Art welcome

By Sarah Schwager
DANDENONG Aboriginal artists have helped make a Cranbourne health centre more welcoming for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Not-for-profit health service Cranbourne Integrated Care Centre launched the display of 16 artworks from emerging artists last Friday to the delight of staff, customers and the artists themselves.
The launch is part of the Indigenous Community Art Initiative which aims to engage Indigenous communities with their local health care providers.
The initiative is the result of a partnership between the Greater Dandenong and Casey Aboriginal Health Promotion and Chronic Care Partnership, the Dandenong and District Aborigines Cooperative Limited and the Greater Dandenong and Cardinia Casey Community Health Services.
To kick off the initiative, Cranbourne Integrated Care Centre will display artworks from the Dandenong and District Aborigines Cooperative Home and Community Care Planned Activity Group and Chisholm Institute’s Koori Art class over the next 12 months.
The display will then make its way to another Southern Health centre.
Kari Hawke, project manager with Greater Dandenong Community Health Service, said: “The purpose of the launch is to recognise and celebrate the partnership’s achievements to date and the potential for ongoing cooperation in the development of culturally appropriate health and wellbeing services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the south east.”
Didgeridoo musicians joined the artists and project partner representatives to celebrate the launch.
Cranbourne Integrated offers a range of health and support services and is located at 140-154 Sladen Street, Cranbourne.