Reconnection after isolation in Glebe
The past twelve months have provided us all with a unique social context. In partnership with members of the Glebe community – with whom the centre has been working on an ongoing basis through the GlebeConnected project – we created a ‘time capsule’ of this moment for our local neighbourhood precinct.
This time capsule takes the form of a photographic exhibition, opened on 17 June at Glebe Cafe.
‘Events such as these are a testament to the community’s strength after months of social isolation,’ said Elaine Patterson, Area Manager for the City of Sydney.
The centre has helped to foster and sustain this community strength within Glebe through various engagement roles and project partnerships.
The purpose driving this connection stems from the need to activate the university as an essential, supportive and accessible institution within our local precinct. In line with UTS 2027’s initiative to develop mutually-beneficial community partnerships, our work in Glebe seeks to amplify community strength, vibrancy and resilience.
With the onset of COVID, our work in Glebe shifted, focussing on place-based solutions to answer challenges of maintaining social connectedness, access to essential services, and health and wellbeing.
Last year we collaborated on an online community hub, and piloted a digital mentoring program for elderly members of the community and UTS students.
In December last year, we ran a series of COVID-safe picnics in the pocket parks of Glebe, to celebrate community, togetherness and resilience through a difficult time. Picnic groups reflected Glebe’s diversity with mums, carers and bubs, artist groups, patrons from the Have-A-Chat Cafe/Glebe Computer Project, St Helen’s community gardeners, Treehouse regulars and other locals.
Photography, by professional photographer and Glebe local Tom Psomotragos, captured the spirit of the picnics, and is now on display in various locations around Glebe: St. Helen’s Community Garden, Glebe Café and the Old Fire Station.
Sharing the We Are Glebe photographs amplified the love of and for Glebe: reconnecting community after isolation. During this current resurgence of COVID cases, this reconnection is important to hold on to in order to celebrate the resilience of the Glebe community.
As an anchor institution that develops place-based solutions, the picnics and the photographic exhibitions enabled us to focus on what we could do to lift community spirit during the onset of and ongoing COVID cases. The photographs also go beyond this to provide a ‘time capsule’ of a unique time in history; a time when community members gathered after the pandemic inflicted restrictions during 2020.
The picnics and the exhibits are supported by the City of Sydney’s Love Glebe Community Grant funding initiative.
The launch event was held in partnership with Megan Fletcher, current Chair of the Forrest Lodge and Glebe Coordination Group (FLAG) and Tom Psomotragos. This event brought together key members of the community, including Aunty Kathryn Dodd, Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Scully.
See pictures of the exhibition below:
