Project
The project is titled ‘Rural Liminal’ – which refers to a state of in-between, where life stands on a threshold of change. It captures moments of transition, uncertainty, potential, and quiet renewal.

Developed as a Third Place Studio project and rural arts-led regeneration initiative for RALLY with Regional Arts NSW, it presented landscape photographs documenting Harden-Murrumburrah’s recovery following the February 10, 2025 storm. Installed in a shopfront directly impacted by the disaster, the pop-up exhibition celebrated local storytelling and community resilience while contributing (in a small way) to the town’s ongoing recovery.

Many thanks to the photographers: Tammy McGraw (featured), Martin Lang, Liz Davenport, and Jess Chown.

Process
In the months following the storm, residents shared photographs of damage and recovery through social media. Recognising the significance of these images as records of a shared experience, I worked with the contributing photographers to recontextualise them as a public exhibition. Together, we transformed four damaged shopfronts into temporary exhibition spaces, bringing work that had existed online back into the physical heart of the community and reflecting the town’s emotional journey in the aftermath of the February 10th natural disaster – from dark and sombre to increasingly bright and hopeful.

Outcomes
The project received an overwhelming positive response, both in person and online. Throughout the installation process, conversations about the storm, recovery, and the future of the town became part of the work itself. It also contributed to the revitalisation of four disused buildings, reconnected the property owner with his vacant shopfronts, and prompted ongoing site improvements. The exhibition transformed a site associated with damage into one associated with creativity, reflection, and community pride.

Ongoing
Rural Liminal is hopefully the first in a series of Third Place Studio revitalisation projects that use creative practice to activate underused spaces and support locally driven renewal. The project continues to inform my exploration of how small-scale cultural interventions can contribute to rural regeneration.