MAPBM presents: 'No Place to Call Home? - a Tale of Three ARIs', followed by the Aerie finissage

MAPBM has made use of a wide variety of temporary venues, starting with the Art and Architecture series of one-day exhibitions in mid-century homes and other buildings. While this approach has become part of the “DNA” of the organisation, it is much harder to find longer-term temporary spaces at low rent for activities such as residencies and project development work.

MAPBM is not alone as an ARI in not having a place to call home. There is much that “homeless” ARIs can learn from each other about the challenges and benefits of “life on the road”, and also much to gain from the experience of ARIs which have managed to acquire their own buildings. This session will provide insights by speakers from three ARIs: Riff Raff (Penrith), Cementa (Kandos) and MAPBM (Blue Mountains) about their strategies for finding and using venues.

Moderator: MAPBM Committee Chair Miriam Williamson

Speakers:

• Holly-Lee Dickson (Riff Raff): Holly-Lee Dickson is a multidisciplinary Wiradjuri artist based in Western Sydney. Working across new media, recycled materials, text, and participatory practice, her work explores neurodivergence, invisible illness, and intersectional identity.

  Riff Raff is a proudly Penrith-based artist-run initiative founded by emerging artists Divya Lotliker, Felix Jackson, and Holly-lee Dickson. Born from a shared desire for creative connection and more opportunities close to home, Riff Raff brings artists together through grassroots gatherings, collective making, and a spirit of collaborative curiosity. While working toward a permanent home, Riff Raff continues to nurture an inclusive and vibrant arts culture in Western Sydney - one that values process over polish, community over competition, and creates space for artists to grow, connect, and be heard.
  

• Alex Wisser (Cementa): Alex Wisser is an artist and creative producer based in mid-western NSW. In 2013 Alex co-founded the Cementa Contemporary Arts Festival and took up permanent residence in the township of Kandos with his family. Since then, his practice has continued to focus on the challenges and opportunities of making art in a regional context.

  Cementa Inc. is an artist-centred and community-driven regional arts organisation based in Kandos in Central New South Wales (NSW), on Wiradjuri Country. Our two-year cycle of programming combines community-embedded contemporary practice, First Nations leadership, and strategic initiatives addressing issues relevant to regional communities such as social and economic renewal, land regeneration, and climate resilience. Cementa's vision connects regional arts communities with peers across Australia, through an annual program of residencies, exhibitions, and special projects, culminating in a flagship biennial festival.

• Alex Gooding (MAPBM): Alex Gooding is the MAPBM Secretary and has served on the MAPBM Committee for nine years. Alex has helped to write several of the organisation's successful funding applications and has also been involved in MAPBM's negotiations over the temporary use of disused or underused Council facilities for exhibiting and artmaking.

  Modern Art Projects Blue Mountains (MAPBM) is a not-for-profit incorporated association that supports and advocates for the development, production and exhibition of contemporary, multi-form art in the Blue Mountains. MAPBM also aims to foster an independent environment that supports the development and practice of contemporary artists and curators and to engage with the wider Blue Mountains community in developing a new critical agenda for contemporary art in the region.
  

This session is free but please RSVP by Friday 12 September 2025. Please note that it will be followed by the Aerie Finissage from 2:30 to 4:00pm which will mark the end of the Aerie exhibition.

This session is presented by Modern Art Projects Blue Mountains as part of the Aerie exhibition at Wentworth Falls School of Arts.

Aerie Exhibition Details

Exhibition hours: Friday 29 August to Sunday 14 September 2025, open Friday to Sunday 10am to 4pm

Wentworth Falls School of Arts, 217-219 Great Western Hwy, Wentworth Falls NSW 2782

For more information go to: https://www.modernartprojects.org/project/aerie-exhibition-celebrates-school-of-arts-and-mapbm

Supported by Blue Mountains City Council and
the Blue Mountains City of the Arts Trust