Flopfest is the film festival for everyone. Starting in a share house backyard, the festival has grown a loyal following and in 2020 will screen at the North Perth Town Hall to its biggest audience yet!

Encouraging anyone to get involved and make a film, Flopfest was started to celebrate the little guy and create a welcoming, laid back atmosphere. It’s the film festival for those who want to enjoy a laugh, beer and good time.

Flopfest is happening on November 13 and it’s getting a kickstart as is the latest recipient of the ALBY MADE Community Arts grant. We caught up with the festival’s Ben Yaxley for a chat about humble beginnings, this year’s event and how the ALBY MADE grant will help out.

WHAT’S FLOPFEST ALL ABOUT?

Flopfest is an amateur community film festival where anybody in WA can make and submit something. You get people of all ages and backgrounds submitting weird and wonderful stuff

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH THE FILM FESTIVAL?

To celebrate people who make their own entertainment, regardless of permission. We want to hammer the point that you don’t need a budget, film degree or good equipment to make something great. It’s not the technique that people revere, it’s the dang spirit.

HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN AND WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION COME FROM?

Probably that Simpsons episode where Springfield has a community film festival, and Barney Gumble submits a poignant arthouse film, while Hans Moleman submits ‘Man getting hit by football’. Both of those sorts of submissions are common at Flopfest, and we like the variety.

WHAT TYPE OF FILMS CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE THIS YEAR?

A big mixed bag of vibes and genres, but as always, there’s plenty of comedy, animation and anti-humour. We always get excited to show the really left of centre stuff, like the 12 second phone recording titled “Sandra’s Dog Movie”, or a high school media project about littering sent in from India. Lately, it seems that the real place for finding and sharing spontaneous, amateur videos is the ‘stories’ function on social media. Like, providing you have a phone and an idea, it’s the platform with the least number of obstacles for making and dispersing dumb shit: a true folk medium of 2020! So, there’ll be several videos in that weird skinny portrait mode, but it makes us feel very clever and modern to include them.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MORE MEMORABLE FILMS YOU’VE FEATURED IN YEARS GONE BY?

The winning film last year featured the Australian Liberal Party being teleported out of office and into the land of Minecraft. Past winners include a grainy VHS recording of three young men preparing an aspic jello salad using only their feet; and a high school girl documenting her trip to Sizzler over horribly loud mid-2000s club bangers.

The Fremantle Arts Centre is truly unique. With a long and fascinating history, FAC is housed in a gothic heritage building in Freo’s east end. And right now, it’d normally be alive and buzzing with live gigs, visual art exhibitions and plenty of local punters.

But obviously, that’s not the case right now. With current restrictions leading to events being postponed, FAC wanted to find a way to still connect the local community with artists.

The result is a new podcast, FAC Chats. Hosted by the centre’s Events Coordinator Davey Craddock, the podcast profiles musicians and artists from across the country, giving a behind the scenes peek into the art making process.

ALBY caught up with Davey to talk about the new pod, the impact of COVID-19 on the arts and how the ALBY MADE grant will help.

It’s been a tough few months across the arts community, what’s been the impact at FAC?

Like so many institutions based around public gatherings, the COVID19 crisis has completely disrupted our live music, exhibitions and courses program. We’ve had to reschedule the majority of our concert season and are currently working on how shows of different sizes will be presented in the ‘new world’. It’s a long and slow process but we’re looking forward to re-presenting great musicians from all around the world as soon as possible.

Out of this, you’ve created a new podcast, tell us about it?

The idea behind the podcast initially was to provide a platform for local musicians whose shows were cancelled as a result of COVID19. We had five great local bands whose gigs were cancelled and we wanted to still bring their music and stories to the 1000 or so people who religiously gather to watch them in the FAC Front Garden every Sunday. As the scale of COVID19’s disruption became clearer, the brief for the podcast evolved into also covering the visual artists and the craftspeople we also showcase at the Arts Centre. 

