Safer Cities: Blacktown // 2024

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PROJECT: Safer Cities: Blacktown
DATE: 2024
LOCATION: Blacktown, NSW
CLIENT: Blacktown City Council

As a part of Safer Cities: Her Way, City People commissioned a series of temporary public art interventions to improve perceptions of safety for women, girls and gender diverse people in Blacktown.

We collaborated with Blacktown City Council, Transport for NSW, Sweatshop Literacy Movement and We Are Studios to develop poetic street signs, light projections and public installations along Main Street and Jim Simpson Lane.

Safety Blanket Signs, 2024, digital print on PVC mounted on aluminium
Text: Winnie Dunn & Natalia Figueroa Barroso from Sweatshop Literacy Movement, women and gender diverse people of Blacktown
Illustrations: Leila Frijat
Graphics: Kareena Bridges

Winnie Dunn and Natalia Figueroa Barroso from Sweatshop Literacy Movement .ed writing workshop for women, girls and gender diverse members of the Blacktown community to produce short texts based on the theme of safety. Excerpts from these texts were used to create poetic street signs with memories, reflections and words of wisdom. The reverse of some signs reveal charms designed by artist illustrator Leila Frijat who took inspiration from texts produced in the co-design workshops.

  • An orange street sign outside of Bankstown station with a poem. It reads " An orange street sign outside of Blacktown Station. It reads “ ‘ofa in the street lights // ‘ofa in these street signs // streets of ‘ofa in Blacktown”
  • Two figures wearing a headscarf gazing at an orange street sign outside of Blacktown Station. It reads “Wearing a scarf. Strong, courageous. Don’t let anyone dictate what you wear.”
  • An orange street sign with a poem. It reads “Abuela. Wrap me in a woolly hug. You are my safety blanket.”

In my bubble / Bursts / Baraka (blessings) / Shine your light, 2024, digital illustrations for light projection
Designs: Leila Frijat

We commissioned illustrator Leila Frijat to design 4 illustrations inspired by co-design workshops led by Sweatshop Literacy Movement. These illustrations were illuminated as gobo projections along Main Street, Blacktown.

Welcome Home, 2024, PVC window film and PVC banner
Artists: Ebony Wightman, Adrienne Proud, Kiri Smith and Miah Tito-Barratt for We Are Studios

City People worked with four artists from We Are Studios – a fully disability-led, inclusive studio in Blacktown – to co-design and create artworks that bring vibrancy and personality to Jim Simpson Lane.

We Are Studios hosted a series of co-design workshops with students and community partners from ACU, Blacktown to explore the theme of safety. The common theme of home emerged from these workshops, informing the designs of this artwork.

The artwork uses digital drawings that echo the unique domestic architecture of Blacktown and the diverse yet transcultural creature comforts of home – from coffee and tea to slippers and pot plants.

// Images: courtesy Louise Whelan

// This project is supported by Blacktown City Council and the NSW Government through the Safer Cities: Her Way program.