Empowering creativity and community through art
One of the finalists in the prestigious 2024 Sulman Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW was a portrait by artist Thom Roberts.
The portrait subject was Roberts' friend Subita, who is also the cleaner at his studio in North Sydney.
Roberts, who likes to give everyone nicknames, calls Subita “Dinkie Duck” because he likes to “rename people and places.”
The Sulman judges and the tens of thousands of art lovers who enjoyed the Sulman exhibition may not have been aware that the portrait was made possible with the support of Stockland.
A second artwork of Roberts', depicting a portrait of painter Ken Done, was also selected for the prestigious 2024 Archibald Prize.
Stockland provides subsided rent to artists – like Thom Roberts - working under the banner of Studio A, a social enterprise on a mission to break down barriers and empower artists with intellectual disabilities.
Through Stockland’s support, Studio A artists work out of a building on the Pacific Highway at St Leonards in a partnership which gives under represented people access to spaces which fosters their creativity. The partnership also includes a licensing agreement, allowing Stockland to license artworks annually for display on retail hoardings, offering artists and their works exposure to customers across Stockland's town centres.
The artists enjoy working in North Sydney, and take inspiration from the city skyline for their artwork.
“We see that art can play a massive role in creating communities, particularly if it has support at the grassroots level,” says Sophie Pickett-Heaps, Stockland’s head of design and placemaking.
“We believe we can serve our communities better by providing good, accessible public art and bring stories to places which really add to the quality of the lives of people living there.”
Public art has a major role in Stockland’s approach to placemaking, based on a commitment to connecting people with places and with each other.
Chosen artists are local, and the public art strategy – which spans parks, buildings and shopping centres - celebrates cultural diversity and fosters inclusivity.
In Melbourne’s north-west at Highline Park in Stockland Grandview, a 22-metre long mural of sporting legend Lleyton Hewitt adorns a wall designed for a tennis hit-up.
Mirrigin Park, in Stockland’s Providence Community in South-East Queensland, has a yarning circle and totem poles crafted by local indigenous artists, a project which is a testament to collaboration and cultural respect.
“Often our public art strategy is a natural extension of our First Nations Strategy and Reconciliation Action plan, creating deeper connections to place, and fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for indigenous culture ,” says Sophie Pickett-Heaps.
“Reflecting First Nations stories, engaging local indigenous arts is a key opportunity to connect communities".