As part of the opening phase of the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, I developed and implemented an ongoing Public Programs Strategy designed to engage and celebrate the local community. The aim was to establish the Cultural Centre not simply as a building, but as a shared space for creative exchange, civic participation, community belonging, and cultural dialogue.

The largest event, the Public Opening, welcomed over 6,000 people and featured 27 performances and activities that represented the diversity, vitality, and creative excellence of the Blue Mountains region. The program was designed to connect artists and audiences through live performance, conversation, and hands-on creative participation – embodying the principles of arts-led placemaking.

The opening event was headlined by ‘Ritual’, a contemporary Gundungurra dance performance by internationally celebrated local artist Ian RT Colless and Katie Moorhead, members of Colless’s New York-based Untitled Collective. This work foregrounded the strength and continuity of First Nations creative practice and affirmed the Cultural Centre’s commitment to local First Nations leadership in its cultural programming.

Additional launch events included:
Lloyd Swanton (The Necks) – Curated performance in the City Art Gallery
Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro – Artist Talk
Lisa Mitchell – Live performance on Opening Day
Jenny Lee, Tohby Riddle and Steve Pozel – Artist Talk
Diego Bonetto – Field Guide to Foraging around the Cultural Centre site
David Stratton – Curated Movie Night with a Blue Mountains theme
Kylie Banyard – Geodesic Dome Workshop
Peter Misbrener – Ceramic Jewellery Design Workshop

In addition to curating and delivering the program, I recruited, trained, and managed more than 50 volunteers during the opening period. This volunteer program was not only logistical support – it was a capacity-building initiative, offering community members professional experience in cultural events management, public engagement, and creative hospitality. This was generously supported by a volunteer training event at the Australian National Gallery, Canberra.

Collaborative Process and Community Engagement
The Public Program was shaped through a collaborative, participatory process, working closely with local artists, cultural practitioners, and community stakeholders. The design and delivery drew heavily on co-design, shared authorship, and the creation of welcoming third spaces for social connection and cultural participation for all ages.

The Program prioritised local voices and local talent, ensuring that both emerging and established artists were represented and that the community saw itself reflected in the program. The program also emphasised cultural inclusivity and accessibility, fostering a sense of shared ownership over the new cultural facility. This approach recognised that the wellbeing of a regional creative ecosystem depends not only on infrastructure but also on the relationships that sustain it. By supporting dialogue between artists, audiences, and institutions, the project built a foundation of belonging and creative confidence that has continued to shape the Cultural Centre’s identity.

I commissioned a video record of the launch, created by Natalie van den Dungen with music by Lisa Mitchell, that captures the spirit of the event and the community it celebrated. View the film here.

The Blue Mountains Cultural Centre remains one of the most significant cultural developments in the region’s history. Housing the Blue Mountains City Art Gallery and the World Heritage Exhibition, it serves as a lasting platform for education, engagement, and cultural exchange.