Name: OFF THE MAP | The Geography of Becoming
Start: 2026-08-15T17:00:00+10:00
End: 2026-08-15T20:30:00+10:00
Location: 3 Ellingworth Parade

OFF THE MAP | The Geography of Becoming

At Art For People’s Sake, we believe creativity is for everyone.Each event is an invitation to step beyond your comfort zone — to explore your own story, to step into the skin of another, and to glimpse worlds you may never have seen before. Through dance, theatre, music, writing, and visual art, we create participatory, inclusive experiences where meaning is made together.Our projects aren’t just about art for art’s sake — they’re about connection, empathy, and discovery. When you join us, you’re not only finding your voice, but learning to see and honour the voices of others.

Art For People's Sake

A live evening of theatre, music, storytelling and conversation exploring the maps we inherit and the journeys that shape us.

3 Ellingworth Parade

The Gatherings

Creative gatherings for curious humans. Thought-provoking experiences that blend live performance, conversation, creativity, music and community. Come to a gathering, join a creative session, or become part of the journey as it unfolds.

OFF THE MAP<h2>Chapter Two of The Gatherings</h2><h3>The Geography of Becoming</h3>What happens when the map no longer matches the landscape?Most of us spend our lives navigating. Sometimes by instinct. Sometimes by carefully following maps we didn't even realise we'd inherited from our families, our culture, our workplaces, our faith or simply from the quiet expectations we've absorbed along the way.Then something changes.A relationship ends. A career no longer fits. Children grow up. A diagnosis arrives. Faith shifts. A dream quietly disappears. Or perhaps nothing dramatic happens at all—you simply wake up one morning with the unsettling feeling that the life you've been building no longer feels entirely like your own.The map still looks familiar.But somehow... you're no longer on it.Off the Map is an evening for anyone who has ever found themselves in that place. Not because it promises easy answers, but because becoming rarely begins with certainty. It begins with curiosity.Created by Melbourne multidisciplinary artist Kendall Bryant, Off the Map is the second chapter in The Gatherings—a monthly series of live experiences where theatre, music, storytelling, visual art and conversation come together to explore what it means to be human.Each Gathering is built around a different question. They aren't lectures, concerts or workshops, although they borrow something from all three. They're immersive evenings where ideas are explored through performance, where music becomes part of the conversation, and where audiences are invited not simply to watch but to participate and contribute (only as much as you'd like to - being a glorious wallflower is completely ok too!).This month's question is simple:What happens when the map no longer matches the landscape?Together we'll explore what it means to find our way when the old maps no longer fit.______________Throughout the evening you'll experience a live performance essay written and performed by multidisciplinary artist, Kendall Bryant, live music, theatre, storytelling, creative participation (always optional) and visual art. You'll also hear a thought-provoking conversation with Eugene Wong, founder of A Stronger Narrative, exploring the idea that "the map is not the territory." Social worker and art therapist Hannah Wright will guide a shared creative experience, inviting us to explore these ideas not just with our minds, but with our hands and our imaginations. Together we'll unpack the invisible maps we inherit—about success, identity, purpose and belonging—and what happens when the stories we've been living by no longer match the reality of our lives.The Gatherings grew out of Kendall's belief that art belongs in everyday life, not just galleries and theatres. As an artist, writer, performer and community builder, she creates experiences where strangers become less strange, conversations continue long after the event ends, and creativity becomes something we share rather than simply consume.Her work spans visual art, theatre, music, photography, writing and participatory arts, but at the heart of everything she creates is a simple conviction: every person has a story worth listening to, and every community becomes richer when we make space for curiosity, imagination and genuine human connection._________________<h2>Become One of the 100 Life Cartographers</h2>This isn't simply an audience being assembled.It's a room of people helping to make the work.Everyone who books before midnight Sunday 9 August becomes part of Off the Map before the doors even open.As you book, you'll receive a single prompt:<blockquote>One map I have had to redraw is...</blockquote>Your response becomes part of the installation artwork at the heart of the gathering. It won't simply be displayed—it will help shape the conversations, creative experiences and moments of reflection that unfold throughout the evening.By the time you arrive, part of you will already be there.Everyone who books before midnight Sunday 9 August will also receive an exclusive Journey Card—an original artwork created especially for Off the Map, accompanied by a reflection to carry with you before we meet.Your digital Journey Card will arrive before the gathering, and a printed keepsake will be waiting for you on the night.Book after midnight Sunday 9 August, and you'll still experience Off the Map.Book before, and you'll help shape it from the very beginning._________________Whether this is your first Gathering or you're returning after our Winter event, you'll be warmly welcomed.You don't need to be artistic.You don't need to have your life sorted.You don't need to know anybody before you arrive.Many people come on their own, and by the end of the evening they've shared soup, conversations and stories with people who were strangers just a few hours earlier.If your life has taken an unexpected turn, if you're questioning old definitions of success or purpose, if you're beginning again, or if you simply love thoughtful conversation, live performance, beautiful music and excellent humans, you'll probably feel right at home._______________<h2>Begin the Journey Before We Meet</h2>The gathering has already begun.In the lead-up to Off the Map, I'm sharing reflections, creative prompts and small invitations to notice the landscape you're already walking through in the Cartographer's Notebook.Some people will arrive on the night without reading a thing.Others will enjoy following the journey as it unfolds.There's no right way to begin.But if you're curious, I'd love to invite you to wander through the notebook before we meet.It's where the map is still being drawn.Explore the Cartographer's Notebook Here:_______________The evening begins at 5:00pm on Saturday 15 August at Box Hill Baptist Church* Arrive on time to enjoy a bowl of homemade soup, meet other guests, get creative and settle in before the performance and art making begins.This isn't about having everything figured out.It's about becoming better travellers.We'd love you to join us. *NB. The event takes place inside the church building. This is not a religious event, BHBC have simply kindly shared their home.

OFF THE MAP | The Geography of Becoming

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OFF THE MAP | The Geography of Becoming

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