In this interview, Sandrine, a French‑born Australian citizen, recounts her migration and professional path across Australia’s remote Indigenous art sector. After arriving in Australia eleven years ago, she first worked at a French school in New South Wales before volunteering at the Warlukurlangu art centre in Yuendumu, NT. Her subsequent travels took her through the Pilbara, Kalgoorlie, Perth and South Australia, gaining experience with various community art projects. In mid‑2024 she responded to a job advertisement and moved to Tennant Creek, where she has now been for four and a half months. Sandrine describes the warm welcome she received (notably from a community member named Penny), her enthusiasm for working with local artists, and her desire to build long‑term relationships and “links” with the community. She reflects on the distinctiveness of remote life, acknowledges challenges, but emphasizes hope for the future and a commitment to supporting the community’s artistic endeavours.
Chapters
Why don't you just introduce yourself and we'll have a chat?
Okay, look, I'm Sandrine.
Sandrine.
I'm with the French ladies in the bush.
Yes, there are a few French ladies at the moment, aren't there?
Yes, but I'm Australian too. I have the citizenship. Yeah, yes, they are 4 years ago. I'm arriving in Australia, they are 11 years, but in the beginning I stay in the New South Wales. And I working in the French school because they are the big community in the Marlborough in New South Wales because they are this French school. And yes, one day I want to, when I coming citizen, I want to meet the First Nation people and I going out of my comfort zone and I start to travel on the Northern Territory. I start by volunteer for a big art centre is Warlungkulambu in Yuendumu, and I do back and forth. And after this experience, I want to continue on this way and to learn more, and I travel in different communities and art centres. I live in the Pilbara, Kalgoorlie, Perth, in South Australia.
Wow.
And one day I saw the ad for this position in Tenon Creek, and I want to put my luggage somewhere.
Ah, good.
And yes, because I'm tired to travel. And it's nice because you meet different people, but when you start to create a link, you need— your contract is finished because you have a short-term contract, you are in casual, and you need to, yes, to take the road again. And it's sad. I'm coming here for long term and to create a link with the community for a long time, for a while.
So how long have you been in Tenet Creek?
Now I turn 4 months and a half.
Ah, good.
Yes, I arrived end of July.
You enjoying it so far?
Yes, yes, I'm very enjoyed to work in here. They are beautiful artists. They are, aren't they? Yes, I meet very warming people. I remember Penny the first day when I arrived, she just give me a big hug. I tell, wow, I'm in the good place. Yes, yes, it just, you see, and yes, they are now, yes, what I want, I want to improve more and more Barkley, you see, to put on the lights and to, yes, to do something with this beautiful artist, to build. I don't know why now because I'm new, yes, but I want to do Yes, that's wonderful.
Yes, that's wonderful.
And to continue to create a link and walking with this, yes, this beautiful—
It's a very special community, isn't it?
Yes, it's very special community and it's completely different what I see before, because when you live in the remote community is different, but Tinang Creek sometimes is It's tricky.
It is, it can be tricky.
Yes, but they are beautiful people.
Yeah, yeah, it is.
And this gives you hopes for the future.
Ah, you feel hope here?
Yes.
That's interesting because some people feel very sad about where Tennant Creek is up to.
Yes, it's sad, but you see, when I see these beautiful ladies and with the project and she have in the mind she wants to I don't know, I have hopes and I feel hopes.
