We acknowledge the land of the Gadigal People and pay our respects to elders past and present.

At The Village Works, our mission is to create thriving and connected communities through the transformative power of art, culture and education. Grounded in a community cultural development framework, we strive to foster well-being, and equity by producing innovative audio projects, dynamic workshop programs, and immersive live art events in collaboration with children and wider communities

By collaborating with artists and specialists in children's education, health and social justice, we aim to empower individuals, amplify diverse voices, and ignite positive change. It is the hope of The Village Works that we are able to (re)connect and (re)imagine the power of a village in our lives.

Meet The Gardens Artists!

  • Claudia Chidiac is a creative producer and arts worker. For twenty years, she has worked with diverse communities creating intimate and large scale experiences.

    Her recent works have centered children as co-designers of art projects such as Creation Station, an art resource made by children in 2020 from four primary schools in the 2168 postcode in partnership with the Children’s Parliament, Liverpool and The Village by The Kids, audio adventures co-curated and designed with children in partnership with primary schools.

    From 2010 - 2014 she was the Creative Producer of Performance and Music and Theatre Producer/Curator at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre (CPAC) She was responsible for creating and producing the award-winning western Sydney Way Out West (WOW) Festival for Children (2011-2013 and 2017-2020). From 2005 – 2010 she was the Artistic Director and Executive Officer of youth theatre PYT Fairfield.

    Claudia is the 2024 recipient of the Creative Australia Ros Bower lifetime achievement award in community cultural development. In 2008 Claudia was one of the Australian delegates selected to participate in the inaugural Next Generation Symposium as part of the 16th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival. In 2006, she was awarded the Australia Council for the Arts Community Cultural Development Young Leaders Award and in 2004, the Arts NSW Western Sydney Artist Fellowship. Claudia has a BA Theatre Theory and Practice, Western Sydney University.

  • Marhaba, my name is Nicole Barakat. I am a Lebanese artist living on the lands and waters of the Gadigal. My art practice is all about textiles. From luscious tactile materials to the careful, time consuming and labour-intensive techniques I have inherited from my grandmothers, my love for textiles is the centre of my world. One of the many things I work with in my practice are plants. Sometimes I use the dye from leaves and flowers to colour fabric. I also love sitting with plants and listening to what they have to share. One of my on-going projects is to sit with my ancestral tree, the Arz or Lebanese cedar tree and listen. I then make artworks in response to this majestic tree.

    Image Credit: Jacqui Manning

  • Lem is a dynamic podcast producer, entrepreneur, and musician with over 15 years of experience in the audio industry. As the producer of the chart-topping podcast It's A Lot with Abbie Chatfield, Lem has played a key role in shaping its success, contributing to its widespread popularity and influence. In addition to podcast production, Lem is the owner of Bedou, a thriving talent management and influencer marketing business (bedou.com.au), where they expertly navigate the worlds of brand partnerships and digital influence to create innovative campaigns that resonate with audiences. Born of Palestinian origin, Lem has called Australia home for the past eight years, blending rich cultural heritage with an entrepreneurial spirit in both their professional and personal life. As a musician, Lem has honed their craft over more than a decade and a half, gaining invaluable experience in creating and producing sound. Looking ahead, Lem is set to launch Twice Displaced, their own podcast that will explore themes of identity, belonging, and the immigrant experience. With their unique perspective and expertise in the audio world, Twice Displaced is sure to become a powerful platform for storytelling and connection.

  • San May (they/them) is a creative producer and digital artist working and living in Sydney on unceded Dharug land. Since 2017, they have been working in western Sydney to deliver creative and artistic programs alongside community. San is a strong advocate of human and social rights, and hopes their work inspires others to broadcast diversity in the arts.