Third Place Studio is a rural Community Arts and Cultural Development (CACD) space situated on Wiradjuri land in Harden-Murrumburrah. The studio uses low-risk, research-inspired strategies to support health and wellbeing, stimulate creative innovation and contribute to the Hilltops cultural economy. 

The 2023 launch of Third Place Studio is a long-held dream come true. Its development is based on my prior research titled ‘Art Spaces as Great Good Places’, which considered the potential for using the arts to create community gathering places, in the manner described by the sociologist Ray Oldenburg. Creating places where unrelated people relate, where the community can informally gather and where new connections can be made.

The studio will operate on three distinct, but not mutually exclusive, fronts; Community and Cultural Development projects, NDIS verified Supported Art Studio and Creative Development workshops using Cultural Mediation and Supported Studio models and a Human Rights Framework

a. Community and Cultural Development via a diverse range of projects across a seasonal calendar. These are co-created with and for the community, in response to established community needs. A new project will be initiated every season and so far proposals include; a locally developed feature film, protecting a vintage arcade game collection, a photographic celebration of diverse local artists, artisans and craftspeople, a series of small business development sessions, a public art installation, local gigs and comedy night.

b. Supported Art Studio is an NDIS Innovative Community Participation program that provides creative choice and control opportunities for community artists, serving their physical, intellectual, cognitive, neurological, visual, hearing or psychosocial goals. The sessions encourage self-expression, story-sharing, community participation, as well as the development of personal, cultural, artistic and professional skills.

c. Creative Development workshops aligned with the NSW government creative kids programs, allowing families to use their creative kids vouchers on local opportunities that are on par with activities usually found in large cultural spaces. Differing programs, informed by Erikson’s psycho-social stages of development,  have been created for early childhood, primary school age and high school students.

Project Summary

Summer 2023: Development of Third Place Studio

Autumn 2023: Daydreamers Feature Film Executive Producer with Cubic Films. First-stage development funding via Screen Australia

Winter 2023: The Arcadia Project Researching the convergence of gaming and multicultural history in the provision of vital third places across the region. Hosting a visit by curators from the Powerhouse Museum MAAS

Spring 2023: Harden Kite Festival rebrand with design and delivery of print and social media campaign

Summer 2024: Development of Third Place Studio Supported Art Studio. Providing support, engagement and professional development for a small number of NDIS clients in the Hilltops region.

Autumn 2024: Meet our Makers Public Photography project celebrating the many creative groups that make up the cultural heart of the Harden Murrumburrah Community. Supported by a CASP grant via Southern Tablelands Arts.