The VCAM Centre for Cultural Partnerships was launched on Thursday 11 December 2008 by the Hon Julia Gillard MP to a full house audience at Federation Hall.

Engaging the arts for community strengthening, cultural renewal and social inclusion.

The Centre for Cultural Partnerships at VCAM is a dynamic hub, drawing in people from around the world to think, reflect and take action on building stronger, more vital communities through partnership-based approaches to the arts, community development and cultural expression. It will be a leader in community-based arts practice, teaching and research - aligning cross-sectoral partnerships, leadership development and social enterprise models to promote vibrant, healthy, sustainable and creative communities.

Commited to an inter-disciplinary, collaborative and practice-led approach, the Centre will bring together the resources and expertise of community cultural development practitioners, partnership brokers, social entrepreneurs, arts educators, planners and social policy analysts, to provide teaching, research and knowledge exchange in community cultural development. It will focus particularly on the role of the arts in strengthening communities, promoting social inclusion and fostering economic and cultural vitality.

Fundamental to the Centre's program will be the examination of the role of the artist/animateur working collaboratively with communities to create forms of artistic and cultural expression that:

  • contribute to social, economic and cultural well-being through individual and community creativity
  • engage, stimulate and inform intellectual discourse on the value of the arts and creativity in community development
  • strengthen the relationship between the arts, culture, public policy and public life

The arts have always been a powerful force for social change and cultural renewal, and can carry messages of protest and hope, of oppression and dislocation. They can also be a powerful medium for the expression of people's journey, discovery and aspiration.

Leadership development is integral to the Centre's work and is exemplified in the Horn of Africa project, which is our flagship partnership with the Horn of Africa Communities Network. This project is supporting young refugees to develop their artistic and leadership skills, so that they can:

  • 'find a voice' and live their dream to make a difference
  • present and share the strength and beauty of their culture
  • be a positive role model to other younger people
  • build a bridge between their cultures of origin and the wider Australian society
Launch Images
Prof Andrea Hull speaks with Ezeldin Deng, Horn of Africa Youth Arts Project Team
Prof Glyn Davis addresses the audience in Federation Hall
Centre for Cultural Partnerships Launch Audience, Federation Hall
The Hon Julia Gillard MP, with Sue Clark, Lamine Sonko and King Marong
Lamine Sonko, African Drumming Celebration Finale Performance