A special kind of creative

Here’s how you can get creative with a coalition of donor conceived people and donors for an exciting new exhibition…

**** FINAL DAYS TO SUBMIT! ****

VARTA and a creative coalition of donor-conceived people and donors are putting together a mixed-media exhibition exploring the historical context, personal experiences, changing public opinion, and potential new outcomes for donors and donor conceived people.

The exhibition will coincide with the implementation of the new legislation that gives donor-conceived Victorians born before 1988 the right to access identifying information about their donor, with the donor’s consent.

Until these world-first legislative changes were made, pre-1988 donors donated on the basis of anonymity.

The photographic and art elements of the exhibition will be curated by artist, Kim Buck, a donor-conceived woman, while the archival material components will be curated by Roger Clarke, a donor.

Get involved!

While the exhibition will take place in Melbourne, this invitation extends to donor conceived people, recipient parents and donors, from all states and territories. The needs of people affected by donor conception are a national issue and VARTA hopes to raise awareness and invite public discussion across Australia.

Here are the ways you can get involved:

  1. Be part of the photographic exhibition

Central to the exhibition will be a series of photographs shot by a professional photographer. We hope the exhibition will show the often complex experiences of those touched by donor conception, and will include a range of individuals, siblings and families in these photos.

We would like to invite you to take part in the photographic component of the exhibition. We understand that appearing in such a public context could be both confronting and exposing for some people and so encourage you to give thought to the potential consequences of being involved. However, we would like you to consider the benefits of sharing your story in this supportive and sensitively portrayed context.

Ideally, each photograph will be accompanied by a piece of text describing something of the subject’s donor-related experience. When the exhibition closes, a selection of photos will be permanently displayed in the VARTA office.

Please contact us as soon as possible if you would like to be involved. Call Kate Bourne, VARTA’s Senior Community Education Officer, on 03 8601 0503 or email her at kbourne@varta.org.au, if you are interested, or have questions. If Kate is not available, please email Kim Buck at info@kimbuck.com.au .

  1. Submit donor conception-themed artwork

In addition to the photographic project, there are a number of ways you might like to be involved in this exhibition. If you are creatively inclined, we will be accepting submissions of original art work, thematically linked to the experience of donor conception. There are no restrictions on medium or technique, but we request works remain smaller than 50 x 50cm.

We are especially keen to include artwork from younger age groups so, if appropriate, please encourage your donor-conceived children to explore their thoughts and feelings through drawing or painting.

  1. Share your donor conception mementos and artefacts

We hope to include archival material in this exhibition to demonstrate the historical background of donor conception as well as current practices. If you have any documents, forms, records, artifacts, historical photographs, or correspondence between a donor, donor-offspring, donor siblings, or intended parents (sent or not, real or imagined) that you would be willing to exhibit publicly, please let us know. It may also be possible to include some of this material on a designated section of the VARTA website.

  1. Are you musical?

A small group of musical donor-conceived people are coming together to write songs to be performed at the opening of the exhibition. If you are interested in being involved, we would be most happy to connect you with the group.

April 30 deadline

The exhibition is expected to take place in June, so the deadline for final submissions of work or memorabilia is April 30th. Please let us know as soon as possible if you intend to submit something.

Contact us

Please contact Kate Bourne, on 03 8601 0503 or email kbourne@varta.org.au if you have any questions or if you would like to take part in any of the exhibition activities. If Kate is not available, please email Kim Buck at info@kimbuck.com.au

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