An old building in the heart of Margaret River has recently undergone a revival thanks to the insight and efforts of a couple of young travellers.
Emerging artists and residents of La Colmena Hostel, Darcy Palladino and Mokai Parmenter conceived the idea to create a proposal of place-activation and social engagement.
"Having recently settled in the beautiful town of Margaret River, Mokai and I felt instinctively inspired to create our own sense of place," explained Darcy.
A resident at the hostel since January of this year, she has been the driving force behind the project.
"As two emerging artists under 25, we used the generosity and guidance of Regional Arts WA and Arts Margaret River to enable us to generate new artworks and community oriented place activation," she said.
We hope that this experience will bring locals and travellers together.
- Darcy Palladino
"Targeting the backpacker community, which we are both proudly a part of, in a time in which recent rhetoric has led to an increased sense of ostracism from the larger WA community, Mokai and I are excited to deliver a series of workshops in design principles and mural painting."
She said the pair were delighted when their application for a Regional Arts WA YCulture grant under the Auspice of Arts Margaret River was successful.
"At the end of this program we aim to host a showcase at the hostel, where members of the community are invited to experience abilities of youth artists and backpacker communities, including our capacity to generate social cohesion and a sense of place," she said.
"The Old Doc's Revival would not have been possible without the generous support of Arts Margaret River and the wider community. We are excited to welcome you into our home, just as the Margaret River community has welcomed us."
Michelle Wright, General Manager of Arts Margaret River said the organisation was thrilled to auspice the grant.
"It is a wonderful project and one which we are certain will create a sense of connection and pride in all participants and hostel residents," Ms Wright said. "We hope that the community will embrace the project and show their support for it. We can't wait to see the completed mural and look forward to the Revival Showcase".
Nicky Lefebvre
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
