Yarra Ranges Council, Greater Dandenong City Council, VicHealth and Inspiro are looking for First Nations artists living on Wurundjeri or Bunurong Country to apply for multiple paid art and cultural opportunities, as part of the Lilydale Art & Sole and Dandenong Creek Art Trail projects.

If you're an artist, illustrator, designer, landscape, architect, performer, facilitator or creative in the community, we'd love to hear from you about what you can bring to these projects.

There will be multiple opportunities for creative projects across the two art trails. For example, projects could involve sculpture, painting, play, weaving, gardens, tool making, workshops, cultural activities, lectures, dance performances or installations, among other ideas.

Whatever your idea, if you're selected we will support you to realise your idea and pay you for your time.

Both projects feature elements of activity, in walking through community, and art. Both aim to foster a deep sense of connection to place, nature and community through using the cultural aspirations and values of First Nations People (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people), while weaving in and celebrating the perspectives and values of our contemporary, multicultural communities.

The overall goal of both projects is to improve the health and wellbeing of our wider communities, by increasing walking and play.

Yarra Ranges Council, in partnership with Inspiro successfully received a VicHealth Art of Good Health grant in 2020 to develop a project idea to improve the health of the community.

Art & Sole aims to increase active travel and recreational walking in Lilydale. During the planning of Art & Sole, the Lilydale community were consulted and told us that they would like to see Indigenous artworks and elements of culture included in the project.

In 2021, the Art & Sole project was successful in receiving further funding from VicHealth to deliver this project in the Lilydale community.

We are now seeking expression of interest from Aboriginal creatives living on Wurundjeri and Bunurong Country to apply for multiple paid art and cultural opportunities. Working on a similar project, Dandenong Creek Arts Trail, City of Greater Dandenong have joined the partnership to provide numerous opportunities for Wurundjeri and Bunurong creatives.