News
The Torch wins the City of Melbourne 2021 Aboriginal Melbourne Award
On Saturday, The Torch staff were excited to go along to the Melbourne Awards as The Torch was a finalist in the Aboriginal Melbourne – Kommargee Ketherba award. They were even more excited when The Torch was announced as the winner of this award! Now in its 19th year, the Melbourne Awards are the City
Robby Wirramanda leaves a lasting legacy at The Torch
Wergaia man, Robby Wirramanda – the first person from our In-Prison and In-Community programs to have been employed by The Torch – is moving on after an extraordinary seven year journey. Robby has landed a fantastic full time role at the First Peoples of Millewa Mallee Aboriginal Corporation (FPMMAC) as their Operations Development Officer. Robby
About The Torch: Cultural Resources & Art Supplies
A key component of our program is providing art and cultural support to participants, encouraging a deeper exploration of their cultural identity. Indigenous Arts Officers travel to prisons and to community participants offering this level of support, and providing cultural resources to our artists. The resources can include handmade booklets on the history of their
Artist Thomas Marks’ artwork chosen for Melbourne Art Tram Program
The Melbourne Art Trams Program returned this year courtesy of RISING and Curator Kimberley Moulton with all designs by First Peoples artists. Wotjobaluk/Gunaikurnai man and The Torch participant Thomas Marks submitted his artwork “Walking on my Father’s Country” and was successfully chosen from close to 60 applications as one of the six works to be
Kent Morris (CEO): Ten years at The Torch
Exactly 10 years ago today, on 1 July 2011, Barkindji man Kent Morris started work for The Torch, appointed to the new role of Statewide Indigenous Arts Officer to deliver the Statewide Indigenous Arts in Prison and Community Program. Kent was tasked with designing, developing and delivering an 18-month pilot program for Indigenous offenders and
Artist Insights: Flick Chafer-Smith
Flick Chafer-Smith is a Ngarrindjeri artist and Torch staff member who creates geometric, tessellated paintings inspired from moments in her childhood and stories passed on to her. It is important to me to share my memories with others, and the continuation of knowledge being shared. Painting for Flick is a calming process and she loves
Artist Insights: Marbukk
Marbukk is a long-standing participant of The Torch, who has been making art and engaging in the program since 2016. He paints bright and colourful paintings, mostly of the landscape, wildlife and birds of the Mallee. He often paints thickly textured works, such as his Confined 12 artwork ‘Nature and the Land at Work’, which
Artist Insights: Melissa Bell
Melissa Bell is a proud Gunditjimara and Yorta Yorta woman making art deeply connected to her Country and culture. Since joining The Torch program every painting of Melissa’s has sold. Making art makes me feel connected to my land. To be an Aboriginal female artist, just to put down a beautiful picture from my Country
Artist Insights: Daph
Daph is a Koko-bera artist and post-release participant who has produced 16 works since joining the program at the start of 2020 in his unique abstract style. I wasn’t making art before prison and didn’t consider myself artistic at all. But you do a lot of self-reflection in jail and I learnt that I had
All you need to know: Confined 12
ONLINE The Torch is excited to be presenting Confined 12 online on our website. We invite you to view Confined 12 through our Artwork Mosaic and Virtual Gallery, and to explore video stories featuring The Torch artists. The Confined 12 online exhibition opens at 8am this Thursday 13th May. IN PERSON Confined 12 can also be experienced in person at Glen