What are you loving about the podcast so far?

The virus and working from home can be quite an isolating experience so I’m particularly enjoying having an excuse to speak at length with other people  – particularly fascinating artists – as often as possible! Having a 30 minute phone chat each week with someone like Tim Rogers or members of the Triffids has been a great tonic at such a strange time. 

Has it been challenging to put together?

I worked as a print journalist for a long time before working in the arts so the interviewing and research side of things was familiar to me but the tech side of things has been a steep learning curve. I’ve got a newfound respect for radio or podcast professionals who can make a sometimes rambling chat sound neat, audible and pithy.

Give us a sneak peek – who are you speaking to and are there any special stories you can let us know about?

Our first three episodes are a great place to start. The first two are music based and profile four local bands whose shows were cancelled as a result of a virus and gives an insight into what independent musicians are doing to maintain their careers and creative output. The second episode is a chat with Graham Lee and Robert McComb – two members of the Triffids who have produced a beautiful new album and show called Truckload of Sky: The Lost Songs of David McComb. This show is coming to FAC in January and is basically the unveiling of ‘lost’ songs which were discovered after legendary WA songwriter David McComb’s death. The current episode is a virtual gallery talk with the City of Fremantle Art Collection curator Andre Lipscombe – it’s a swashbuckling tour through six key works in our collection. There’s talk of shipwrecks, an artists’ throat being slashed by a convict and America’s Cup shenanigans – it’s a great insight into both the Fremantle of old and today.

How will the Alby Arts Grant help you?

The podcast was an entirely unexpected and unfunded project born out of COVID19 so it will literally help us get the project off the ground. Practically, it’s helped us license some local music as a theme tune (by Odette Mercy) and it has also assisted in paying for hosting and marketing fees to ensure that the artists’ work and stories get to as many people as possible.

How concerned are you about the live music and arts scene during this crisis?

While this crisis has hit the live music and arts industries particularly hard, this industry is full of extremely resourceful, creative and laterally-thinking people. As we’ve seen already, the arts industry is great at utilising new technologies and getting great work in front of people no matter what. The comeback will likely be slow, strange and painful but I’ve got no doubt that this industry will keep finding ways to get art and music in front of people while working out how to support the livelihoods of the people that make it.

You can check out FAC Chats here or wherever you listen to your favourite podcasts.

Words by Tim Milroy | Photos supplied

“The greatest fucking rock and roll band in the world!”

That’s how Cal Kramer, lead singer of The Southern River Band described what you can expect from the band’s second album, Rumor and Innuendo.

The Southern River Band formed in 2013 and are one of the purest examples of ‘hard work hard pays off’. The band was formed after Cal began songwriting while drumming for local blues legends Blue Shady, who encouraged him to branch out and pursue his own band.

Fresh off the back of WA’s largest one day music event, HWY To Hell and performing alongside Wolfmother and Grinspoon at Sugar Loaf Rock, we sat down with Cal at the band’s spiritual home, Lakers Tavern, Thornlie.

How would you describe The Southern River Band to someone who has never heard you before?

“It’s an assault on all the senses, grounded in rock and roll, it sounds like Saturday night.

“I saw this doco on the Stone Roses where they were talking about wanting to be the biggest band in Manchester. Everyone wants to be the biggest band in the world but I just wanted to earn everything, start at the bottom by playing gigs in my home town, sets at The Thornlie Tav, Lakers and we built it up from there.”

What’s coming up next for the band?

“We’re supporting The Darkness on their national Australian tour which is a fucking dream come true, before circling around to play a few shows at home at the end of the month. We’ve got some new music coming out which we are really stoked with and then straight back out on tour. The goal is to just keep playing shows and become the hardest working band in the world. Wherever there’s a place with a stage and people want to hear us, we’ll be there.”

How will the Alby Made Community Arts Grant Help you?

“The grant is going to pay for our accommodation while we head out on tour which is pretty  unreal and imperative to the process.”

