Dennis Golding - How to Make a Cape

Join First Nations artist, Dennis Golding for this artmaking workshop in conjunction with his exhibition, POWER – The Future is Here at SECCA. Make a cape for your inner hero, celebrate someone who you would love to honour, or acknowledge your local heroes and community Elders. Create a symbol that expresses your own experiences, memories, and even your connection to Country. Paint your symbol on your cape then hang it up or wear it with pride. This workshop encourages participants to think about culture, think about identity in their community, and think about a memory or connection to place.

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Friday 17 July, 2026

Ages 5 to 12, 10am to 12pm

Free event, bookings essential as places are limited. All materials provided.

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About the artist

Dennis Golding is a Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay artist from the northwest of NSW and was born and raised on Gadigal land (Redfern, Sydney). Through his mother’s lineage Dennis also has ancestral ties to Biripi country situated along the mid-north coast of NSW.

Working in a range of mixed media including painting, video, photography and installation, Golding critiques the social, political, and cultural representations of race and identity. His practice is drawn from his own experiences living in urban environments and through childhood memories.

Golding was surrounded by art from his urban upbringing living in an Aboriginal community in Redfern (often referred to as ’The Block’). As a young child, he often watched his mother and grandmother paint on large canvas and sheen fabrics which depicted Australian native plants and animals, cultural motifs, and human figures. Golding developed his professional practice in art school through mentorships with leading curators, educators, and artists. Golding graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) at UNSW Art & Design in 2019 and now works independently as an artist and curator.

Since graduating Golding was awarded the Create NSW Visual Arts Fellowship 2020 and has exhibited at many major institutions including the Art Gallery of South Australia, the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Living Museums, and Carriageworks. Golding’s work can also be seen around Sydney in many public art installations. Golding also co-founded the Re-Right Collective with Carmen Glynn-Braun.

Through his artistic and curatorial practice, Golding aims to present powerful representations of contemporary Aboriginal cultural identity that inform narratives of history and lived experiences.

Please note:

Location and arrival: Our classes take place in the SECCA Project Space, which you can access through the main SECCA entrance. We’re happy to welcome students into the space from 10 minutes before class.
Food and drink: Children are welcome to bring a water bottle into the Project Space. If needed, food may be consumed in the SECCA foyer at the seating area outside the SECCA Project Space (note there won’t be a scheduled snack break during the class). Please ensure any food or drinks brought do not contain common allergens. No food or drink is permitted in the gallery.
Clothing: SECCA provides art smocks for children to wear during the class.
Parent/guardian presence: Parents and guardians are welcome to pop into the SECCA Project Space at the start to help their child settle in, if needed. You’re also welcome to wait in the gallery foyer for the duration of the class – seating and viewing windows are available – however you are not required to stay. If your child does require extra support, you may remain in the education space, but please discuss this with SECCA at the time of enrolment.
Participation and expectations: To help create a fun and safe experience for all, children are expected to be able to join in the activities, follow instructions, and stay engaged throughout the session. If your child needs particular support to help with concentration or participation, please let us know at the time of enrolment so we can assist wherever possible.
Photo Consent: This event will be documented for SECCA promotional purposes, by attending you consent to you and/or your child being photographed.

Have any questions about the workshop? Contact SECCA on 02 6499 2201

Image credit: Artist Dennis Golding with The Future is Here, 2021, Carriageworks. Image courtesy and © the artist. Photograph Zan Wimberley

Contact the host of How to Make a Cape workshop with Dennis Golding