Background
The Weenthayoothan Thought Leadership project aims to generate discussion and produce critical frameworks addressing ethical practices for commissioning and creating public art with First Peoples on Traditional Custodian Country.
Solution
Weenthayoothan intends to delve deep into complex and very context-specific examples of public art commissioning to uncover best practice principles. The aim is to consider Weenthayoothan or “which way” the commissioning process is driven and led, for and by First Peoples or settlers.
Impact
The key outputs of this Thought Leadership will include a public conversation with high level cultural and industry leadership, video documentation and circulation of this event, an internal research roundtable, and a new Public Policy Briefing paper. The paper may also include a Best Practice Guide developed from learnings an example contract. Beyond the growth of new and sustained interdisciplinary relationships amongst RMIT researchers with industry experts working in aligned fields, outcomes of the project include:
- Increased capability for RMIT researchers to understand approaches to engagement with Elders, cultural leaders, and professional and legal experts on Intellectual Cultural Property.
- Recognition of core team as expert leaders in the field of public art commissioning and decolonising methodologies, to become 'go to' experts for advice on these topics potentially leading to new research partnerships between RMIT researchers and industry.
- Network building for LGAs and commissioners with shared interest in ethical and culturally safe frameworks for engaging Traditional Custodians and Indigenous artists.
Support
