eclectic, intelligent and thought-provoking articles, recipes and reviews.

We would love your help to make this site a reference point for all parents in Melbourne’s inner west.  This is where you come in; if you know and love a place, cafe or store, or have a burning tip for new parents, let us know! Email us at admin@bubbawest.com, connect with us on Facebook  or comment in the section below.  Stay tuned for Bubba West Community – a forum in which you will be able to connect with other parents in our area.