Projects
Merlinda has worked on community arts and advocacy projects through the years. Some of them …
Sulatan sa Panahon ng Pandemya (Letter-Writing in the Time of Pandemic), international community project with 24 women from the Philippines, Australia and US writing-exchanging letters about their lives to support each other in the time of pandemic.
Initially conceptualised and proposed by Merlinda Bobis, and facilitated in 2021 to 2022 in collaboration with Mailin Paterno-Locsin (Philippines), Joi Barrios-Leblanc (USA), Gantala Press Philippines, Likhaan Creative Writing Foundation, Inc, and Adhika, Inc, a Sydney-based Filipino-Australian community organisation. Book outcome: Sulatan sa Panahon ng Pandemya (collection of 48 letters), Gantala Press, Philippines, 2022.
Lakas Adhika: Celebrating Women and Girls
Sydney, 2017
Facilitated community storytelling and writing workshops on how women and girls survive the storms of their lives with the strength of their aspirations, their ‘lakas adhika’ — and developed their stories into a show for the International Women’s Month in 2017.
In collaboration with Adhika, Inc, a Filipino-Australian community organisation.
Susog Salog. Naga City, Philippines, 2014.
Designed and facilitated community storytelling and arts workshop to save the dying Naga River.
In collaboration with Paz ‘Doods’ Verdades-Santos with Naga creatives, academics and Naga River advocates; and Ateneo de Naga University and the City of Naga.
Re-thinking Responses & Responsibilities in River Regions. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, October 2013.
Designed and facilitated remembering and re-thinking rivers workshop.
In collaboration with Leonora Angeles and University of British Columbia.
Sharing our stories around the dining table: Aboriginal and Filipino women, 2006-2007, Sydney.
Designed and facilitated storytelling workshop, scriptwriting, and creation of performance (Customs House, Sydney, March 2007).
In collaboration with Deborah Wall, Administrator-Producer.
