King St’s Social Impact for 2023
We’re so proud of everything our precinct has accomplished in the past year. Working closely with the local community, we’ve endeavoured to foster unity and create a positive social impact in our surrounding communities. Read on to check out everything we achieved in 2023:
Shop for Her
In March we hosted the official store opening of Shop for Her, the social enterprise fashion boutique from the Suited to Success team. Everything in store has been donated and all proceeds generated from this unique fashion boutique go towards programs delivered by the Suited to Success team, including providing free styling, clothing and career support services for people in need across Queensland.
Magpie Goose
The Aboriginal-owned clothing brand Magpie Goose opened the doors of its first-ever store in our beautiful precinct back in September. This unique brand not only showcases exceptional garments but also stands as a beacon of collaboration with Aboriginal artists. By providing these artists with a vibrant platform, Magpie Goose becomes a conduit for the rich tapestry of storytelling and cultural expression through captivating art and clothing. Amongst the curated displays, you’ll often find co-owner Amanda Hayman fostering connections with the local community and infusing the store with a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
National Reconciliation Week
National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. King St hosted two educational activities in the week for the local community to attend. Turrbal Elder, Aunty Kathryn Fisher led a Walk on Country where she shared the history of the Brisbane Showgrounds area, providing a unique opportunity for attendees to foster a deeper connection to the land and learn of its cultural significance. The experience concluded with a morning tea catered by First Nation’s catering company Figjam & Co, fostering a space for participants to share and discuss their new-found insights.
King St took pride in organising a lunch-and-learn event for students from the Fortitude Valley State Secondary College during this significant week, featuring diverse guest speakers who shared invaluable insights. Among the speakers were Troy Casey and Erin McDonal of Blaklash, a First Nations design agency that works in partnership with artists, designers and creatives to enrich public spaces and strengthen the connection between people and country. Additionally, the event included an interactive session led by Jacob Davidson of Figjam & Co, an Aboriginal-owned company that focuses on providing naturally delicious catering options and sourcing local ingredients from First Nations owned-and-operated properties.
For a glimpse of last year’s National Reconciliation Week that remains on display, be sure to stroll by the Machinery Street Gallery. This delightful and educational display is thanks to Magpie Goose, our local fashion boutique dedicated to celebrating Australia’s First Peoples.
The window display showcases an artwork titled Flying Magpie Geese by Kuninjku woman, Dora Diaguma. This piece not only featured on initial collection of Magpie Goose but also served as the inspiration behind their distinctive logo design
NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week is a time for all Australians to learn about and celebrate the oldest continuing cultures on Earth: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. King St celebrated in a few ways, including hosting a First Nations fashion parade. The parade featured designs from Indigenous creators worn by Indigenous peoples, showcasing unique styles and traditions.
We also engaged our resident childcare facility, Guardian Early Learning Centre by organising a colouring-in competition featuring illustrations from Indigenous artist Janelle Burger. This enjoyable activity gave the children the opportunity to interact with Indigenous art, discovering its profound symbolism and storytelling traditions.
King St Community Grants
We were thrilled to hand out more of our King St community grants, totalling $10,000 to two very worthy causes in 2023.
Firstly, the King St Kids Festival will be coming to our precinct this year! This exciting initiative comes to us from David Carberry and his six-year-old son, Whelan, who have hatched the idea to host a day where kids take charge of King St, turning it into a whimsical playland. The festival will aim to showcase children's talents, offering activities like skating through a pop-up park and entrepreneurial ventures. Keep your eyes peeled as this exciting event is set to take place mid-year.
If you’d like to get involved or share ideas for this standout event, you can contact David via: https://www.davidcarberry.org/king-st-kids.
3rd Space, a non-profit drop-in centre in Brisbane, dedicated to supporting those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, was another grant winner last year. This valuable community grant enables the team of staff and volunteers to offer cooking classes and provide essential services like showers, meals and access to support workers. This transformative initiative continues to make a lasting impact on the lives of those in need and we couldn’t be prouder to support such a worthy cause.