“Ochre 2008”

The Board, Staff and Students of Menzies School of Health Research would like to thank everyone involved in making Ochre 2008 the enormous success that it was.

We raised over a quarter of a million dollars through art sales and donations, and just as importantly, we were able to raise much needed awareness for the many health issues facing our Indigenous children. The support of our donors, sponsors and guests will help us improve the health situation faced by Indigenous Australians through a number of our research projects.

Singing sensation, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu and his band entertained guests, while our speakers Mr David Smorgon OAM, Prof Jonathan Carapetis and MC Mr Ray Martin shared with those present the reasons behind Ochre and the need for support of our research.

We welcomed special guests Rita Simpson, one of the artists featured in the collection, and Roslyn, Bundhala and Dipilinga who joined us from their communities in North East Arnhemland, as well as Aunty Doreen Garvey-Wandin, a Senior Wurundjeri Elder who performed the Welcome to Country.

Special thanks go to all of our committee members, donors and sponsors and we look forward to sharing with everyone Ochre 2010.

Click here for a full list of supporters.

About Ochre

Ochre is a charity art auction with a difference. Through the generous support of our sponsors and donors the Ochre artworks have been purchased directly from community art centres therefore fostering Indigenous employment and ensuring that Ochre is supporting economic development in Indigenous communities.

Fourteen artworks by some of Australia's most sought-after Indigenous artists will be auctioned with all proceeds going towards Indigenous child health research at the Menzies School of Health Research.

All artworks in the auction have been sourced directly from community art centers that are owned and governed by the artists.

About Indigenous Health

The majority of causes of premature death in Aboriginal adults are rooted in early life and in early childhood. That is why it is so important to get it right from the start.

It's a sad fact that Indigenous kids are more likely to suffer from diseases such as pneumonia and that four in five children in remote Indigenous communities have hearing loss because of severe ear infections. Young Indigenous children are more likely to be hospitalized than non-Indigenous kids, and seven out of every ten Indigenous children can expect to have scabies and skin sores in the first year of their life.

Help us to break this cycle of ill-health. Make a cash donation to Ochre and help us to make a difference to the lives of Indigenous kids.