Spirits in Bare Feet Best practice community consultation and collaboration Dr Rebecca Scollen

USQ Artsworx ( Not-for-profit production house at University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba Collaborate with students and their lecturers in the School of Creative Arts at USQ to produce a range of arts and cultural events and activities throughout the year. Toowoomba, SW Qld and Fraser Coast

USQ Children’s Festival childrensfestival Yearly children’s festival Produced for 4 – 12 year olds Live theatre production at the USQ Arts Theatre Visual art exhibition in the USQ Gallery Creative arts workshops delivered directly into primary schools

2009 Children’s Festival Spirits in Bare Feet by David Burton – original play and world premiere performance Place Markers Indigenous art exhibition (variety of artists) Creative art workshops, centred on the themes of Spirits in Bare Feet, led by Indigenous artist Kim Walmsley.

Development of Spirits in Bare Feet 150 years of Queensland School teachers seeking more Indigenous cultural content Centre for Australian Indigenous Knowledges (CAIK)

Gummingurru Uncle Brian Tobane and Donna Moodie 5000 year old Aboriginal stone arrangement site Located just west of Toowoomba (near Gowrie Junction) Male initiation ceremonies/Multiple tribes Travel to Bunya Mountains for Bunya Nut Festival

1800s land purchased by European settlers 1910 all Aboriginal people forcibly removed from the region 1950s Jean Gilbert shows her father the ‘fairy rings’ and so starts the process to identify the site and its significance and hand the land back 2008 Gummingurru officially handed over to the care of the Gummingurru Aboriginal Corporation.

Company David Burton – guest playwright Mary-Ann Vale – guest director Michael Brown – guest composer and musician Chris Willems – set designer Carolyn Taylor-Smith – costume designer Cast and crew – USQ theatre students

Consultation and Collaboration Regular phone calls and meetings with the custodians throughout the process: Drafts of the play In the rehearsal room Input into design and promotion

Outcomes for Gummingurru Significant media coverage for Gummingurru – ABC Landline, ABC Stateline, Channel 9 News Brisbane, newspaper coverage and websites Raised awareness of Gummingurru and local history The very first time the story of Gummingurru has been told via live performance Generated pride and satisfaction that story has been told to so many Encouraged greater number of visits to the site

Outcomes for USQ USQ students learn directly about community consultation and collaboration, and Indigenous cultural protocols USQ demonstrates it capacity to engage with communities and utilise its resources to benefit communities in regional Qld Delivery of a theatre production that is very well received by the public Helped raise money and awareness about Gummingurru

Thanks to supporters Breez Finance – sponsor of USQ Children’s Festival ( ) Q150 community fund RADF CAIK USQ Faculty of Arts Channel 9 News and ABC Landline Our audiences

Dr Rebecca Scollen ph