You can find out everything you need to know about The Southern River Band as well as download their music and buy merch at www.thesouthernriverband.com.au

Words by Jamie Burnett| Photos by Dwight O’Neil

“I always had this vision of sitting out the front, having a beer and watching the bulldozers tear this place down. But now it’s seven years on and it’s still here, it’s a blur.”

It’s safe to say Alex Miller didn’t think The Corner Gallery would still exist in 2020. Seven years ago, he and J’aime Fazackerley took over an old, pretty-much abandoned building on Subiaco’s main drag and turned it into a gallery and party spot for local artists.

“Everything was covered in dust, no one had been here for years so we cleaned it up, covered it in murals and got it together. We built a skate ramp in the other room and on the opening night there were like 600 people here. It was really chaotic but the owners came down that night and talked to us about moving in and running events… so we thought ‘fuck it, let’s do it,’ explains Alex.”

And do it they did. There were exhibitions, fundraisers, live art displays and gigs. And while the Hay Street gallery became a magnet for local creatives, there were also challenges.

“Back then there was no council approval or anything. We ran these awesome parties, featuring local artists but the parties were pretty loose. The council caught wind of what we were doing and told us we needed to close it down and go through the regulation. We did that typical thing and kind of ignored that but the council sent us a letter threatening a fine of $250k if we didn’t close down and set this up properly.

“It was time to get real and it was at that point that we went through all the proper channels and council regulations and approvals. After that, the venue felt a lot nicer to be in. We refined what we were doing and had less party time, but we started to build this platform where local artists could show their work. Bands started to play and it became a launch pad for local crew to do what they do.”

With the regulations in place, The Corner Gallery ran hot for another four years, serving as a launching pad for many Perth artists. But with uncertainty over the lease, the doors closed in 2018. Alex thought that would be it. But The Corner Gallery has a habit of making a comeback. And this time, it’s for a good cause.

“It’s about to reopen on Feb 7. We’re continuing where we left off. In the past we did a lot of live art events. They were really popular because people can take a peek behind the curtain. They’re used to seeing a finished painting on a wall, but this way they can see the artist, chat to them, watch them and look at their technique. Everyone was really into it so we will do that a lot more.

“Reopening night I started planning back in November and it’s been tough seeing what’s coming out on the news with the bushfires. You feel helpless here so I wanted to make the opening night special and bring people together. Once I saw how bad the fires are I decided to make that the focus.”

The Corner Gallery reopening ’20Twenty Fire Relief ‘ Group Show will feature more than 20 artists including James Giddy, Pippa McManus, Alice Ford and others – with 50 per cent of all art sales being donated to the fire relief effort. Charity events and fundraisers have been a constant theme of The Corner Gallery’s history, along with catching bands and artists on the way up.

“I look back and think about all the artists that have come through here. King Giz (King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard) was the first band here. They played here on the floor. There was Porn Crumpets (Psychedelic Porn Crumpets) too… so many amazing bands played their first gigs here. The night that we had DZ Deathrays playing here too, that was psycho. That still haunts me, it was chaos.

“At the time they were just my mates but seeing what they have all done now is pretty amazing. There’s so much history in here. I love looking back, at the time it was just a good fun time but now all these careers have blossomed.”

Looking back, Alex takes pride in where these artists have ended up. But he says the original goal wasn’t to find the next big thing, it was to provide a space where everyone felt welcome.

“I think a lot of galleries can be intimidating for artists to approach and show their work. A lot of galleries are more established and showing established artists, so something we focussed on early on was making this an approachable place for up and comers or people who just discovered that they have a talent for art. We wanted to nurture those first steps for artists and making it an inclusive environment for all sorts of artists at all levels.”

So after seven years, a council shut-down, a closing down party and a relaunch to come, what’s next?

“Fuck knows! If you asked me that in 2013 I would’ve said a high rise apartment. Now I don’t know, who knows.”

It seems for now, the beer out the front, to the sound of bulldozers is on ice.

