Open Hours:
Saturday 16th 10am - 4pm
Saturday 17th 10am - 2pm
B-Scene is a riot full of rebellion, acts of resistance, passion, and raw emotion. Expressing these feelings through art can open a pathway that allows expressions of feelings in a safe and authentic way without the silencing and shame that can be attached to verbalizing and explaining events. Society has a lot of strong messages about what emotions are appropriate for women to exhibit – Presenting women’s artwork through a public exhibition works to validate lived responses to sexual violence – and normalize our feelings of anger, grief, fear, shame, righteousness, and empowerment; and expose the injustice of silencing survivors.
The theme for this project is about being seen, heard, and believed. For allies and bystanders to resonate with survivors’ stories, they first need to B-SCENE. For those without lived experience, there exists a culture of privilege, of not having to pay attention to the impacts of sexual violence on survivors and how this effects women’s lives. Not acknowledging the effects on survivors can create feelings of guilt, shame, confusion, and a lack of clarity about who is to blame. For many survivors, this silence and isolation can continue long after the abuse has ended.
ABOUT:
The BRISSC Women’s Community Arts Project encourages preventative action twofold; by supporting survivors and their allies to create and exhibit their artwork, giving voice to feelings and thoughts that have been silenced by the perpetrators of rape culture. Further, awareness raising by showcasing survivor’s self-expression and self-determination in a public art installation, whereby audiences bear witness, lending their support and validation to the impacts, resilience, and resistance sexual violence survivors face where silence can be broken.
Brisbane Rape and Incest Survivors Support Centre (BRISSC) was established in 1973 and is a community-based, not-for-profit organisation in Brisbane that provides support to women and gender diverse survivors of sexual violence. Our services include phone support, individual counselling, advocacy, community education and training. This project has been made possible through the generous contributions received from DWF Foundation and members of Brisbane community and public sector.