making art work, creating dialogue

For over 25 years the workers cultural action committee has produced innovative and collaborative arts projects that have been strategic ventures between unions, working people and the broader community. What began as a voluntary sub-committee of Newcastle Trades Hall Council in 1974 has grown to be an effective cultural solutions organisation or cultural broker with its feet firmly grounded in the union movement.

We make art work. We involve communities in the production of artworks that speak clearly of that community's ideas and values and aspirations and that commence a dialogue between this group, its members and the wider society.

For example:

"Aftershocks" was a verbatim theatre production about the effects of the Newcastle earthquake on the community associated with the Newcastle Workers Club. It presented a story of human strength and courage in the face of extreme adversity in the survivor's own words.

"Steel St. Blues", a performance collaboration with 2 til 5 Youth Theatre, examined the issues of youth employment, training and unemployment for a number of young people sharing a house in Newcastle.

"Everyday I go to work" was a publication in consultation with employment agency Castle Personnel based on interviews with a number of people who have a disability but choose to work with their non-disabled peers.

"May Day" with its associated processional art, percussion bands, and cultural displays is assisted each year by the committee as a community event for union members, their familes and a network of community groups.

"The Molten Arts Project" marked the closure of the Newcastle Steelworks through an oral history publication, an exhibition, a large public artwork and two performances that told the story of the end of this unique community of working people.

"2304: Mayfield soul,guts,spirit" was a community building project undertaken by the committee on behalf of Newcastle City Council about the old working-class suburb of Mayfield in Newcastle.

For more information about these or other past projects of the committee, please browse our "artwork archive".