Creative Gatherings
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In 2026, South Coast Arts will be delivering a Creative Gathering series — providing South Coast creatives and curiosity seekers the opportunity to share and engage with each other through mutual learning and facilitated connection.
LISTEN
Truth Listening
with Blake Cansdale
Blake Cansdale presents the concept and practice of truth-listening as a political, cultural and deeply relational act that is critical to any genuine pathway towards justice for First Nations people in Australia.
“For decades, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been speaking truth to power — in Royal Commissions, parliamentary inquiries, national advocacy campaigns and community yarns. From the Yirrkala Bark Petitions to the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the truth of our shared history has been spoken time and again. And yet, we are still met with the same refrain from many Australians… “Why didn’t we know?” The answer to this question is rather plain in Cansdale’s view: people did not know, simply because they were not listening.”
Change
Changing Cultural Values of Regional Australia
with Lindy Hume
It has been almost 10 years since Currency House published Lindy Hume’s Platform Paper The Restless Giant: Changing Cultural Values in Regional Australia in which she described regional creativity as the “stirrings of a restless giant: a rebellious counter-urban movement ready to make a profound impact on the national culture”. The acclaimed opera, theatre and festival director, joins us to discuss what has changed or evolved for arts and culture in regional Australia since then from her perspective as an artist living and working in regional NSW.
Talk
Creative Lightning Talks
In Person
SCA presents a Saturday afternoon of facilitated and supported networking. It’s a great opportunity for South Coast artists, creatives and thinkers to present their practice, project, idea, or passion, in short lightning talk presentations.
Interested in sharing your practice, ideas or a new project?
If you’re interested in presenting at this July gathering, or a future gathering, please
complete this form below (Submissions close 31 May, 2026)
What is a Lightning Talk
Lightning Talks are short, sharp 5-minute presentations from a range of speakers, each sharing an idea, story, perspective or project in a clear and engaging way.
They’re designed to be quick, insightful and memorable. With only 5 minutes to speak, presenters usually work with just 3–5 slides and focus on the heart of what they want to say. Timing is part of the format, so talks stay lively, accessible and to the point.
A great lightning talk might be inspiring, thought-provoking, surprising, useful, generous, or simply a fresh way of seeing something. They’re often fun for both the speaker and the audience, and a great way to hear a range of voices in one event.
Lightning Talks are also an ideal format for first-time speakers. You do not need to prepare a long or formal presentation — just a strong idea, a clear point of view, and a willingness to share it.
Tips for presenters
- Use only a few words and one strong image per slide
- Get to the core of your idea early
- Keep your pace steady and clear
- Focus on the essentials
- Bring energy, but do not rush
- Share enough to spark interest, without trying to explain everything
For more guidance on shaping a talk, you can explore this helpful resource