What happens when a city gets behind public art?
And what does it take to build a thriving mural community that impacts everyone from homeless people to politicians?
In this live panel discussion recorded at the Darwin Street Art Festival's 10-year celebration, Tom Gerrard sits down with David Collins (founder and director), George Rose (established muralist), Caleb Schatz (emerging artist), and Ris Pikala (first-time participant) to explore how a small idea became a movement that transformed an entire city.
This conversation goes deep into:
⚡️ How David Collins went from graffiti writer to festival founder in one bold moment
⚡️ Why running the festival by locals (not outsiders) made all the difference
⚡️ The origin story: a full moon, a Yappa Yappa, and telling the Northern Territory government "you gotta give us a festival"
⚡️ How the festival produces opportunities for emerging artists to paint their first public mural
⚡️ Building confidence through community support and visible accomplishment
⚡️ The surprising embrace of muralism across all demographics (young, old, homeless, politicians — everyone has a favourite)
⚡️ Why Darwin's community reception is different from other cities
⚡️ The ripple effect: inspiring the next generation of artists
⚡️ How festivals create momentum that outlasts the event itself
⚡️ What it means to participate multiple times (George's four festivals) versus painting for the first time (Ris' debut)
⚡️ The role of curation in maintaining artistic integrity while growing scale
⚡️ Creating a world-class festival that doesn't feel corporate or disconnected from the community
This episode is essential for anyone thinking about building an art community, launching a creative initiative, or understanding how public art can become part of a city's identity.
🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube
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https://www.artcareeracademy.com/creative-cashflow-guide
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HOST: Tom Gerrard
✦ IG | @artcareeracademy and @tom-gerrard
✦ Watch on Youtube | @artcareeracademy
✦ Website | artcareeracademy.com and tom-gerrard.com
GUESTS: David Collins, George Rose, Caleb Schatz, Ris Pikala
✦ Instagram | @darwinstreetartfestival @uncooldaybed @george_rose @calebdude.art @nccadarwin
✦ Website: https://www.darwinstreetartfestival.com.au/
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