A recipient of $15,000 worth of planning funding through stage one of VicHealth’s The Art of Good Health grant scheme, the project's delivery will commence under the second stage at a later date.
Eight local women of differing creeds and cultures will spearhead Shepparton Culture Kitchen alongside artist and dramaturg Jamie Lewis.
It will feature foodie experiences based on Greater Shepparton’s societal melting pot, deriving from an aim to promote clean eating while addressing health inequality.
Mayor Seema Abdullah acknowledged the project as a medium to endorse cultural pride and highlight the city’s wealth of diversity.
“Food and the conversations around it are about so much more than what we eat,” Cr Abdullah said.
“Shepparton Culture Kitchen will promote healthy eating in our community while also encouraging our residents to connect with their cultures. It will diversify and build local knowledge around what food means to different communities in Greater Shepparton.
“Council is looking forward to working with MAV and Primary Care Connect to deliver Shepparton Culture Kitchen and unlock the flavours of Greater Shepparton.”
Multicultural Arts Victoria chief executive Veronica Pardo sees Shepparton Culture Kitchen as a powerful means of expression, identifying expertise within the community as a key exponent in breaking down health equity barriers.
“MAV is proud to partner with Greater Shepparton City Council to elevate the voices of local, culturally diverse artists and community members as experts in their own lived experience, with the knowledge and skills to design interventions that address systemic barriers to good health,” Ms Pardo said.
“What they need, are resources. We are thrilled to be a conduit for community self-determination and look forward to learning from this project.”
More information on VicHealth’s The Art of Good Health program can be found at https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/programs-and-projects/the-art-of-good-health
