About The Refinery
The Refinery is SCCA’s professional development platform supporting creative practitioners and businesses working at the intersection of art, technology, environment and design.
Through inter-connected program offerings, SCCA’s objective is to secure and nurture a pipeline of technologically and ecologically engaged creative thinkers positioned to develop their practices for new markets and audiences.
The Refinery was launched in 2019 as a 10 week creative business incubator program through a partnership between Sunshine Coast Council, SunCentral and the MET, and SCCA. In 2023 SCCA took leadership of the program.
To date, The Refinery has successfully supported 87 independent creative practitioners and businesses to understand their value and the context in which they operate, identify new markets, and grow to position themselves as creative leaders.
In 2024, we welcome the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) as new partners. This support will enable The Refinery to expand its initiatives to include artist residencies, short specialist programs, masterclasses and talks.
Elder-in-Residence
Aunty Helena Gulash
Helena is a Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) Traditional Custodian and Elder, living on her lands. She currently works as a consultant in Indigenous Arts and Cultural Management and ardently promotes the unique value of First Nations Arts & Cultural development. As an artist, Helena is passionate about creating innovative works that decolonise the narratives about Australian First Nations Peoples and the potential for First Nations ‘stories’ to be told by First Nations Peoples in powerful and innovative ways. Truth telling is vital for all Peoples to move forward in the future.
“It was ‘go big, think big, dream big, and we’ll help you get there’, and I think it really helped us envision how big we could go. And here we are, we’ve gone global with podcasts and online courses and things, we have major partners and 40 staff.
The network of people that we met was hugely impactful. We still utilise the contacts and it’s not just with the year we participated but the ongoing cohorts as well, which has been exceptional.”
Nicki Farrell & Vicci Oliver Wildlings Forest School
R 1.0 2019
About SCCA
Established in 2008, SCCA is a membership organisation based on the Sunshine Coast working to elevate the creative sector to be sustainable and relevant. We do this through professional development, leadership and advocacy.
In addition to SCCA’s professional development platform The Refinery, SCCA manages Sub Tropic, our creative space providing members with access to artist studios, co-working and meeting spaces. Our members also have access to services and support including grant auspicing and promotion, and we advocate for and on behalf of the sector locally and nationally.
