Artist and event coordinator Tammy-Lee Atkinson said this year’s theme – “Healing the Country” – was personal for her team.

Kaiela Arts focuses on bringing the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth in the community with their heritage and past.

“It’s about our youth this year,” she said.

On July 4th, Kaiela Arts kicked off NAIDOC Week with the opening night of a collaborative exhibit at the GRAIN Store in Nathalia.

After the launch, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged eight to 18 attended night classes in Nathalia and Shepparton, learned painting, weaving, ceramics and storytelling from elders and artists local.

“They will participate in it, and then we will select two works of art, one piece will go in the Nathalia GRAIN Store exhibition and one piece will be on display during our exhibition at Kaiela Arts,” Ms. Atkinson said ahead of the event. .

Tuesday July 6 – Kaiela Arts will host a special dance performance and Welcome to Country around the fire, with tours of painting, ceramics, dance, weaving, sculpture of artifacts, meditation and ecology until 3pm.

On Thursday July 8, Kaiela Arts will launch its own Healing Country exhibit, starting at 6 p.m., with song, lecture and dance.

A highlight will be a contemporary dance troupe participating in performances and teaching.

While similar artists will be featured, the pieces in each exhibition will be unique.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. before the opening of the exhibition, Principal Curator Kimberley Moulton will host a lecture on the history of the country, accompanied by painting, ceramics, weaving, sculpture of artefacts, meditation and tours. .

The GRAIN Store exhibition will be on view for two weeks and the Kaiela Arts exhibition will be at the gallery for three to five weeks.

On Saturday July 10, the community will come together for a family open house at Kaiela Arts from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Everyone is welcome, we have all types of art – painting, weaving, storytelling, dancing,” Ms. Atkinson said.

During the two weeks leading up to NAIDOC week during school holidays, Kaiela Arts has been booked for children’s activities.

The cornerstone was a week of turtle gatherings, ending at Lake Victoria Park in Shepparton on July 2.

“Our main focus is on the youth, as we have funding for vacation programs for the community and we hope to extend it to home care,” Ms. Atkinson said.

“We try to involve young people, and everything is free.

“It just rolled, it’s a lot of work but it’s exciting.”