Making Time 2023 was a day of connection, creativity and conversation to replenish and inspire over 100 artists and arts workers. Nina Levy reports.

I think Making Time is really important for all people in the arts community because so often it's a kind of a go, go, go type of industry. You're moving from one short term project to another and there's often not much time for rest and recovery and reflection in between.

But a conference like this gives us time to kind of reconsider some of the bigger questions about the future of arts, and where art in Western Australia and beyond is heading, and the role of community arts and participation.

I think that's really, really exciting. And, you know, I think more people need to come to a session like this and experience it for themselves.

Carina McPherson, curator, St John of God Hospital

As the name suggests, Making Time offers something rare but vital to Community and Cultural Development (CACD) artists and arts workers: the opportunity to take time to connect with contemporaries, engage in conversations about the arts, and experience the joy of creativity for its own sake.

Festooned in CAN’s festive bunting, the heritage buildings of Midland Junction Arts Centre provided the perfect mix of indoor and outdoor settings. MC Michelle White, CAN’s Executive Producer, set the tone for the day with humour and vulnerability. Michelle introduced Noongar Elder Elizabeth Hayden, whose moving Welcome to Country acknowledged the pain and disappointment of the referendum result with grit, resolve and kindness.

Ushered into the auditorium, we were presented with a small weaving kit from Noongar artist Sharyn Egan, followed by instructions on how to make a decorative woven ring that would become part of an installation created by Sharyn. As the first panel discussion began, accompanied by the whisper of string on raffia emanating from more than 100 pairs of hands, you could feel people’s cortisol levels drop and an industrious calm descend on the room.

Moderated by CAN's Community Development Manager and artist Shenali Perera, the panel discussion that followed was a lively affair. Entitled "Changing the Trajectory", the conversation saw James Boyd, June Moorhouse, Josh ‘Flewnt’ Eggington and Natalie Scholtz explore the place of CACD within the Revive: National Cultural Policy. Always passionate, and at times hilarious, the conversation emphasised the important role that CACD plays in the development of artforms.

A second panel, "Arts into the Future", explored the ways in which CACD can transform the future. Moderated by Wendy Martin, the conversation began with a rich and poetic reflection from performer and advocate Jack Collard. CAN's CEO Danielle Antaki spoke next, with a vision for CACD in the face of AI, and artist Neda Loh followed, drawing the audience – figuratively and literally – into her practice as an artist, mother and graphic recorder.

This panel was beautifully and sensitively accompanied by musician Pavan Kumar Hari. Playing traditional Indian instruments, Pavan responded to the tone and tenor of each speaker with gentle rhythms and strums.

After a delicious lunch, catered by Nimrod Kazoom and his team, it was time to disperse into smaller groups for an afternoon of creativity. MJAC’s garden came alive with colour and chatter peppered with occasional bursts of laughter, as artist Mandy White invited attendees to create a bush creature out of clay, with facilitation from CAN Creative Producer Natalie Scholz. At a second, more meditative, creative station Sharyn Egan led attendees through the process of weaving an animal totem out of natural grasses and colourful textiles, with facilitator Sandy McKendrick.

In MJAC's Verandah Studio attendees used collage making and conversation to create new narratives and contemporary iterations of m/otherhood and care-giving, with artists Michelle Hall and Rachel Riggs. Over in the Print Studio artist Annick Akanni, her mother Dottie and attendees explored Tanzanian textile making, creating hand-drawn designs inspired by their individual cultural heritages and backgrounds.

The breakout sessions were just delightful … it's so nice to go from the intellectual discussion and then to actually be engaged and meet people from all walks of life, doing all kinds of things, all with that creative focus.

Heidi Sanders, Making Time attendee

Other workshops took place in the cool halls of MJAC. In one classroom participants transformed the clinical language of medical reports into poetry, with the Hospital Poets (Shey Marque and Mardi May). Next door, artists Elham Eshraghian-Haakansson and Rebecca Riggs-Bennett invited attendees to share their stories of connection to home, which became the basis of creative expressions that were then drawn into a group collage.

With our creative cups filled, we then returned to the auditorium for a presentation by DADAA artists Lisa Holt and Dennis Collins who gave us an intriguing and often comedic insight into the world of augmented reality.

As the warm day turned to balmy dusk, we repaired to the courtyard, where we enjoyed listening to jazz/pop crooner Josh, whilst savouring a selection of wines kindly provided by Jadran Wines and still more tasty food from Nimrod Kazoom.

We left the event with our hearts and minds replenished. As the City of Cockburn’s Head of Arts and Culture Brittany Cover observed, “Making Time is a bit of a reminder, to actually make time to stop and think, ‘Why do we work in community arts? Why do we give ourselves to this sector?’

“Taking a minute, a day, to stop and reflect on that is a reset for me.”

We thank our partners and funders: Midland Junction Art Centre and the City of Swan for making this event possible.

Special offer! Jadran Wines are generously offering a 15% discount to anyone who mentions Making Time.