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MEDIA RELEASE

MINISTER LAUNCHES HEALING PLACE PROJECT

NSW Minister for Planning, Deputy Premier, Dr Andrew Refshauge MP will launch a unique community art project on the shores of Lake Illawarra at 11am on Wednesday 16th October 2002.

The ‘Hooka Park – Healing and Well-being place’ is a unique initiative which will create public art works with the themes of healing and well-being at Hooka Park.
The project arose from a previous project called ‘Bright Lives’ where families which had experienced cancer shared their experiences through a variety of art forms.

“The original families wanted to create a special place in a scenic location where the themes of healing and well-being could be permanently expressed” Mr Harry Alla, Chair of the project steering committee said.

The project is being funded by Planning NSW – Living Centre project, Lake Illawarra Authority, Healthy Cities Illawarra, Wollongong City Council and supported by the Berkeley Development Association, Camp Quality and Illawarra Health –Cancer support group.

Healing can mean many things to different people and this project will work with the local community to incorporate their ideas about healing into a range of public artworks. We would like anyone interested in participating in the project to contact the Berkeley Development Association on 4271 1661

Mr Ron Smith, a well known community artist has been appointed project coordinator and will spend the next two months talking to people about the project and seeking their participation.

“ Community art is about the community participating in all stages of the process and I really hope people will come forward with their ideas, energy and enthusiasm. Healing is a common experience to everyone whether spiritual, physical or emotional and this project hopes to express this through public art “ Mr Smith said

The project is seeking support from businesses to provide in-kind assistance such as landscaping, materials, seats or picnic tables.

“The area is a blank canvas and we need the community to fill it with their inspiration to create what we believe is a first in Australia public art dedicated to healing and well-being” Mr Alla said.

Media Information:
Harry Alla 4271 1951 or Sue Bessell 4227 7598