Testimony Arts began with a simple yet powerful idea: using creativity to strengthen communities and bring people together in meaningful ways. Founded by those who saw the potential of arts and repair to connect people, Testimony Arts was born from a commitment to dismantling the barriers that prevent people from fully engaging with their communities and from feeling valued in society.
Our journey started with a group of passionate individuals who wanted to create safe, inclusive spaces where young people who felt they didn’t fit, belong and disconnected from education could: 1. gain new skills. 2. reconnect with their communities, and 3. build a sense of belonging. As we engaged with young people facing social and educational disconnection, we recognised the pressing need to keep youth out of court and in community, away from the cycles of exclusion and disadvantage. Motivated by this, we developed programs centred on arts, repair, and craftsmanship—supporting participants to gain practical skills, connect across generations, and reclaim agency in their lives.
What began as a grassroots community arts program emerged into an organisation with a focus on regional renewal and social impact. Our pilot initiative, the Transformative Repair for Social Change (TRSC) evolved into our flagship Creative Industries, Social Enterprise, Repair and Restoration (CISERR) initiative, which was co-designed with the local community. CISERR developed into the cornerstone of our mission to promote the creative industries and Right to Repair as a way to foster sustainable practices toward enterprise thinking. Our programs are guided by community organising and resourcing, drawing on local skills and knowledge to build strong networks of support. We bring together individuals of all backgrounds and ages, encouraging a transgenerational exchange of skills and stories that preserve valuable knowledges and cultivate local resilience.