The Corner Gallery Reopening “20twenty Fire Relief” Group Show is happening Feb 7. More details here. It’s followed by the Corner Gallery’s Creative Conference (Feb 12 to 21) – a six night event that provides an affordable opportunity for young artists, musicians, creatives & anyone avoiding a real job to gain valuable knowledge, inspiration and to connect with industry professionals, like minded peers and potential collaborators.

We’ve all been devastated by the ongoing bushfire crisis on Australia’s east coast. As the fires continue, the country’s volunteer fire and rescue service continues to play a crucial role, descending on Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria to help the firefighting effort. 

The scale of Volunteer Fire and Rescue is staggering, and often underestimated. It’s the biggest volunteer fire service in the world, with more than 70,000 members nationally, across 2,000 local brigades. And on many occasions, it’s these volunteers that are the first responders to scrub blazes, home fires and road accidents.

One of those stations is in Kalamunda. And Ken O’Reilly knows it well. Today he’s the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service WA Executive Officer. But nearly three decades ago, he first signed up as a volunteer at Kalamunda.

“I was 21 years old at the time and I’ve been involved ever since. It’s total volunteer here. We’re made up of 39 volunteers and we look after the entire Kalamunda area, which is consists of 30,000 dwellings and 6,000 people. We just had our 60^th anniversary last year too. We turn out to all sorts of fires and incidents from road crash rescue, to property fires, to scrub fires and bushfires. We’d average around 150 to 200 calls a year. We’re on call 24/7.”

So in a time when we’re all busier than ever, who is it that puts up their hand to help out? And what is it that drives them to sign up, train and put their own safety at risk? Ken says there’s no one answer to that question, and it’s that diversity that adds to their tight-knit community.

“I don’t think there’s any one demographic that describes everybody that gets involved. We’ve got teachers, engineers, telco workers, gutter cleaners, FIFO workers, students, stay at home mums – it’s everyone. If we’ve got a volunteer firefighter for more than three years, then they will stay for life. They get involved, they get the training, and they feel part of it and they are in for life.

“We have Christmas parties, we have fundraisers and we’re heavily involved in community. Family is strong… we’ve had a 17 year old that’s just joined, and his father was a member so it’s in the blood.

“You’re part of the family and are welcome anywhere you go. You know that when that phone goes off, you know someone needs help.”

And over the last few months, that help has been needed on the east coast. Kalamunda has sent four volunteers to help fight the bushfires, joining others from all over the country.

“We had several taskforces that we were involved in. I was one of those that went over to Queensland fighting the fires. We were told we were there for mop up work, but there was much more to it than that. We spent the next five days, 15 hours a day helping the guys out there because they were just exhausted. The generosity of the Queensland people was amazing. At the end of the day, no one let you buy a beer. The locals were quick to shout you to say thanks.”

And ALBY is proud to shout the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service WA as well. The Service is the January recipient of the $1000 Alby Made Community Arts grant. The funds will be used for much needed equipment and gear at local stations.

By Jamie Burnett

James Giddy was always a creative kid. It was something his parents encouraged. Instead of days filled playing video games, he was armed with blank paper and crayons. But it was his Grandad’s retirement that saw his creativity evolve into a love of art.

“When I was younger my Gramps started to paint watercolours. He was testing out all these different techniques and my sister and I would go out with him and do our best at painting with him. That was where any introduction into the finer side of art started.

“Mum and Dad always encouraged creative avenues. If I wanted a lightsabre I’d have to make one. I never had a Playstation, it was always paper and crayons for me.”

James was born in South Africa, but moved to Australia when he young. Those roots and a home near a lake led to a love of flora and fauna, a side that’s prevalent in the murals he paints all over the country.

“I started using animals as subjects because when I was younger I spent time in South Africa with family. We would go on Safari and I’d do little sketches of all sorts of animals. I’ve still got some from when I was really young like eight or so. I also think growing up near Herdsman Lake is a big reason why I paint birds. I had a direct reference to native animals so I leaned toward that a bit. The inspiration was right there.”

