Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV) presents Shelter, a new commissioned program featuring 45 Victorian culturally diverse artists and artists of colour who will reflect on and respond to the challenges we face both during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
MAV CEO Veronica Pardo says that in delivering Shelter, MAV is hoping to understand and engage with the ways in which culturally diverse creatives are experiencing this moment.
“Shelter will highlight the paradoxes of strength/vulnerability, struggle/resilience and isolation/community which are often framed as opposing forces. Through Shelter and the perspectives of diverse artists, we will be challenged to broaden our understanding of the human condition. This is the essence of cultural leadership and we hope Shelter will be the first of many such opportunities.”
Shelter has created a paid opportunity to 45 artists across the artforms of writing, visual arts and music, to create new works that will be shared online. As well as supporting diverse artists, Shelter will create a space for dialogue and new knowledge with story, song, sound, imagery and ideas that may guide us we reframe relationships to home and each other, and as we seek new meaning and ways of being beyond pandemic.
Participating artist Jonathan Homsey says that Shelter will provide an opportunity for artists to come together and establish new virtual diaspora communities.
Shelter artworks will be released throughout July to September on the MAV website and social media.
Click here for a full list of participating artists.
Shelter is supported by Australia Council for the Arts and Creative Victoria and proudly presented by PBS.