This Metal Bilby has been painted by the artists of Warlukurlangu Artists based in Yuendumu Community approximately 300km from Alice Springs in Central Australia. These hand crafted and painted bilbies are inspired by one of Australia's most successful remote dog programs which is run by Warlukurlangu Artists. While it receives a lot of recognition, what many people are unaware of is that apart from dogs, the program also provides a much needed rescue service for many other injured or orphaned animals in the community.
Warlukurlangu Artists of Yuendumu is an art centre run from Yuendumu Community approximately 290km from Alice Springs in Central Australia. It was developed in 1985 and is one of the longest running Aboriginal owned art centres in Central Australia.
The art centre features the artwork and craft of anyone within the two Indigenous communities of Yuendumu and Nyirripi. Anyone who does engage is referred to as an ‘artist’ whether they have just started painting or have been painting for many years.
Artists actively participate in the ongoing development of the organisation. The management of the art centre works hard to create a space where the artists feel safe, comfortable and happy to come together to paint and share their knowledge. There are over 600 artists currently participating. Some come every day and some may do only one or two paintings a year.
People also come from other nearby outlying communities, Yuelumu, Laramba, Willowra and Alice Springs to sell craft items through the centre. If people from any of these communities are in Yuendumu visiting family they are also welcome to participate in the activities of the art centre.