While James has become well known for his murals (he’s painted more than a hundred across WA), he’s also passionate about other art. Sitting inside his Trigg studio, several recently painted portraits sit above a wooden desk. While they’re depicting no one individual, each portrait contains elements of different people James knows or has seen.

“Mural work definitely pays the bills and I think painting animals on walls in public spaces is really beneficial. It reaches a wide audience without being overly confronting. Whereas my portrait work is ominous and comments on the unknown and isolates moments from the everyday. They are two worlds apart, but for myself it gives me an edginess that murals don’t offer.

“However I love the conversation and colour murals bring to an environment. I think the biggest thing you’re trying to achieve with a mural is to get people to talk about it. I do a few pieces that have a landscape element and there’s this dual point perspective where people see the colours and the detail of the animal, but then they look harder and see the sunset or something else. Creating a conversation is really important, especially in rural areas where you want people to lift morale a little bit and create something that brings people together.”

It’s been six years since James painted his first mural, down at the Ocean Beach Hotel beer garden. Since then, and more than one hundred murals later, he’s developed a system for these large scale pieces.

“I’ll always start with a watercolour on an A5 piece of paper. Then I head to the site and take photos of the walls. After than I impose the watercolour onto the wall and it gives the client an impression of what it will look like before it gets done. It helps the client trust you cause they can see what it will become. I compare murals to skateboarding. Once you’ve learnt how to drop in on a small ramp, a big ramp is the same thing. It’s just in your head… when it comes to a wall I just trust myself.”

James will use the $1000 Alby Made grant to produce a mural piece in Mt Lawley, again highlighting native flora and fauna in an urban space.

“I’ll paint a small wall in a laneway in Mt Lawley. It’s quite a public space and there are a few murals around it already, but there is some graffiti and an ominous vibe. The mural will help create a bit of colour to that area and it will let people stop and bring something native into that scene as well.”

You can see more of James Giddy’s work on his website and insta page.

Images| Cam Campbell

To put it simply, we love RTRFM.

The community radio station has been a staple of the WA music scene for more than 40 years, championing local tunes and diverse sounds since day one.

As a proud sponsor of RTRFM, ALBY decided to sit down for a yarn with the station’s general manager Karen Lee.  

What do you see as the role of RTR within the WA music community?

RTRFM provides a unique platform for people to hear Western Australian music. Radio is a powerful medium not only for connecting people and art, creating soundtracks which embed themselves in people’s memories, but it’s the single best way for artists to build audiences.  We have around 300,000 listeners each month on FM and digital radio, plus a significant audience for restreamed content.  30% of the music we play during peak programming is Western Australian, and we live broadcast, record and film a local band playing in our studio weekly during out Slightly Odway segment, which 100,000 people have watched over the last two years.  We feature around 350 interviews with local bands every year, across a variety of different shows. There are daily gig guides which are researched and relevant. Many of the artists we play do not get played anywhere else. Our role in connecting music to audiences is critical, and our local music culture would be completely different without it.

Despite rapid technological change, people are still listening to the radio, and if the radio is turning them on to high quality local music, they will connect with it, share it with their friends, and invest in it by buying tickets and records (or downloads!).

Have you always been an RTR listener… do you have any special memories of the station as a listener?

Yes! I’ve been listening to RTRFM for more than 20 years.  As a teenager in the suburbs, I can remember hearing half a song from Blur’s Modern Life Is Rubbish, buying the album and entering an entire world of alternative music through that particular selection by an RTR presenter.  Like lots of young people, I had only heard what was being played on commercial radio before that, so it was like a door opening to a secret place.  While I was still at school my friends and I would wait for the local music program Homegrown to come on every Saturday; it revealed to me a local music scene which has filled my life with joy and led me to a fulfilling creative career connecting artists and audiences through music and good times.  It’s funny to say that Brit Pop led me to a rich cultural life which now includes neo-soul from New York, contemporary jazz from Norway, dub from New Zealand, 70’s highlife from Nigeria and more, but it did, thanks to the eclectic programming on RTR!  I would never have found the music, people and work I have without RTR.

