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Merri-Bek Counci have commissioned a new Child Nation adventure by children's author Andrew Mcdonald. The Book-Eating Beast is part of five adventures now being experienced in the library.
Collingwood Colleg is trialing Child Nation's school product. Amazing teacher Angella Dionysopoulos has used the adventures to generate materials for a new site-based production.
We have signed up ten city councils inlcuding 5 in rural areas to Child Nation trials in parks and playgrounds. It's been great to see cross-departmental collaboration between open space, children's services and cultural managers.
Jess collaborated with InYoung Yeo, Suji Park and Miryu Yoon to create 3 new dual language Child Nation adventures for presentation at Palbok Arts Centre.
Child Nation was experienced by children and adult artists at the Jeonju Cultural Centre, translated by Jeany Lee.
August 2022
Child Nation has just received a major new grant from the Australia Council for the Arts to deliver seasons at the State Library Victoria, the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and the Abbotsford Convent.
August 2022
The ARTGROUND season of Child Nation is launched in Singapore.
24 May 2022
Jessica presented Child Nation as part of the Australian Performing Arts Market’s exclusive Pause Play Perform program with just four other digital art experiences chosen across Australia.
9 March 2022
Jessica presented on art making on the real world as part of the launch of ASSITEJ Singapore.
November 2021
Child Nation developed further with three library specific experiences via the STATE LIBRARY VICTORIA’s ALCHEMY program!
March 2022
We are working with Shanghai based translator May Yunmei Gou to translate the whole Child Nation collection into Mandarin.
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April 2021
All 14 of the home journeys are now translated into Spanish by Mexican TYP artist Micaela Gramajo.
May 2021
CHILD NATION launched at BE BOLD with a set of custom venue journeys.
Child Nation was resident at the State Library Victoria for six months including adventures written by Bard Lewry. Hundreds of children explored the library in completely new ways.
Jess and Vanessa were accepted into the CIVVic Labs accelerator (Launch Vic and Vic Health) to address the challenge of getting more people into open spaces.
Child Nation was at the Fawkner Festival!
The explainer is here. After years of cancellations and stalled shoots. Child Nation is hard to explain and this filmic piece captures the internal world of this creative experience.
Jessica travelled to Korea to present a keynote at the Jeonju International Forum of Art Play about the importance of play, and how creative place making beyond playgrounds and kid zones, as part of the international partnership between Melbourne's Artplay and Jeonju Cultural Foundation.
July 2022
Jessica has been accepted into the Melbourne Universities prestigious paid accelerator MAP and will be based at the Melbourne Connect building for 4 months.
June 2022
Jessica is collaborating with Odissi dancer SOUMEE DE GIROTRA to create a set of journeys for Singapore’s ARTGROUND.
April 2022
Child Nation just finished a season as part of the TORONTO CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL.
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10 March 2022
Jessica trialed the Child Nation journey Party of Ghosts on a group of artists as part of her presentation for SHIFTING AND STIRRING in March.
January 2021
CHILD NATION was part of IPAY’s SUPERBLOOM profile, speaking to an audience in the theatre for young audiences network.
June 2021
CHILD NATION has been successful with grants from the Australia Council for the Arts and The City of Melbourne.
March 2021
The venue journeys are now available in Arabic, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Spanish and Mandarin.
April 2021
In the USA Child Nation is now represented by HOLDEN AND ARTS ASSOCIATES.
Walking with Country is a free interactive sound tour with BoonWurrung elder Uncle Bill Nicholson Jnr. Find the sign at the entrance to the Abbotsford Convent.
Croxton Transitional Learning Centre is trialling Child Nation and teacher Bradley Bennets said, "the group has been completely immersed in the moment while participating (which is huge for our kids, as so many of them are usually running high on anxiety and remaining present can be a challenge)."
Child Nation launched with five different adventures each accessed via a sign specific to different places around the site. We've seen amazing increase in uptake!
Jess presented Child Nation at Melbourne University's Demo Night at the Entrepreneurial Centre to conclude the MAP program.
27 September 2022
Jessica presented at the 7th International Botanic Garden Congress, on the role that these large pockets of nature can play in helping urban-living kids roam and develop imagination.
June 2022
3 journeys have been translated into UKRANIAN by Iryna Tsypina in Lviv and are available for free to Ukranian kids seeking refuge in Latvia and Ukraine. Thank you to City of Melbourne's Artplay for financial assistance.
April 2022
Ten school kits have just arrived in St Alberts in Canada where 250 kids will experience a Child Nation incursion.
November 2022
Jessica has partnered with Artplay and Jeonju’s PALBOK ART FACTORY in Korea to collaborate with three local artists to develop new journeys in Korean and English for the Jeonju 3rd International Forum of Art Play.
Feb 2022
6 journeys have been translated into KOREAN by Jeany Lee and are being offered in a season at City of Melbourne’s Artplay.
July 2022
Jessica delivered a keynote on art that uses play with the real world for the Jeonju 3rd International Forum of Art Play.
May 2021
Artist, Jessica Wilson tested and iterated the journeys with 200 children in primary schools across Brimbank with the assistance of Associate Artist Sally Lewry, as part of CREATIVE BRIMBANK's LANDMARKS program.
May 2021
CHILD NATION presented at MELBOURNE KNOWLEDGE WEEK onsite at the Meat Market.