From Marian Abboud, Director of Multilingual Programming, Think+DO Tank Foundation, with deep respect and discovery

“Being part of this exchange has reaffirmed something I deeply believe in: language is more than words… its identity, memory, resilience, and belonging. What we participated in was a living practice and it inspires everything we do.”

Think+DO Tank Foundation (TDTF) have been developing a significant cultural exchange between Fairfield and Coffs Harbour—looking to connect with migrant and refugee communities across two major settlement locations, guided by First Nations, community, elders and artists from Cabrogal to Gumbaynggirr Country.

Exploring connections across cultural and linguistic ties between Fairfield and Coffs with a focus on deep community connection, language exchange and revitalisation feels both vital and timely. The residency grounded us on land and First Nations histories, while also connecting us to communities who share a similar way of working to our own.

This year, in collaboration with Megan Cope, a Quandamooka artist from Moreton Bay/Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) Marian Abboud, Helen Guliana, Sama Saba, Maryam Mansoor, Christie Duong and Emma Hartbridge, boarded our TDTF People Mover 12-seater bus, supporting Community in Motion and travelled from Fairfield to Coffs, carrying with us a desire the explore learn and make new friends. The TDTF artist/community residency anchored us to land, place, culture, and First Nations histories. It felt like planting creative roots in unfamiliar but welcoming places.

More to be explored and shared - coming soon.