We acknowledge that we are on traditional lands of the Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation. We offer our respect to the Elders of these traditional lands and, through them, to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“We had an amazing time after winning The Very West competition, which was a showcase of some of the brilliant music talent coming out of Melbourne’s western suburbs. We were flown to Sydney, put up in a hotel, and got to play a set at the Laneway Festival. Highlights included playing cricket in the musicians’ garden backstage with some superstar bands, seeing some great acts from side of the stage, getting free food and drinks, and of course getting to play at a brilliant, renowned festival.We want to thank the Laneway Festival and, of course, the brilliant Footscray Community Arts Centre, who made this a wonderful experience and are offering so many exciting creative programs for locals.”
Brendan Lawley, The White Goods
Band member Rob Ely, with his meal ticket, get it…ha! His meal ticket!

Brendan, Joe, Tom and Rob posing for their post show school photo…

The rider…you’re a rock star now!!!

The morning after the night before

Look out for The White Goods as they conquer stages far and wide in the future!!!
Bec and Ez in full festival delirium!

Joel reprezentin’ at the merch stall - Team Footscray strikes again!

Our beloved Abdi from Happy River Cafe hanging in the VIP area

Chair of our Board, Mario De Pasquale charming the one and only saint himself, Jerome Borazio

Mario, keepin’ it real with Ezeldin Deng from The Nubian Knights (fresh from The Big Day Out)

Stuart Flenley, lead singer from The Hackkets checks out the festival at large…

Nazeem and Aamer from Fear of a Brown Planet sharing the love…
Bec joins the ray-ban pack!

Our beloved Bonnie Dalton from the festival chillin’ with Jeremy Gaden, Artistic Director of The Substation and Team Footscray life member

Y’ALL COME BACK NOW, YA HEAR!
Dearest JuJu and quality controlling the cupcakes!
Our beloved Anna Hamilton with the mighty orange ram raider - raaaar!!!
Ssssh, Jen, yes, our fearless leader - sneaking behind the loos…
Stay tuned for more from next week’s concert featuring Mandinka Sound
So, as ever, there was stacks of action here at HQ in the last half of 2009.
Whilst we’re all still in that precious reflective state (before the year cranks into 5th), here’s some highlights from the tail end of the year…
Bangs, yes THE Bangs! filming his new film clip here at Footscray Community Arts Centre with our Arts Envoy Ezeldin Deng as the DOP. Taking Footscray to da movies!!!
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The Royal Fam rock da house at the Youth Homelessness Conference at the MCG!!!
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Filmaker Pip Kelly and Arts Envoy Ezeldin Deng work with the ladies at River Nile Learning Centre ![]()
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Arts Envoy and DJ extraordinaire Metse Hagos hanging at HQ
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Arts Envoy Ezeldin Deng creating his installation “Talentme’ for OK Corral in the 2009 Big West Festival
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So there you have it folks; just some of the highlights from the Arts and Community family here at Footscray Community Arts Centre.
Over and out!
Just thought we’d also give you a gander at our trusty Arts Envoy, Metse Hagos in action!

Together with Alieu Jaamah and Anna Hamilton, Metse was keenly surveying folks at VU last week.

Nice one team! STAY TUNED…there’s more to come…
Last Saturday, over 16 very special members from the FCAC hip hop family spent an action packed day with UK hip hop legend, Jonzi D!

Jonzi is a proud East Londoner who combines his life experiences across varying hip hop practices, creating everything from emcee slams, to hip hopera, to Breakin Convention, an International Festival of Hip Hip Theatre presented by world famous theatre Sadlers Wells.
Check out some of our beautiful people in action…just look at that concentrated focus!
Juvarn Thebus Machehi Komba Carl Sevita

Lina Lonia Tong Bol Jack Hewitt

Fusen Mu Dismas Dbing Sutur

Ezeldin Deng Fenella Edwards Rob Tremblett

Danny Al Sabbagh AND JONZI D HIMSELF!!!


A big shout out to Lena and Mouna from ICE for so graciously sharing Jonzi with us whilst he’s in ‘Straya. We hope this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship Check em out folks
www.ice.org.au
Deepest thanks to our dearest friends Dan West at the Arts Centre, and Cat Sweeney and Grace Vanilau from Multicultural Arts Victoria for assisting us to connect with awesome hip hop artists from the wider culturally and linguistically diverse family.
Ups to Rachel Main, our awesome filmmaker who documented the workshop. Keep an eye out for Rachel’s new krump documentary, Burn City, coming to a hot screen new you!
Hello everyone,
Just thought we’d give you a gander at how things are progressing down at the station as part of the Place Art Here community consultation…
Here’s our trusty go to girl Anna Hamilton talking to the people about public art in a public place.


Train station before… (stay tuned for the after shot) … Big hole in the ground…

Our unstoppable Arts Envoy Ezeldin Deng has just been awarded a much sought after JB SEED grant! Nice one Ez!

Through the JB Seed’s “Art for the Public” grants program, Ezeldin and local filmmaker Pip Kelly, will be working with local organisation, The River Nile Learning Centre Inc (RNLC). to provide photographic workshops for young African mothers. The RNLC provides support for young refugees who have resettled in Australia and now face educational challenges. Ezeldin and Pip first met here at the Centre earlier this year and developed this project together out of a mutual passion for people and film making. As we speak Pip is off to the Soloman Islands to work with a local community - check it out
Amongst many other things, Ez is currently working a new film project with David Selvarajah Vadiveloo, Director of Community Prophets.
Over the coming months, Ezeldin and Pip will work with the River Nile participants to learn about photography, photoshop, flickr, blogging etc and will create a photographic exhibition later in the year. They’ll be facebooking deluxe, so we’re sure to see some of their great work out there.
Check out the River Nile Learning Centre
We recently held a debrief for the communities involved in The Gift of Light event in June this year. Members from the Burmese, Indian, Latin American and Centre for Multicultural Youth communities kindly gave up their time to share their very constructive thoughts about their experience(s) of the event and their aspirations for future involvement. These conversations are vital to the development of the broader Footscray family and we deeply thank Shabbir, Alisha, Kevin, Minthura, Eve, Maw Maw, Thiri, NweNi, Luis and Rob for their thoughts and contributions.
Goes a little something like this…
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Our fearless leader Jen Barry
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Footscray 150 celebrations – Saturday 18th July, 2009