LISTEN NOW Sir Madam Salon recently met with Nathan Morris from ABC Goldfields to have chat about social change hairdressing. But, as anyone who has experienced one of our salons knows, it wouldn’t be Sir Madam Salon without a bit of topsy turvy and so we asked...
Regional Arts Australia recently held our AGM in Dubbo, NSW, which is the location for Artlands Dubbo 2016. This was a fantastic opportunity to hear about what is planned for Artlands, and to get a sense of the incredible support in Dubbo for the event. I particularly...
Sir Madam Salon is a pop-up hair salon interactive performance which recently featured at the Broken Heel Festival in Broken Hill. For three days we invited people to come along to enjoy styling each other’s hair and be part of the salon chatter about fashion, art,...
Sir Madam Salon creates unique opportunities for people to build unexpected connections through hairdressing. We are a social change hairdressing group, working across remote Australia and festivals. Sir Madam Salon is a collaboration between hairdresser Mel Balkan,...
Recently I had the unusual honour of being a judge for the inaugural Golden Bone Dog Show at the WA Museum in Kalgoorlie-Boulder. As a kid I was mad for animals. Growing up in the dairy country of Victoria’s western district I was blessed to have many animals around....
Last month I was elected to the role of President of Regional Arts Australia. This board meeting immediately preceded the electrifying RAA Summit: Arts & Edges in Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Regional Australia is home to unique experiences, communities, cultures,...
For several years now I’ve had the Australia Company Directors Course as a professional development goal. I find directorship fascinating and rewarding, and I’ve been itching to really deepen my knowledge. This week I was awarded a scholarship to complete...
I am honoured to have been appointed to the Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission (GEDC). Regional Development Minister Terry Redman announced the appointments last week. The GEDC promotes economic and social activity in the region stretching from the south...
I’ve just spent a transformative fortnight with Mel Balkan: hairdresser, artist and all round livewire. This was the first intensive stint in an ongoing mentoring exchange around our expertise in hair, social change and art. Social change hairdressing is more common...
I’ve written a couple of fun-to-make articles in the last few months. The first, for Artshub, is about was meant to be about ‘maintaining a cutting-edge arts practice while living regionally’. Which it is about, though probably not in the way they...
Kalgoorlie has been buzzing since the Regional Arts Australia Summit: Arts & Edges Highlights Launch last Friday. The launch, including some truly moving performances by local singers and actors, was live streamed. There’s something quite amazing...
DOWNLOAD REPORT NOW Are you interested in finding out how salons, barbershops and social innovators all around the world are using hair and hairdressing to make their community a better place? Serious Style, the report from my Churchill Fellowship, is now available as...
I have just been named as one of the 2013 Sidney Myer Creative Fellows. Sidney Myer Creative Fellowships are awarded to artists and cultural thought leaders to “support reflection and encourage risk taking”. They are awarded on the basis of outstanding talent and...
