Project
For three years, the Ollie & Viv Artist Retreat provided a self-funded, community-embedded space in Harden-Murrumburrah, welcoming over 200 artists, writers, filmmakers, and cultural practitioners. Named in honour of my grandmothers, Ollie and Viv – resourceful matriarchs whose creative legacy continues across the region – the residency offered a flexible environment for creative experimentation, reflection, rest, and/or collaboration.

Visiting creatives and projects included:
Marisa Purcell – Exhibition at Olsen Gallery
Darren Hanlon – The Wayward Bus Tour
Jim Lounsbury – The Meaning of Van Life
Dr Naomi Parry – Hilltops Migration Heritage Study
Natalie van den Dungen – Sherbert Rosencrantz, You’re Beautiful
Renee Baker – Make Good Things Happen

Process
Intentionally designed to support a wide range of activities, the residency facilitated writing retreats, exhibition preparation, film development, festival planning, and personal creative renewal. By offering a relaxed and nurturing environment, it encouraged experimentation, fostered new relationships, and strengthened the cultural vitality of the region. Access to the space was provided in return for a small creative offering that would remain in the studio as a trace of the creatives’ presence. Guests were found through my long-developed network of colleagues, colloborators, friends, and their networks.

Community engagement was embedded throughout: the space encouraged interaction with local residents and artists, nurturing dialogue, co-creation, and knowledge exchange. I often facilitated connections to local storytellers, historians, and creatives. Visiting creatives were invited to share skills, insights, and stories and engage with local people, cultural networks, and regional projects, ensuring that even private or experimental work had broader social and cultural resonance.

Outcomes
The residency facilitated creative exchange, professional development, and regional connection. Guests benefitted from a supportive environment for developing projects, while the community gained exposure to diverse artistic practices, skill-sharing, and new cultural perspectives. The residency’s open and flexible approach allowed both formal and informal collaborations to flourish, contributing to the town’s cultural infrastructure and reinforcing its creative identity.

The program also extended beyond making Harden-Murrumburrah accessible to creatives. When not used by artists, the space was made available at below-market rates on airbnb, encouraging visitors to the region, many of whom reported that they otherwise would not have visited.

Ongoing
Following repairs from the February natural disaster, the residency will reopen in June 2026, expanding its CACD and placemaking impact. The revitalised space will continue to provide participatory artistic engagement, supporting visiting creatives through mentorship, location support, and connection with local networks.

Building on partnerships developed through Regional Arts NSW’s Work of Art program and the RALLY arts-led revitalisation initiative, the residency will embed collaborative creative practice into ongoing local projects. By maintaining accessible accommodation and fostering long-term engagement, Ollie & Viv (which will likely be renamed ‘Third Place Studio’ will continue to strengthen the region’s cultural economy, sustain creative activity, and develop enduring community and professional networks.