Artwork and Artists
We'd like to thank these First Nations artists for their generosity, sharing their artwork and their stories.
Jasmine Sarin's artwork was commissioned by Welfare Rights Centre to form the basis of our First Nations website.
The Artwork

The main feature in this artwork represents the Welfare Rights Centre (WRC) itself. It is made up of concentric rings to highlight the many people that bring their own stories and knowledge to WRC. This is also reflected by the smaller circles that represent community and other organisations. The shapes that outline each circle are the people. People that make up the community and the WRC. The lines that join the circles are connection lines. This is to symbolise the sharing of knowledge and stories and flows in both directions. The faint pattern in the background is to reflect the history and connection to place and community, a tribute to the ongoing connection we have with the land and the stories that it holds. The coloured segments around the border are to symbolise the hurdles and barriers we experience
in life. We all need help at some point and everyone's journey in this world is slightly different.

The colours used throughout the artwork represent the coast and country of NSW, with earthy warm tones meeting cool blues of the sea and sky. Everything is connected in community. A land that always was and always will be, Aboriginal land.

The Artist

I am a proud Kamilaroi and Jerrinja woman with a passion for Aboriginal culture and art. Her artwork tells the story of her experiences growing up and aims to bring contemporary methods and materials to one of the oldest cultures on earth. "I pay my respects to my elders both past and present and acknowledge that the land on which I work and play on was, is and always will be Aboriginal land".

Find out more about Jasmine's work here.

Jude Jarrett's Black Fish (Warraaagan) Season is featured in our Reconciliation Action Plan.

The Artwork
This painting is a tribute to my Brother in Law who always took my sister, their sons, my sons and myself and other immediate family members fishing and swimming along the river and the beach. This was a regular outing during the summer months. He taught the young boys how to catch fish, clean and prepare it and then cook it on an open fire on the river bank, where it would then be shared amongst the families. He was a great fisherman with local knowledge of the best fishing spots: knowledge which he passed down to the boys. The river and beaches are still a great provider of freshwater and salt water fish for my family and a resource we need to look after.
The Artist

Jude Jarrett is a proud Koori woman from the Gumbaynggirr Nation. She says, "My paintings don't always tell the traditional stories that usually come with indigenous art, but they tell my story, one of reconnecting with my family, finding my place and where I belong. my works reflect the "conciliation" between traditional methods with modern colours and mediums. They are what lies deep in my heart and soul. In short my paintings are my story, my journey, nothing more, nothing less. Yaarri Yarraang /goodbye."

Find out more about Jude's work here.

Bronwyn Bancroft designed the mural artwork that runs along the main wall in our Surry Hills office. We wanted to communicate our commitment to social justice and community, and our desire to create a culturally safe service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The Artwork

When I initially started thinking of concepts for Welfare Rights at the beginning of 2020, COVID hit and isolation and social distancing became the new normal.

"Shields" visualises self-protection and safety through connection. This image encapsulates the concept of protection of and for the individual. Protection from inequality and creating shields of cohesion to protect vulnerable members of our society.

The Artist

Dr Bronwyn Bancroft is a proud Bundjalung Woman and Artist.

Bronwyn has been exhibiting both nationally and internationally for over three decades. She has a diverse artistic practice including public art commissions and imagery design for private commission and has illustrated and/or written 40 books. Bronwyn has been a Director of her own company, Designer Aboriginals Pty Ltd since 1985, and she is a Director of Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) and a member of the Commonwealth Bank Indigenous Advisory Council. Bronwyn has been a volunteer senior strategist at Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative since 2009. Bronwyn was awarded her Doctor of Philosophy in 2018. She was the recipient of the University of Sydney's Alison Bush Graduate Medal for her contribution to the Indigenous Community and she is currently completing the inaugural NSW Aboriginal Creative Fellowship at the State Library of NSW.

Find out more about Bronwyn's work here.