Monday 5 February marked the commencement of Term 1 2018 for NAISDA’s 2018 Developing Artists. We were thrilled to welcome back a number of familiar faces to campus, as well as a brand new cohort of Certificate III DAs, ready to start a new chapter of their professional development at NAISDA.
The first day of term was commemorated with the help of special guest Uncle Gavi Duncan, who conducted a smoking ceremony for NAISDA’s Developing Artists and staff, sang and shared stories and histories about the Darkinjung land and people. It was a pertinent way to introduce our new Developing Artists to life at NAISDA and help them to form lasting connections with their new peers.
During the week, we held the first gathering of our new and returning Developing Artists with their Homestay parents. This was an opportunity to formally introduce our Homestay families to NAISDA and explore the state-of-the-art studio space, where our Developing Artists will be learning and developing throughout the course of the year.
Our Homestay families play a vital role in NAISDA’s success. These local families generously open their homes to our younger Developing Artists, giving them a safe and welcoming place to live and grow while undertaking their first years of training at NAISDA. Likewise, our Developing Artists also enrich the lives of our Homestay families, exchanging culture, art and experiences.
In what was a jam-packed first week of term, our Developing Artists also enjoyed a trip to the picturesque Somersby Falls accompanied by NAISDA staff and Uncle Gavi Duncan. The experience gave them further opportunities to get to know one another, exchange stories and learn about Darkinjung land.
Our Developing Artists have enjoyed a sensational first week of learning and growing together. We cannot wait to see what the remainder of 2018 brings!
