How might creative practice foster self-determination in critical race scholarship and practice for communities of solidarities? This roundtable will bring together Gabriela Haddad (chair), Geskeva Komba, Anyuop Dau, and Philip Pandongan who are artists and members of Arts Generator.

The discussions will focus on the creative process as knowledge production and the nexus between theory and practice (i.e. reflexivity). It will include a history of Arts Gen, explore sustainability of activism and communities of solidarity, working ‘with communities’, what representation means in the context of institution, agency as community/artist/facilitator/staff members and pathways. It will also cover some of the extensive programming at Arts Gen that looks at tackling race-based discrimination across individual, communities and institutional levels.

Arts Generator works with communities experiencing structural disadvantage in the western region and inner north of Melbourne. It provides creative avenues to reflect on race-based discrimination, power and privilege. Initiatives seek to engage individuals, communities and organisations in conversations about inequity to impact change.

The roundtable seeks to explore the value of art-making as a form of knowledge production and research commitment to continual learning across all levels of programming, the values of creative practice and self-determination, and some of the practical challenges of working from the ground up.