Professional Development

Melissa Gilbert is a descendent of the Mununjali Clan of the Yugambeh Nation from South East Queensland with links to Quandamooka whose multidisciplinary practice spans object, performance, installation, sensory, experience design and systems-led cultural transformation. Her work is driven by a commitment to healing disconnection between planet, place and people through embodied experiences, activated by her UPP methodology. As founder of UnitePlayPerform, a regenerative studio and movement, she creates transformative socially engaged works that merge art, health, design and community culture. Her full-scale encompassing environments have been presented at major institutions including the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Old and New Art, Museum of Brisbane and Rockhampton Museum of Art. Melissa Gilbert will bring a large-scale, site responsive movement project to transform HOTA Gallery and the HOTA Cultural Precinct spaces into a living, breathing, moving exhibition through professional development workshops, public workshops and processions co-performed with Gold Coast artists.