The QUT fashion studios have hosted a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students from North Queensland in a collaboration between QUT and the Queensland Department of Education.
It was part of a whirlwind week in Brisbane during September which included visits to the Oodgeroo Unit at QUT, where the students discovered the support available to help them attend university, as well as the Aboriginal Centre for Performing Arts, the Mt Gravatt TAFE Fashion Precinct, and HOTA on the Gold Coast.
Melanie Finger, Senior Lecturer in Transdisciplinary Design and Academic Lead, Engagement for the QUT School of Design, said the Fashion/Textile Immersion Experience (FTIE) was a pilot program being developed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from North Queensland state schools and supported by the QUT Carumba Insitute.
The senior students – Bethany Dreyer from Ingham State High School, Latori Stone from Thuringowa State High School, and Alierah Rosser, Caidance Cooper and Marcus Nagasg from Northern Beaches State High School - were selected from those already participating in the Queensland state education award-winning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Project: People, Culture & Country.
"During their week in Brisbane, the students toured the QUT Creative Industries Faculty fashion studios, were introduced to current QUT Fashion students and visited the QUT library to look through the fashion books held in the collection, particularly those with an emphasis on Indigenous writers and artists," Ms Finger said.
"Fashion Design teacher Icaro Ibanez-Arricivita gave the students an introduction to fashion draping, and they were able to explore design and shape, work on a ½ scale mannequin and do a quick illustration of their designs.
"They were also treated to a textile talk with Dr Zoe Mellick who showed textile samples and provided insights into weave and finishes. This was followed by a tour of the QUT Design Lab.
"We had a fantastic time together at QUT and the students had a very full week of immersing themselves in various fashion, textiles, art, photography, and performance events in Brisbane, and on the Gold Coast."
Other highlights included the Swell Sculpture Festival at Currumbin, a tour through Brisbane's Brilliant Prints photography factory where the students had their photos printed onto metal, and a and an inspiring artist talk by Delvene Cockatoo-Collins at her Wearing Country exhibition at Redland Art Gallery. The students also attended the Baleen Moondja dance performance at Queen's Wharf as part of the Brisbane Festival.
The People, Culture & Country project is now in its eighth year and aims to improve engagement and retention rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, through art making and connection to their language groups. Over 1500 students from 29 regional, rural, and remote North Queensland schools have participated in the project to date.
Ms Finger said the FTIE program would extend upon the PPC project by introducing participants to career pathways in the fashion and textile industry and help to build connections with the Brisbane fashion community, educational institutions, and galleries.
"Ideally, knowledge gained from this experience will encourage participants to select and study subjects related to the industry and to pursue Fashion/Textile Design as a career," Ms Finger said.
"Importantly, the project also responds to QUT Blueprint priority and engagement with Indigenous Peoples."
Main image: (left to right) PCC project manager Christina Papadimitriou, Caidance Cooper, Bethany Dreyer, Thuringowa SHS art teacher Trudi Schulz, Marcus Nagas (front), Alierah Rosser, Latori Stone, Northern Beaches SHS Community Education Counsellor Elijah Heron-Jia, and Ingham SHS art teacher Serina Pennay.
