Dylan Gower.
Dylan Gower is an architect and advocate for Ecological Sustainable development, applying its principles to urban and regional environments.
In practice for over twenty years and utilising the process of design thinking, Dylan continues to explore new models for creating transformative environmental and social impact.
With a key focus on regionality, Dylan was awarded a Churchill fellowship which he undertook in 2018- researching “Designing Local initiatives- exploring place-made development within regional communities.”
Since 2013, Dylan has been the lead facilitator in developing the CLEAN Cowra project, transitioning a regional town in central west NSW, to a low carbon economy.
Through the development process, a framework has been established to assess biomass projects in the regional context and how circular economic outcomes can be achieved through cross-sector, collaborative ventures.
At the SITING forum, Dylan will provide an overview of CLEAN's bioenergy project, an example of how bioenergy using local waste can decentralise and reactivate small regional towns and their subsequent impact on job creation, the environment and sustainable and local circular economic outcomes.
He will discuss the importance of integrating renewable energy sources into our communities, and how bioenergy can provide a solution for waste management while also generating clean energy. Additionally, this will highlight CLEAN's approach to designing and implementing bioenergy systems, using examples from their initial modelling.
Overall, Dylan's presentation will showcase how CLEAN is contributing to sustainable development and how applying design thinking can play a significant role in shaping our future.
Phoebe Cowdery.
Phoebe is a founding member and current Board Member of the CORRIDOR project, a NFP arts and cultural organisation 2011-2023, located in the Central West NSW.
Phoebe has been involved in arts and cultural sector for 30 years educated at the National Art School Sydney - Sculpture, and the University of Technology Sydney - Design.
As Creative Producer, Phoebe curates large scale community events and public initiatives, artist residencies, professional development programs, science/arts workshops, cross-cultural projects, exhibitions, and presentations. Phoebe continues to develop key cross sector industry partnerships enabling opportunities for visual/performance artists/arts-workers and community.
Phoebe will co-present various arts and cultural initiatives at the SITING forum. This will include an overview of the CORRIDOR project’s mission and programmed residencies, exhibitions, and workshops.
Additionally Phoebe will present arts and cultural infrastructure proposal MOVE - Museum of Vast Exchange, place-making activations and exhibition partnership programs including: Big Little Histories of Canowindra, Site Activate, Star Picket, Cool Burn and Material Measure.
The presentation will highlight how the CORRIDOR project produces successfully funded regional initiatives involving key partnerships with creative industries, and business for artists/art-workers and community.
“Events hosted in a place like this inspire a collegial narrative about our environment between professionals practicing in architecture and the arts”
“Those shared dialogues and resources help us understand more fully the impact of these things on our professions”
Aleshia Lonsdale.
Aleshia Lonsdale is a Visual Artist, Arts Worker and Curator based in regional New South Wales (NSW). As a proud Wiradjuri woman from Mudgee in Central Western NSW, Lonsdale creates work using a variety of materials including natural and found objects which endeavour to give voice to First Nations peoples. She sees the arts not only a vehicle for intergenerational cultural transmission but also as a tool which allows the audience to view the world through a First Nations lens. With a strong grounding in Culture and Country her works are influenced by the past, present and future experiences of First Nations Peoples with a particular focus on social, cultural, political and environmental issues.
Lonsdale has over 20 years experience in the Arts and Culture sector and is actively engaged in various Aboriginal, Environmental and Arts Organisations both locally and across the region including the Aboriginal Regional Arts Alliance Inc (NSW), The CORRIDOR Project, Cementa Inc and the Three Rivers Regional Assembly. Lonsdale has experience in a number of roles including as an Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Officer, Community Development Officer, Facilitator and has been employed at Arts OutWest since 2011 as the Aboriginal Arts Development Officer.
Since 2015 Lonsdale has been actively engaged in her art practice following the successful mentoring program - Left Field Project facilitated by Orana Arts. Lonsdale also won the 2015 UNSW Art & Design Indigenous Professional Development Award in the NSW Parliament Aboriginal Art Prize. Since then she has continued to explore different mediums, expanded her practice, and has contributed to a number of shows as an Artist, Artsworker and Curator.
In addition she facilitates creative and professional development opportunities for community and artists, participates in various panels, consultations and reference groups and has presented at various conferences and events including Artstate 2018, Artstate 2019 and the NSW Regional Science Hubs Leadership Lab in 2019.
Lonsdale is an alumnus of the National Gallery of Australia’s Wesfarmers Indigenous Leadership Program. She is currently a participant in the Australia Council’s Custodianship Program and has been selected for the 2020 Cultural Keepers: Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation’s Indigenous Curators Program.
Aleshia will be facilitating a kinship game workshop and co-presenting arts and cultural initiatives, Big Little Histories of Canowindra, Star Picket, Cool Burn and MOVE - Museum of Vast Exchange and Galari Writers.
Aleshia’s talk will highlight the importance of cultural engagement, awareness and inclusion in the Central West NSW.