Jul 6, 2026 · 38 min · 10 segments
In this episode, Bluebird Foundation's Bron Lawson and Kate Harris are joined by program participant Terry Kelly to share how this Geelong-based community arts organisation is using creativity to…
Bron LawsonGuest
Kate HarrisGuest
Claudia NankervisHost
Terry KellyGuestBron, for the listeners who haven't heard of Bluebird Foundation before, could you tell us a little bit about the organisation and when it all began?
to make a difference in the lives of babies and children, young people, families and adults living in our community of Geelong.
We use a whole range of art forms, everything from music, visual arts, dance, theatre, film, animation, anything you can think of in all sorts of different combinations.
And we work with a really broad range of people in our community from, as I said, little babies, people living with disability, people experiencing mental health issues.
And we're always working, yes, towards artistic goals, but also to have an impact in their lives beyond the artistic, whether that be their work.
mental health and well-being, maybe it's educational goals, maybe it's about equity and inclusion.
So back in 2009, I was working in a preschool music program where parents would bring their children and together learn music.
And I could see all these amazing impacts happening Yes, developmental things for the children.
They were learning to be musical, but it was also helping their language, was helping their gross motor and their fine motor skills.
And really beautifully, it was supporting their relationship with their loved one.
Their bond was stronger and they were learning things that they could take through their whole week.
And I knew that it shouldn't just be for those families that could afford to pay for experiences like that.
And in fact, those that could least afford it could possibly had the most to gain from those things.
So I gathered some like-minded colleagues together who jumped on board but added to the conversation and said, oh, and it shouldn't just be music and it shouldn't just be little children.
We should use all the art forms and we should work with everyone in our community who is experiencing barriers.
So from a tiny little spark of an idea, slowly Bluebird has grown into what it is today.
Bron, for the listeners who haven't heard of Bluebird Foundation before, could you tell us a little bit about the organisation and when it all began?
to make a difference in the lives of babies and children, young people, families and adults living in our community of Geelong.
We use a whole range of art forms, everything from music, visual arts, dance, theatre, film, animation, anything you can think of in all sorts of different combinations.
And we work with a really broad range of people in our community from, as I said, little babies, people living with disability, people experiencing mental health issues.
And we're always working, yes, towards artistic goals, but also to have an impact in their lives beyond the artistic, whether that be their work.
mental health and well-being, maybe it's educational goals, maybe it's about equity and inclusion.
So back in 2009, I was working in a preschool music program where parents would bring their children and together learn music.
And I could see all these amazing impacts happening Yes, developmental things for the children.
They were learning to be musical, but it was also helping their language, was helping their gross motor and their fine motor skills.
And really beautifully, it was supporting their relationship with their loved one.
Their bond was stronger and they were learning things that they could take through their whole week.
And I knew that it shouldn't just be for those families that could afford to pay for experiences like that.
And in fact, those that could least afford it could possibly had the most to gain from those things.
So I gathered some like-minded colleagues together who jumped on board but added to the conversation and said, oh, and it shouldn't just be music and it shouldn't just be little children.
We should use all the art forms and we should work with everyone in our community who is experiencing barriers.
So from a tiny little spark of an idea, slowly Bluebird has grown into what it is today.
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