We consider cultural practice and story as the starting place for discussing creative ways of connecting people and place.  The success and impacts of our work demonstrate the depth of engagement possible when prioritising and working through cultural practice.

Ferment Collaborate is a creative engagement agency that specialises in a cultural projects, collaborative multimedia, linking cultural preferences to local area planning, and collaboratively designing activation and management strategies to support inclusive communities.

We specialise in creative approaches to community engagement and active participation using leading practice workshop and public space approaches, participatory design processes, community accountability and management groups,  workshop and activity programs and participation in planning and decision making processes.

We work with specialist facilitators with relevant planning, engagement, and creative arts skills who understand the important roles of culture and creativity in supporting people and communities.

As we update this site we’ll add more detail about the specific leading practice processes we have developed and use regularly in our work, including:

• The SpeakOut – an interactive, drop in event designed to display information and encourage dialogue through themed displays or stalls

• World Cafe – a small group dialogic process that uses meaningful conversation for transformative change, based on the World Cafe model

• Story Lounge – street-based placemaking approach to community engagement using a “lounge room” installation and multimedia

• Cultural mapping – place based engagement and story gathering to contribute to social and community planning processes

• 2nd generation CPTED – social and cultural approaches to Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design practice

• Community Reference Groups – community participation in public space management, masterplanning and asset management

platforms for ongoing capacity building, cultural exchange and inclusion

innovative, creative and leading practice engagement techniques and strategies

integrated approaches to using placemaking to strengthen communities and contribute to planning and governance

connections between people and agencies to strengthen networks and create opportunities for collaboration

specific approaches to engaging with and involving marginalised groups including First Nations Australians, refugees and migrants, young people and older people and people with a disability