Quilt Around the Clock
Project Summary
Quilt Around the Clock will occur at Collingwood Yards Courtyard as part of the Fringe Festival. This vibrant, open-air space offers a setting for both public engagement and creative collaboration. Participants can join designated shifts or drop in anytime during the event. The collaborative environment encourages participants to contribute to individual or group quilts, reinforcing the sense of community through shared effort.
Quilt Around the Clock is a 24-hour, community-driven event that blends art, social advocacy, and collaboration. By uniting participants from diverse backgrounds, the event provides a platform to address critical social issues like homelessness and isolation.
Letters of Support
About the project
Quilt Around the Clock is a 24-hour quilting marathon bringing together diverse participants to create quilts for marginalized communities, including individuals experiencing homelessness and those in aged care. The project will take place in Collingwood Yards Courtyard, coinciding with the Fringe Festival, creating an accessible, public space for engagement. This community-driven event will blend creativity and social advocacy, sparking social justice, care, and solidarity conversations.
Rationale Quilting is both an art form and a tool for activism, making it a powerful way to engage with critical social issues. Using quilting as a medium, we aim to highlight its historical and contemporary role in political resistance and social change. The quilts will symbolise community support and artistic expressions of care, inclusion, and solidarity.
The event will emphasize the power of creativity to unite people of all skill levels to work toward a common purpose. Participants can reflect on and contribute to addressing issues like homelessness, isolation, and inequity. The marathon format fosters continuous engagement and collaboration, building lasting participant connections.
Activity Involved Quilt Around the Clock will be a 24-hour event allowing participants to join in designated shifts or drop in at any time. Materials such as fabric, thread, needles, and other quilting tools will be provided to ensure that individuals of all skill levels can participate.
Experienced quilters from the World’s Worst Wagga Collective and the Somali Women’s Sewing Group will be on hand to mentor newcomers, share quilting techniques, and encourage creative expression. Women from the Somali Women’s Sewing Group will lead participants, guiding them in quilting and offering support throughout the event. Participants can work individually or collaboratively on quilts, focusing on creating quilts to be donated to local services supporting people experiencing homelessness and aged care facilities.
The event will occur in the Collingwood Yards Courtyard, an open-air space fostering public interaction and engagement. As part of the Fringe Festival, it will attract attention from participants and passersby, sparking public interest in quilting as both an art form and a social tool. The collaborative environment will emphasize connection, fostering a sense of shared purpose as people come together to create something meaningful.
Key Steps to Deliver
- Project Planning and CoordinationThe first step will be to confirm logistics, including securing the venue, materials, and volunteers. We will organize the necessary infrastructure, such as seating, workstations, lighting, and signage, and create a schedule for the 24-hour event to ensure smooth transitions and accommodate participants of all experience levels.
- Recruiting and Engaging ParticipantsWe will collaborate with local community groups, including the World’s Worst Wagga Collective and the Somali Women’s Sewing Group, to encourage participation. Public outreach via social media, newsletters, and local networks will invite individuals to join, emphasising inclusivity and open participation, regardless of quilting experience.
- Facilitating the EventOn the event day, experienced quilters and community facilitators will guide participants, sharing techniques and encouraging collaboration. Women from the Somali Women’s Sewing Group will lead and support participants throughout the marathon. The event will allow people to contribute to individual or group quilts, creating a dynamic, continuous atmosphere that encourages participation at any time.
- Public Engagement and AwarenessIntegrated into the Fringe Festival, the event will attract wider public attention, allowing passersby to contribute to the quilts or observe the creative process. Interactive elements such as live demonstrations will encourage broader engagement. Photography and video documentation will capture the collaborative spirit of the event to share with a broader audience.
- Donating the QuiltsAfter the event, the quilts will be donated to local shelters and aged care homes to provide warmth and comfort. Quilts will symbolise solidarity and support for individuals facing homelessness or social isolation. A distribution plan will ensure the quilts reach those in need promptly and respectfully.
- Post-Event Reflection and Evaluation Following the event, we will host a feedback session with participants and partners to reflect on the experience. We will evaluate the project's social impact, particularly in terms of community engagement and the effect of the quilts on recipients. This feedback will guide future initiatives and ensure that the impact of Quilt Around the Clock extends beyond the event.
Expected Outcomes
- Quilts will be donated to shelters and aged care facilities, providing warmth and dignity to individuals experiencing homelessness and social isolation.
- Participants will develop a stronger sense of community through shared creative efforts, building connections and forming a network for future community engagement.
- The event will raise awareness of homelessness, isolation, and related social issues, sparking discussions about care, justice, and solidarity within the broader community.
- The collaborative nature of the event will demonstrate the power of art as a tool for social change, fostering a sense of collective purpose.
This project aims to create a lasting impact on participants and communities, with plans to host future quilting events in both regional and urban cities across Australia.