June 13, 2023
Push Pull Marketing founder Sheena Lindholm will be sharing her experience at an international conference in Darwin next week.
Ms Lindholm said she would be addressing the 2023 World Community Development Conference on the topic of “using festivals to grow, skill and find community together”.
“It was a great honour to be asked to address the expected 500 delegates from around the world,” Ms Lindholm said.
“Using festivals to support our communities has been a passion of mine and it’s great that we’ve been recognised for contributing to this developing and important field.
“There often isn’t much budget associated with community development initiatives in Regional Queensland, especially if you aren’t a vulnerable Australian.
“I believe that community development is for everyone.
“Out here in the regions, it’s installed (sic) in us to make do with what we’ve got. Festivals, events and the arts are the perfect, already installed vehicle to deliver that.
“Here in our own South Burnett community, festivals bring people together to share story, knowledge and skills.
“Our festivals are place making, and they are community gathering, often rising above personal grievances for the sake of connection.”
Ms Lindholm said the conference would “locally, nationally, and internationally embrace global First Nations communities, encompass cutting edge inputs, papers, creative installations and poster presentations on rights-based community development”.
She said she would be addressing the conference on June 20 and share her experiences in the South Burnett “to show conference attendees what and how to use festivals as a vehicle in community building and their opportunities to raise issues and give light to important stories”.
“It seems we are leading the world here in our corner of Australia by harnessing the power of festivals to bring out the best in communities,” Ms Lindholm said.
“My first exposure to the influence of festivals, events and the arts came from humble beginnings in Nanango where I enjoyed the local show, watched touring events of the Arts Council and was audience to our school talent shows or productions at school.
“Even in my first job as a Council trainee, working on Nanango Funfest and the Nanango Big Screen Film Festival, until now in my own business leading and supporting destination events, there are multiple examples of exercising community development principles, the ability to empower people and communities and to share in meaningful community conversation.
“Every part of a festival is tested at the coalface by community at each step of the way. This experience in our South Burnett community has meant that I have gained insights, learnings and tools to share with the world, on how to use festivals in community development.”
Well done Sheena, go get them.
Agree totally, events do bring us all together plus great fun.