Sparks in the Dark - Veterans and Defence Family Gathering

Name: Sparks in the Dark - Veterans and Defence Family Gathering
Start: 2025-08-16T03:00:00+10:00
End: 2025-08-16T05:00:00+10:00
Location: 270 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia

Schedule

Sat Aug 16 2025 at 03:00 am to 05:00 am

UTC+10:00

Location

270 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056, Australia | Brunswick, VI

Good afternoon friends,
This email is an invitation to a private exhibition function for veterans and their families.
Sparks in the Dark combines Afghan women’s embroidered artworks with new works by Afghan migrant Mursal Azizi and myself, an Australian army veteran of 20 years.
Embodying resilience, creativity and humanity in the face of adversity, this art installation will powerfully represent resistance and hope for a better future after the war.
Significantly, this event is held on the 16th, the day after the anniversary of the fall of Kabul on 15 August 2021. The 16th is also the anniversary of the suicide of Afghanistan war veteran Andrew Christie, my late husband. Australian veterans, many of whom worked tirelessly to help create a more peaceful and equitable Afghanistan, grieve for what is lost.
Mursal, myself, and the teams at Next Wave and the Australian National Veterans Art Museum warmly invite veterans and their families to join this informal private gathering. MC, veteran and poet Steve Cotterill will support a gentle, inclusive and collaborative creative environment where we may gather, remember, reflect, collaborate and create together. We hope you can join us.
Afghan sweets and saffron tea provided. Kids are very welcome.
At Next Wave, 270 Sydney Road, Brunswick on Saturday 16 August, 1-3 pm.
Free Humanitix event link for RSVP
Exhibition also open 17-22 August 11am - 4 pm daily, more details here including other exciting public events to get involved with!
Please take care: Open Arms available to chat 24/7 on 1800 011 046.
I have attached a poster for you to please print and pin up at Defence and Ex Service Organisation noticeboards.
Please help me by sharing for widest possible dissemination throughout the Defence and Veteran community in Victoria.
Sincerely,
Kat Rae
https://nextwave.org.au/news/sparks-in-the-dark