WAWAN at the Wollongong Art Gallery

We have some really exciting news ... Wollongong Against War and Nukes has been chosen for a two-week activist residency at Wollongong Art Gallery as part of the 'Greetings from Wollongong' exhibition!

Taking place over 25 July to 12 August 2025, we'll be turning the space into an activist hub! We planning to decorate the space with banners and photos, and display some of the long history of anti-war activism in Wollongong.

We'll invite the public to join us in screenprinting shirts, making badges, decorating peace doves, creating lanterns, running kids activities, and much more.

Coinciding with the 80th anniversaries of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this is a great opportunity to take our message of peace to Wollongong.

Greetings From Wollongong Exhibition

Event Calendar

Saturday July 26th

12pm - 4pm @ Wollongong Art Gallery

Screen printing and badge making workshop. Come along to learn some core activist arts and craft skills, and maybe design your own badge!

 

Sunday July 27th

12pm - 4pm @ Wollongong Art Gallery

Screen printing and badge making workshop. Come along to learn some core activist arts and craft skills, and maybe design your own badge!

 

Wednesday July 30th

1pm - 5pm @ Wollongong Art Gallery

Hiroshima lanterns and badge making with Sharon Pusell.

 

Friday August 1st

1pm - 5pm @ Wollongong Art Gallery

Hiroshima lanterns and badge making with Sharon Pusell.

 

Saturday August 2nd

11am @ Wollongong City Library

Kamishibai: Japanese Paper Theatre, children’s stories of peace.

12pm - 4pm @ Wollongong Art Gallery

Kid’s Craft Activities. Make badges, paper cranes, and more!

 

Sunday August 3rd

12pm - 4pm @ Wollongong Art Gallery

Beats not Bombs, music and words against war in the Chambers Gallery. Featuring Maurie Mulheron and others.

 

Tuesday August 5th

2pm @ Wollongong Art Gallery

Cross stitching for beginners -- a workshop

 

Wednesday August 6th

1pm - 5pm @ Wollongong Art Gallery

Hiroshima lanterns and badge making with Sharon Pusell.

 

Friday August 8th

10am - 5pm @ Wollongong Art Gallery

Drop in between 10am-3.30pm and help us paint some banners and lanterns for Saturday's peace march.

Use the virtual reality headset to experience the film 'On the morning you wake (to the end of the world)', a short documentary that viscerally recreates the experiences of people who, for 38 minutes, had to react and make impossible decisions in the face of nuclear violence.

 

Saturday August 9th

12pm - 4pm @ Wollongong Art Gallery

Drop in and decorate a lantern or make a badge, and stick around for the Hiroshima peace march which will start at 5pm.

5pm @ Civic Plaza, Burelli St (IPAC)

Remember Hiroshima: March for Peace, rally and lantern parade. Bring your own lanterns, lights, or candles! 

 

Sunday August 10th

1pm @ Wollongong Art Gallery

On the last day of the activist hub, join us for afternoon tea to celebrate the successful residency. Bring a plate to share.

As well as packing up the space, we'll have a discussion about the current state of the world and where to from here.

Some points for discussion will include:

 

  • What impact and repercussions might the massive March for Humanity have for us, for Labor and for the unions?

  • What does this mean for teachers, nurses and organised workers in our area?

  • Why should housing, health, welfare, environmental protection and clean energy production suffer cuts and economic constraints when there is unlimited money for military spending and an alliance with the US state and all it represents? In the face of increasing environmental disasters in Australia and across the world, why isn’t climate stabilisation and environmental repair recognised as basic to achieving national and global security?

  • How do we stop the increasing militarisation of economies internationally, massive AUKUS spending, unending wars and genocide in Gaza?

  • What role can activists play and how should we organise?

Upstairs in the Education Room at Wollongong Art Gallery 1pm-2.30pm.