Art for All - Community Stories on Brougham Lane

In the heart of Woolloomooloo, Brougham Lane Street Art Gallery is a Community Development project developed by Ozanam Learning Centre in partnership with Art Space. Emerging artists and community members submitted their mural ideas to be considered for selection, incorporating local Woolloomooloo stories into their prospective murals.

Inviting anyone to submit a piece to be considered for selection, artists were given inspiration from local Woolloomooloo stories to incorporate into their work.

A judging panel comprised of Ozanam Learning Centre and Art Space staff and a local resident deliberated on the submissions, scoring each against a criteria of artistic merit, the artist’s relationship to Woolloomooloo, and representation of local stories.

Once the pieces were chosen, an emerging artist who has volunteered her time with Ozanam Learning Centre before was contracted to assist with the painting. Lily helped to support and guide our community members, many of whom were painting an outdoor mural for the first time.

Brougham Lane is one of a series of murals being installed across Woolloomooloo, reflecting local stories as told by local indigenous elders and community members.

The first instalment was the “Warm Welcome” mural, painted around the entrance to the Ozanam Learning Centre, by emerging artist Nastia Gladuschenko. Her work draws inspiration from local flora and fauna to brighten up the building’s frontage, giving everyone a warm welcome as they step through the entry.

There are two more murals to come in 2022, a NAIDOC mural coming to Wallamulla Place on the side of the OLC building, and another mural on the wall of local café, John Montague.

Thanks to Taubmans who donated all the paint for the project, and a special mention to our Community Development Coordinator, John Cavanough, who did a great job overseeing the project. We are so grateful to all the locals and emerging artists who gave their time and talents to turn a simple lane into a beautiful and accessible space for anyone to immerse themselves in art.

The community response to Brougham Lane Street Art Gallery has been overwhelming, as these stories and works get to the heart of the local area, and the real stories of Woolloomooloo.

All images credit to Artspace

@artspacesydney