Felting Hands of the Namoi - Gwabegar Community Hall

Arts North West is partnering with RAMHP and Hunter New England Health to deliver a FREE wet felt hat making creative development workshops, to adversely effected communities in the North West. Culture and the arts play a deep, real role in supporting communities and individuals to tackle disasters and act as a conduit to enact reframing life, landscape, and connection beyond the impact. An arts and cultural response can mean many things – care, comfort, reduced feelings of isolation, an outlet for emotional release, increased community cohesiveness, empowerment, reimagining, celebration, new personal and creative skills, strengthened connections to place, and a sense of shared optimism reflection and commemoration. This is a powerful partnership and a wonderfully positive experience for these communities.

The Wet Felt hat making workshops are hosted by Liverpool Plains creative, Joanne Barr. Joanne has extensive experience in a range of areas including textiles, education and training, and agriculture and is willing to share her creative skills with all workshop participants.  

Rural Adversity Mental Health Program Coordinator Letitia Cross will be attending each workshop to provide informal support, understanding  and a point of contact for information and resources on health and wellbeing.  

During each one-day workshops, every participant will go home with a newly created felt hat, new friends, and reinvigorated connections in their community.