Yarrabah ModelーArchiLoom:Playscape

Slow Art Collective worked for 7 weeks with young people from Yarrabah School a school that cares for students with a variety of physical and intellectual disabilities in McClelland sculpture park.

“…The purpose of the project was to enable our students with significant disabilities to have full, equal, inclusive access to local arts and culture. The project was much more than the magnificent, colourful installation. It was about ephemeral processes and relationships not just the creation of a product. The creative concept was based around the idea of slowly handcrafting social spaces for communication, connection, acceptance, creativity, rest and play.

… what takes place between people: a gentle exchange of goodwill, companionship and positive energy. The work disrupted the myth that people with autism like being alone. Instead of being invisible or in a Special School art room, Yarraba students were on centre stage in a beautiful public bushland setting. Their classroom were the spaces they created with natural materials found onsite and brightly coloured wools and threads.  

The creative process eliminated barriers, and enabled beautiful moments of personal and social significance.

The positive impact for our school was immense. Some parents and staff were nervous about taking students to an unfamiliar environment where their behaviours may escalate, leading to stress, unpredictable outcomes, damage or self-harm. More than 130 students visited McClelland over a seven week period and there were zero meltdowns. This is extraordinary for a school like ours. We can say that the project was enormously successful. “ -Jennifer Nowotsch (School Project Coordinator in Yarraba School)

photograph: Andrew Drewitt