What appealed to you about taking on the RTRFM GM role?

The station is a crucial part of my life in Perth, and I care deeply about its prosperity, its culture, and its place in my community, so I was excited by the idea of playing a role in making sure it thrives.  With my background in music business and creative and community projects, it seemed like a good match for my skill set and that’s proving to be true. I think I’m using every single thing I’ve ever learnt in work, and possibly in life at RTR! Plus about a million people said it was the perfect job for me. Maybe they were right.

You’ve been in the job for nearly a year – what’s surprised you?

How a community of people ranging in age from 15 to 80 who like everything from doom metal to show tunes make a cohesive station which listeners love, and turn up, just for the love of it, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  It is an astonishing community enterprise.  How people are open to being challenged, to finding out about new music that they would never otherwise encounter. How people treasure the shows they love, and their loyalty to RTR, how they realise this is something special which we need to care for. How supported RTRFM is by so many people, including artists, in WA.

Your work history has been diverse, how do you reflect on your career and what jobs/moments have stood out to you?

I think the lovely thing is that I’ve been able to integrate the things I care about in life: art, music, people, place, stories, community, the environment, into my working life and make a contribution. I’m particularly happy that I’ve been part of the creation of experiences where people come together and make meaningful connections with each other and with local culture like the Wave Rock Weekender and the Hidden Treasures series in Fremantle.  Working for a previous State Labor Government which led the country in government support for creative industries, investing five million dollars in WA contemporary music, was memorable and important too.

What’s special about WA music?

We have a collaborative and mutually supportive local scene and some space from the rest of the country and the world which allows musicians to experiment and find different paths.  We have to make our own fun. That is a fertile environment for beautiful art and creative success.

What are the challenges for RTR moving forward?

Funding is a consistent challenge of community radio. Stations like RTRFM are usually funded by people and businesses who care about local music, local stories, and local voices, and all our presenters are volunteers who are passionate about the music they play and the issues they cover.  Our operating costs are around $20,000 per week, and governments don’t fund the essential infrastructure required to support our radio-making and audio storytelling, and allow us to manage and develop the talented, creative volunteers who produce and present our eclectic mix of programs.  We need more of our listeners to become subscribers and more local businesses to support us through sponsorship to sustainably fund the station. Independent media is critical to a well-functioning society and media consolidation and corporate control make it harder for the stories and work of local people, small organisations and independent artists to be heard. RTRFM therefore fulfils an essential function in our cultural landscape.

Social and technological trends present ongoing challenges and opportunities for us and other community radio stations. There are many new ways to find and listen to music, and we’re keeping pace by making sure we’re available on digital radio, for restreaming, via apps and smart speakers, and by turning some of our broadcast content into podcasts available on various platforms. To do that we need to navigate a technological and legal landscape, and support our presenters to produce contemporary content. That takes resources which are sometimes in short supply, and puts pressure on us as we’re drawn in lots of different directions by the swift pace of change and the exciting opportunities on offer. 

I think though that, particularly in terms of finding music which really blows your skirt up, nothing beats hearing an unfamiliar track individually selected by a person who is a passionate expert in their genre of choice, played in the context of a beautifully curated selection of songs, linked by knowledge. Someone who has spent thousands of hours hunting for music which they love, which deeply affects them, can convey that enthusiasm to listeners with conviction.  We know that makes people feel something. And we observe that people do want to connect with each other through music. They call us, email us, send shout-outs, come to our live music events, and many of them do subscribe. We continue to foster community in traditional and modern ways. The human social drive and desire to share things still exists, even when algorithms are supplying much of our information and entertainment.

What do you want to achieve in your time at RTR?

