The children’s sensorium, curated by Grace McQuilten, is an interactive exhibition featuring light, colour, touch, sound, and smell to activate children’s curiosity, connect them to local Kulin country, and introduce strategies and techniques that support emotional resilience and wellbeing. With artistic direction from Boon Wurrung elder N’Arwee’t Carolyn Briggs, the exhibition connects with waterways and animal life.

Sensorium is created with leading contemporary artists Angela Clarke/Camilla Maling, Live Particle (embodiment), Heather Hesterman (planting and botanical exploration), Fiona Hillary (light), Larissa Hjorth, Playbour (play and games), Philip Samartzis (sound),   Anna Schwann (scented sculpture), Hiromi Tango with Moon Girle, Vivian Qiu and Alex Danay (colour and textile installation). It also features Yawa, an interactive arcade game by N'arwee’t Carolyn Briggs, Jarra Karalinar Steel, Narayana Johnson, Troy Innocent and Duncan Corrigan. Exhibition design and creative development by Anthony Clarke (Bloxas).     

The exhibition is designed for children aged 4-11 and includes sense-based installations that draw on touch, sound, vision, and smell to create an environment that is fun, engaging and activates children’s curiosity while connecting them to strategies and techniques that support resilience and wellbeing. It includes a variety of materials for play and is a space that children can spend time to explore their senses, feelings, thoughts, worries and hopes. 

The project began with a pilot exhibition, The Children’s Sensorium – Art, play and mindfulness for post-pandemic recovery, which was held at RMIT Design Hub Gallery in Melbourne for The Big Anxiety Festival Naarm 2022. The pilot focused, in particular, on post-pandemic recovery. 

The project has since expanded to include artistic installations and sensory spaces at local schools in Melbourne, and a regional exhibition tour across Victoria and Queensland, enabling communities wide and far to access art-based sensory play tools and resources. The touring exhibition has traveled to Castlemaine Art Museum, Hamilton Art Gallery, Bayside Gallery, and Townsville Regional Gallery (Queensland) in Australia.

For more information and background on the exhibition, please visit RMIT University's webpage.