A United Journey for new Maroochydore City Centre

As shown on: 7 News Sunshine Coast here

First Nations artist Jandamarra Cadd has unveiled his vibrant new artwork called United Journey for the new Maroochydore City Centre.

Jandamarra created the three-panelled mural-style artwork after being awarded a $10,000 place activation grant.

“United Journey is an opportunity to visually express the richness of community and the importance of walking together as a people, now and into the future. Working from visual narratives that are thousands of generations old, art becomes an invitation to embrace the wellness and healing that comes through a connection to place” Jandamarra said.

“This mural is about living and learning from one another. While understanding that our connection to this place and the thousands of generations of footprints embedded within, holds great relevance and wellness to our sense of identity and the community we live within. When we walk together towards a sunrise that shines upon us all equally we see the true value of our relationship to this place called Maroochydore and the loving responsibility of looking after it for the many generations to come”.

Jandamarra is one of three recipients of the inaugural $30,000 Place Activation Grants Program, an initiative delivered in partnership with Sunshine Coast Council, Walker Corporation, and SunCentral Maroochydore Pty Ltd.

Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said the grants provided an opportunity to build the vibrancy of the new City Centre.

“We’re delighted to see the city’s future vision coming to life,” Mayor Jamieson said.

“It’s pleasing to see our shared vision with Walker Corporation and SunCentral: to transform the Maroochydore City Centre into a vibrant hub of commercial and cultural activity underpinned by technology and innovation already underway.”

“Residents, local businesses and visitors all benefit from strengthening the community connection to public spaces through artwork and activating the new city centre.”

Walker Corporation Director, Development & Major Projects, Peter Saba congratulated Jandamarra on his artwork connecting the history and cultures of thousands of generations.

“We were all captivated by the rich vibrant colours and imagination Jandamarra used in United Journey to weave his narratives about the connection between people who have walked and lived here in Maroochydore for thousands of years,” Mr Saba said.

“Community is crucial to the growth and success of the expanding Maroochydore City Centre and we are proud to support local artists to help us ensure the city’s growth also reflects the significant contributions of our ancestors.”

United Journey is the second project delivered under the Place Activation Grants Program, with the popular City Bloom Projection Art installation launched in early March.

The program aims to enhance community connection to the new Maroochydore City Centre through a series of community-led placemaking activities, events and art installations.

SunCentral CEO Amanda Yeates said the new Place Activation Grants Program builds on a shared vision with Walker Corporation and Sunshine Coast Council to deliver high-quality place making activations for the new Maroochydore City Centre.

“The creativity of the Sunshine Coast region is second to none and we are delighted to showcase what the city experience has to offer to artists and the wider community,” said Ms Yeates.

“Arts and culture undeniably attract talent, investment and anchor long-term active communities. They influence our quality of life and the strength of our communities with wide- ranging impacts that resonate across our culture, society and economy.”

Residents and visitors are encouraged to view Jandamarra Cadd’s United Journey in the café courtyard of The Metropolitan (the MET) until 30 June 2023.

The Maroochydore City Centre Priority Development Area is being delivered through a partnership between Sunshine Coast Council, SunCentral Maroochydore Pty Ltd and Walker Maroochydore Developments Pty Ltd. The agreement will see up to $2.5 billion of private sector investment flow into the project.

More about the artist

Jandamarra Cadd is a Yorta and Dja Warung descendent living on Gubbi country. He uses vibrant and expressive portraiture as a medium to bridge the story telling divide between Aboriginal and mainstream Australia. He has been a finalist in the Archibald Prize and the Brisbane Portrait Prize. In 2019, he was commissioned to paint the portrait of Nova Peris OAM for Parliament House in Canberra, the first Aboriginal artist to paint a portrait for the Historic Memorials Collection.