I’d like to lead innovation in the way we tell the stories of our city and our people. I’d like to continue the work of making space for and amplifying diverse voices, women’s voices. I’d like to improve opportunities for creative collaboration and professional development for our 350 volunteer presenters. I’d like to build a more sustainable revenue base to fund our operations with the help of the station’s many supporters. I’d like to make sure our community, listeners, and subscribers feel connected to each other, their city, and its culture. Stuff like that.

What are you listening to right now?

Tropical Fuck Storm’s Braindrops. It’s incredible. Also our local feature this week, a compilation from Perth label Hidden Shoal and whatever RTRFM’s Music Director, Will, tells me to listen to, via our excellent entry point to new music, the weekly Sound Selection.

Words by Jamie Burnett | Photos by Camera Story

“We want to help women out of their situation so they have more confidence, more ability to be financially independent, more skills and more creativity in their own life. If we did that, I’d be happy.”

Jacqueline Warrick is clear and passionate when she explains the goal of Camera Story. And the truth is, Jacqueline and her business partner, Sarah Landro are already achieving it. Jacqueline explains that seven years in, the charity uses the power of photography to build confidence, upskill and help people from tough backgrounds and regional communities.

“In the beginning it was definitely a platform for people to learn skills but it was more of a creativity-based drive to express themselves and have fun. And then it became about other things, viewing photography as a positive light, as opposed to a negative view of imagery. A lot of kids use social media in a negative way, so we worked through that as well. We’re also upskilling indigenous people including ranger groups and arts workers to give them the power to photograph their own country and create their own archives.

“We’re starting to use the camera as this tool to uplift, to inspire to give skills to provide something to do in remote communities… one of the women we worked with told us our workshops gave her an amazing opportunity to heal. That’s amazing.”

If Camera Story had a home outside Western Australia, it would have to be Bangladesh. Jacqueline and her now business partner, Sarah Landro were studying at a photojournalism school that saw them come together for an assignment. It’s an experience they won’t easily forget.

“We met at a photojournalism school and were thrown on an assignment together that was really confronting. We were sent to the poorest part of Bangladesh and taken through these poor factories and we couldn’t believe what we saw. We had that experience together and that first seeded Camera Story.

“It also came about as a response to my experiences working as a photographer in southern Asia. I saw how powerful the medium of photography is as a means of communication and for people to tell their own stories.

“Having a conversation with my now business partner, we shared a very similar philosophy about the power of photography and how it could be used to uplift a community. Camera Story was really born out of that.”

And since then, Camera Story has grown. Initially the duo ran workshops in schools. And that’s now moved into other spaces including running programmes in some of Western Australia’s most remote communities.

“It definitely has surprised us. In the beginning we were working with really young kids, but we did realise that kids in Perth have these resources and we realised that it was women in remote areas. They don’t have the access they need. Men have opportunities through mining or in town, but for women once they have children and they’re in remote communities, there isn’t much to do.  Photography is something they can do in their own house, they can photograph their own community or simply just get creative.

“The communities that we work with know us and we’ve built up connections. We know people, they invite us into their homes and they introduce us to more people. There’s a level of trust we’ve built up.”

While Jacquelin and Sarah use Camera story to help others, it’s clear the learning has gone both ways.

“I’ve been helped by many people but learning that the way I saw the world is not the only way to see the world has been significant. I remember I did a workshop once with these really cool people who were all in wheelchairs. And all their photographs were from waist height, so I just saw the world from the perspective of these people and my whole perception totally shifted. We were hooning around Freo one night with their cameras, I looked through all the photos later and I saw how different they see the world to me… that’s a standout for me.”

You get the feeling that there will be more standout moments for these two women, who will continue to help others through the power of a lens.

