Esperance Sculpture Trail News - Edition #5

Listening, Learning and Connecting

The first stage of the Esperance Sculpture Trail project has been a powerful journey of listening, learning, and community connection. Co-designed by FORM and local representatives, the engagement process created an open, respectful space for all voices to be heard.

Over 12 months, it became a meaningful platform to surface issues, while fostering trust, dialogue, and collaboration across the community.

While this was a consultation for a prospective public art project, this process has laid important groundwork for a more connected Esperance—where stories are shared, voices are valued, and change begins through conversation.

Subject to further funding and guided by the project’s original vision, FORM will lead the next phase of the Esperance Sculpture Trail.

A big thank you to everyone who has contributed to this project so far!

What did we learn?

“What I have appreciated with the Esperance Sculpture Trail process has been the opportunity our community has been given to understand and to give feedback and opinions on the (potential) project. The FORM team has taken 12 months to get to know our community and what makes it tick. They have been on the ground in town getting to understand Esperance and building relationships with all the different parts of our community along the way. I feel this thoughtful communication process put the project in a great position to have a fantastic community-led outcome.” - Shane Tobin (Steering Committee Member)

Esperance Sculpture Trail Cultural & Creative Forum

The forum started with networking over morning tea before diving into a talk from Michael Deller (FORM's Senior Cultural Tourism Specialist). Michael discussed the Esperance Sculpture Trail Project, community engagement findings, and the transformative power of regenerative cultural tourism. The group then explored the complexities of Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP) in-depth during a comprehensive workshop led by Laura Melrose, Senior Solicitor from Terri Janke and Company, featuring real-world examples, practical strategies for protecting ICIP, and the legal vs. best practice requirements for engaging with Traditional Owners. The day was a unique blend of knowledge-sharing and community connection all wrapped up with a cultural walking tour by Dabungool Cultural Experiences.

Tell Us What You Think

Thank you for being part of the Discovery Phase of the Esperance Sculpture Trail journey. Over the past year, we’ve connected with the community through an artist residency, workshops, pop-up events, forums, and interviews, supported by a dedicated online engagement hub. These have helped us gain valuable insight into the hopes, perspectives and dreams of Esperance locals. As this phase wraps up, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the journey so far and what the future could hold for a world-class sculpture trail in Esperance.

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