CreativiTEA: Stitching Stories, Building Communities

CreativiTEA began with a simple yet powerful idea: bringing women together in rural and remote communities to create art, share stories, and build connections. Since its launch in 2016, this project by Arts North West has grown into a vibrant and transformative journey, weaving together the creativity, resilience, and camaraderie of women across the New England North West (NENW) region.

The Beginning: A Quilt of Stories (2016)

In 2016, a sense of purpose and collaboration sparked the very first CreativiTEA workshops. These gatherings, held in small community halls and schools across towns like Deepwater, Mungindi, and Pilliga, offered women a chance to come together and turn the humble tea towel into something extraordinary.

Each tea towel became a personal canvas, transformed with natural dyes from beetroot, turmeric, and onion skins, and stitched with patterns that told stories of life in rural Australia. Some pieces captured moments of drought, while others celebrated the beauty of their landscapes or the joy of shared connection. As the workshops progressed, the individual squares came together to form a single quilt—a vibrant patchwork that became a collective symbol of resilience, strength, and hope.

The workshops weren’t just about making art. They became places of laughter, reflection, and healing. Women who had spent long days isolated by the challenges of farming and drought found themselves sharing stories over cups of tea, their hands busy stitching memories into fabric. In those moments, the art-making was almost secondary to the comfort of being seen and heard.

When the final quilt was displayed, it told a story far bigger than its individual pieces—a story of community and creativity triumphing over hardship.

A New Chapter: Creativity Through the Seasons (2022)

After the success of the first project, CreativiTEA returned in 2022 with a fresh focus and renewed energy. This time, the workshops embraced printmaking, drawing inspiration from the changing seasons. The sessions traveled to communities like Drake, Ashford, Tingha, and Torrington, where women once again gathered in local halls to explore art and connection.

Printmaker Lizzie Horne led these sessions with her infectious enthusiasm, guiding participants through drypoint techniques. For many, it was their first experience creating art, and the joy was palpable. The sound of laughter and gasps of surprise filled the rooms as prints emerged from the press, revealing intricate and beautiful designs.

Beyond the art, these workshops became lifelines for women still reeling from the impacts of bushfires, drought, and the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over shared meals and cups of tea, the conversations flowed as freely as the creativity. Women opened up about their struggles and triumphs, finding comfort and solidarity in one another’s stories.

At the heart of this project was the idea that creating art is not just about the final product—it’s about the process. Each session became a safe space, where women could pause, breathe, and rediscover the joy of connection.

Stitching Bonds: CreativiTEA in 2023

By 2023, CreativiTEA had become a beloved fixture in the NENW region. This time, the workshops combined the textile techniques of 2016 with the printmaking of 2022, offering participants a chance to experiment with both mediums. Communities like Ben Lomond, Bundarra, and Yetman opened their halls to the project, filling them with chatter, creativity, and the comforting hum of women at work.

Lizzie Horne once again led the sessions, encouraging participants to try their hand at eco-dyeing, stitching, and printmaking. HealthWISE professionals were on hand to provide health checks and mental health resources, ensuring the women’s well-being was as much a priority as their creative expression.

These workshops felt like reunions in many ways. Women who had participated in earlier CreativiTEA projects returned, eager to rekindle friendships and continue their artistic journeys. For others, it was a new experience, one that left them surprised by their own creative abilities.

By the end of the year, the results were stunning. Individual artworks and collaborative pieces spoke of resilience and renewal, capturing the spirit of these rural communities in vivid colour and texture.

The Legacy of CreativiTEA

Over the years, CreativiTEA has visited more than a dozen towns, reached over 200 women, and created lasting memories in rural and remote communities. But its impact goes far beyond numbers. It has reignited community halls as places of creativity and connection, strengthened networks of support, and reminded women of their own strength and value.

The quilt from 2016 still hangs as a testament to that first chapter of the project, but the legacy of CreativiTEA is ongoing. Each participant carries the skills, memories, and connections they’ve gained into their daily lives. For many, it’s not just about the art they created but the friendships they formed and the stories they shared.

As CreativiTEA looks to the future, its mission remains clear: to bring women together, to create beauty and strength through art, and to remind us all of the power of community.