The region's rich Indigenous culture is on show this week thanks to a labour of love from Errolyn Strang.
The Illawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre employee has spent the past two years working on the Aboriginal Art Trail, with the exhibition finally open to the public.
Ms Strang told the Illawarra Mercury she wanted to create something that could engage everyone in the region with indigenous culture as well as shining a light on local artists.
"It's another way to share culture and to provide the community the opportunity to have a look at different types of Aboriginal art," Ms Strang said.
Running until Sunday, the trail takes in seven location, and shows that Aboriginal culture is "a living and vibrant culture and has been sustained for thousands of years along the beautiful Illawarra coast".
The artists work in a range of mediums including acrylic on canvas, ceramics, textiles, Bangalow leaves, etching, drawings and photography.
"I hope [people who visit the trail become] more accepting of Aboriginal culture, and I hope it ignites a curiosity to explore more," Ms Strang said. "I hope it starts conversations."
She said the art trail includes up-and-coming artists who are exhibiting their works for the first time, alongside established and revered artists like Uncle Vic Chapman and Aunty Lorraine Brown.
The venues on the trail include Wollongong Art Gallery, BlueScope Inside Industry (in Coniston), Coomaditchie (in Port Kembla), the Yallah Woolshed, Gerringong Library, and the Illawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre (in Wollongong).
The Illawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre provides a number of cultural events with the aim of creating opportunities for members of the community to experience Aboriginal culture.
Ms Strang said the centre provides opportunities for all community members to share contemporary Aboriginal culture such as multicultural cooking workshops, craft sessions, weaving groups and other activities that welcome non-Indigenous community members too.
For more information, visit: www.iac.org.au
Desiree Savage
I write about arts and entertainment, plus other bits and pieces in between at the Illawarra Mercury.
I write about arts and entertainment, plus other bits and pieces in between at the Illawarra Mercury.
