Love Hope Renewal

Love, Hope Renewal is a series of community recovery art events run throughout bushfire impacted communities in the Eurobodalla. The program is designed to facilitate ongoing healing within our communities.

The story so far …

In 2020, two months after the Black Summer bushfires, a successful pilot for a community art project called Leaf by Leaf was delivered by The Family Place and project partner Campbell Page. Based on the success of the Leaf by Leaf project, further funding was applied for and granted via Resilience NSW (NSW Government) allowing us to deliver a large scale community recovery art program, with events offered in multiple locations.

The ‘Love Hope Renewal’ program was based on research conducted by Australian Psychologist Dr Rob Gordon around the impacts of disaster on community mental health. The research concluded that both social connection and art are an enormously powerful tool in the post-disaster recovery process. Art allows the mind to creatively express responses to events that, at times, we cannot find words for and offers a space where people can express their emotions and experiences without needing to find words.

Our first ‘Love Hope Renewal’ event ran online in November 2021 during Covid restrictions. The theme for this event was ‘No Mud No Lotus’ and participants were provided with art supplies and Lotus flower templates. Using an online platform, participants talked about Dr Gordons research findings and, from the comfort of their own homes, creatively individualised the Lotus flowers using the templates provided. The flowers became visual representations of their experience since the fires. The Lotus flowers were then sent back to the coordinator to be presented as a combined artwork and displayed for community viewing.

Locations for the next round of Love Hope Renewal project events include Nelligen, Bodalla, Narooma and Batemans Bay. Events will be promoted via Facebook, Instagram and on our website events page. All community members are welcome to come along and reflect, connect and heal in a safe creative and social environment. Art supplies, catering and music are provided.

"This is a Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund project through the joint Commonwealth/State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.“

“Although funding for this product has been provided by both the Australian and NSW Governments, the material contained herein does not necessarily represent the views of either government.”