Building Solidarities with Young People through
Activist Creative Knowledges

A participatory arts-based project fostering connection, creativity, and social change.

The Project

Against the current context of rapid change and the crisis of ongoing climate events in Australia, the COVID 19 pandemic, war in Europe and a shifting social and political landscape in Australia, it is important to create spaces, stories and knowledges that can support the recovery and wellbeing of young people and their communities.

Young people, like many, are at a point of fatigue and frustration, but also are looking for places to connect, build community and make sense of the complex world around them. Creating spaces for stories to be told and understood and to allow for reimagining the future is extremely important for both mental health and participation in community life.

You can find the Project Issues Paper here.

The Aims

1.     Elevating Young Voices: Centre young people’s lived experiences and wisdom to examine current social challenges and imagine new possibilities.

2.     Creating Knowledge for Change: Generate and translate research into accessible, engaging formats like digital zines, sonic and visual storytelling using platforms like Instagram.

3.     Foster Community Healing and Resilience: Build solidarity through participatory arts research approaches, using creative storytelling to unpack struggles and provide young people’s perspectives.

Key Activities and Creations

Resonant Voices Arts Collective

A youth-led initiative using arts-based research to translate findings into powerful transmedia stories.

Youth Activist Speaker & Workshop Series

Engaging workshops and events that bring young leaders together to share insights and inspire action. This included a Projection Night community exhibition at Le Space to share the stories and artwork of the Resonant Voices Arts Collective.

The Social Change Mixtape

A compelling series of sound stories that social justice, activism, and community building.

Resonant Voices Instagram Page

The Resonant Voices Instagram showcases the ideas, themes and artwork of young artists that form part of the collective for this project. This platform aims to speak to young people about different processes and themes that have arisen in the work - community building, artistic process, hope, healing, systemic inequality, and trauma.

Zine

The Resonant Voices Zine brings together the stories of each young artist, their work and delves into the aims of the arts-based participatory research project. It showcases the exhibition (projection) that was held for community on.

Who’s Involved

Victoria University

Youth-Led Organisations/Collectives

Local artists and activists

Key Findings and Recommendations

This research highlights the important role of young people’s genuine participation in public health and emergency responses to improve preparedness, recovery and resilience. Creative and participatory approaches, include arts-based programs are essential for creating connection and community, processing trauma and generating visions for the future.

The recommendations include:

Empower Young People through Participation

-          Support participatory programs that build skills in creative arts, ethical engagement and critical thinking.

-          Connect young people with local mentors and community organisations.

Invest in Creative Arts for Mental Health

-          Develop non-clinical, community-based arts programs that prioritise trust-building. social connection and long-term relationships.

Support Youth-Led Social Change

-          Co-create spaces and supports with/for young people in which they can define issues, mediums, and strategies for engagement.

-          Ensure flexibility in program design and delivery to meet diverse needs.

A detailed report about this research is provided in the Project Issues Paper.