Latest Research
CAMRA: A year in review (2011)
2011 saw a range of achievements resulting from the CAMRA project, including successful research outcomes, academic papers, books, book chapters and conference presentations.
CAMRA researcher and PhD candidate graduates
Congratulations to Dr Chris Brennan-Horley from the University of Wollongong for completing his PhD, which was developed from his work on the ARC linkage grant, 'Creative Tropical City: Mapping Darwin's creative industries'.
Central Darling Artist Gallery
We are developing a database of artists and makers who live and work in the Central Darling and telling their stories. Over the next few months, artists profiles and information on cultural activities in the region will be published here.
CAMRA researchers share expertise at international conference
CAMRA researchers Chris Gibson, Andrew Warren and Chris Brennan-Horley from the University of Wollongong attended the annual Association of American Geographers (AAG) meeting in Chicago in April 2011.
Surfboard Shaping and the Custom Surfboard Industry
Despite surfing being a multibillion dollar per year industry, with more than two million surfers in Australia alone, little attention in literature has been focused on the artists who create unique boards by hand-shaping them.
Putting Poverty in the Museum
Can museums and public galleries be agents for inclusive development? This was the topic of a seminar hosted by UTS Shopfront Community Program and the Research Centre for Creative Economy and Cultural Practice, and Museums and Galleries NSW in January 2011.
The Outhouse Storycatcher
Long Drop. Dunny. Biffy. Thunderbox. These are all Australian terms for the place where some of our best thinking is done - in the Outhouse. The Outhouse toured the Central Darling Shire in late 2010 to record local stories.
Small Towns, Big Arts
Research on the role of arts centres in the towns and villages of rural NSW with populations of less than 15,000 focused on creative practices such as visual arts and crafts, physical theatre, community arts programs, design, retail and more.
Uralla Shire Residents describe cultural assets
Residents of Uralla Shire filled in a questionnaire to describe local cultural assets they value. The information collected will be used to better understand and plan for the development of local arts and cultural industries in 'The Shire'
Where are 'Cool' and 'Creative' Wollongong?
For CAMRA research in Wollongong a mix of conventional and Web 2.0 mapping techniques are being used. Hard-copy maps were used as the basis of a community cultural mapping exercise conducted at Wollongong's largest annual festival, Viva La Gong, in November 2009.
Vernacular Creativity in Wollongong
Andrew Warren's PhD research is investigating grassroots, everyday or 'vernacular' forms of cultural and creative practice in Wollongong - including custom car design, surfboard shaping and Indigenous Hip Hop - and their social, cultural, and economic contributions to the region.
Mapping Culture
The Mapping Culture section of the website provides a framework for thinking about cultural mapping. We start with Professor Ross Gibson asking the question, What is a Cultural Asset?. From Paper to Bytes is the conceptual control room of the project, featuring writing by members of the CAMRA research team.
- Nick Keys provides a general introduction to maps and mapping
- Professor Ross Gibson writes about cultural mapping and the imagination.
- Professor Chris Gibson brings maps to life with digital technology.
- Chris Brennan-Horley gives us a primer for the map mashup
There is also a bibliography for further reading.