Camera Story is the October recipient of the Alby Made Community Arts grant. They will use the $1000 grant to put toward new equipment that will be used across the state. You can see more of their amazing work here

Footy is full of rivalries. And one of WA’s biggest will add another chapter to the history books this weekend. The Reclink Community Cup is back for its fifth instalment, with a side of musos taking on a team of media, all in support of a good cause. And this year ALBY is proud to be involved. Reclink Australia helps disadvantaged people through sport and art, helping to improve health, education and employment opportunities. And WA’s fifth Reclink Community Cup helps to raises funds and awareness for the cause.

This year, the Bandgropers are looking to keep their unbeaten run alive. But the Newshounds can sniff blood, coming within a point of victory last year. Jamie Burnett sat down with Bandgropers power forward Tom “The Fish” Fisher, for a chat about this year’s charity footy game and to hear how the cause has hit home over the journey.  

You’re a veteran of the Reclink Community Cup – how’s the body holding up heading into game five?

The old shoulder is still a bit rough from an injury last year… I’ve had a year to get the body right, and it’s not right. I feel at this stage of my career, I’m a bit like Gary Ablett Sr at Geelong in his final playing days. I rock up, have a beer, watch the other guys train and then just kick goals.

How competitive does it get on field – are there a few scores to settle between the musos and the journos?

There’s always someone who gets white line fever but we stamp that out. There’s a bit of banter between us long term guys. The Bandgropers have won every time so I’m more than prepared for the Newshounds to have a win at some stage. Last year we won by a point, the goal I missed was a winner!

Look it’s going to be close and the Newshounds are a chance. Craig Hollywood is back for the Newshounds, he’s the most competent AFL Scotsman you’ll ever meet. I’ve got to admit he was looking good out on the other track the other night. But you know the Bandgropers always manage to find a way and I think we’ll break some hearts again. 

What’s Reclink all about and what’s it mean to you?

Reclink are about community development for disadvantaged people and rebuilding lives through sport.

Recently I went and volunteered as a goal umpire at a tournament they put on. Some disadvantaged homeless people were there as well as some kids… and they put on this tournament and everyone had a ball. I ended up interviewing this guy called Deano who I’d met. I’d seen him at my local shops before and could tell he was under some tough times. I met him at the tournament and he was just the most amazing guy. I probably would never have approached him at the supermarket, but now every day I say g’day to Deano. I asked him to do a little testimonial for the game and he actually broke down in tears about how much he loved running around and being involved. His old man came over to watch him play the game.

Reclink really is beneficial and they also have this different approach to helping the homeless and disadvantaged by going through sport. It’s really healthy, in terms of the exercise, but it also helps with the social side as well. It’s really important.

Dean told me he’s made new friends and also that social inclusion has been so important. Many of us take that for granted every day.

How’s the Reclink Community Cup grown over the years in WA?

It’s been great. In Melbourne it’s a huge and well established event over 20 years. They get ten to 15-thousand people to Victoria Park in Collingwood.

We started off in Bassendean, and now we’re in Freo which has helped. I’ve really seen it grow and even players are rotating through. New people are coming through and regulars will sit out so others can get involved.

I’ve got a lot more in touch with the charity over the years as well. The money we’ve raised has really helped that grow that in WA, which I’ve seen firsthand.

Where do you see this going in the future?

I’d love for it to keep growing and I think once people go down, they will see it’s a lot of fun. The party afterward is always a hoot. It’s definitely getting there and I think we’re progressing really well.

This year we’ve got Mr Tim Rogers sneaking inside the forward pocket, alongside the Fish… so I might fire a handball off if he’s lucky. I haven’t given off a handball for five years, but I might have to this time. You Am I are in town for a gig, so I fired him an email and he’s a footy tragic, so he’s more than happy to sneak over for a kick.

We love people to get down for the day. It’s cheap, accessible, there are food trucks and kids will have a great time too. They can run on for a kick in the break… my kids come down and laugh at me. There’s music before the game, and bands afterwards with an after party featuring more bands later too.

The actual Reclink guys who played in that tournament will have a half time kick too, so they’re pretty pumped. My mate Dino will be out there and he’s like me… a big-bellied goal kicking forward… so watch out for Dino!