KUBU Studio Launch

Bringing a fresh wave of diversity and creativity to Geelong, the KUBU Studio is launching on October 23 with plenty of music, life and colour. Embedded with the studio’s Indonesian heritage, it brings together the richness of different cultures in an exciting launch party.
“We have Alice Ivy, The Living Eyes, and loads of other bands too,” says Marketing and Communications Manager Oscar Ronan.
“We have a pop up shop by Nautical Safari, we’re going to have a live video feed from Indonesia and artists. I believe they will also be doing an exhibition on the night in KUBU which will be great!”
If the name KUBU (That’s Koo-Boo) sounds familiar, that’s probably because you have walked past the gallery before. Previously located on Little Malop Street, it was closed when the lease ran out. Now with the return of KUBU, it is bigger and even more vibrant than before.
“It just revived recently. We’ve got this great space on Bayley Street, it’s just around the corner from the Mill Market and the train station…so we’re coming together. There’s a whole big team of us now to create KUBU two, I suppose!”
Designed to be an “all inclusive place” for teens and young adults in the region, it works on the premise that creativity crosses cultural and personal differences. KUBU is inviting the public to join them in this journey as they feature the artwork of Indonesian artists Ryan Ady Putra and Okta Samid at the launch.
“I think what’s fresh about us, is that we’re bringing a space that’s for almost that underground culture of people who are not necessarily included in social circles. Or they’re different pertaining to their diversity from the white, heterosexual, straight, whatever,” shares Ronan.
“So we’re looking at people of all different racial and ethnic backgrounds, we’re looking at LGBTI people, we’re looking at impoverished people, we’re looking at people with disabilities, we’re looking everywhere… for all different sectors of society. We’re really behind that space for people to express themselves or to have a good time.”
The KUBU Studio already has many projects in the works, including fashion shows, panels, art exhibitions and film nights. A key aspect of this will be the launch of their Undertones Project in the coming months.
“The Undertones Project is again going to looking at different sectors of community, and bringing community engagement representing those kind of unheard voices,” he says.
Different forums and events will be held for the project, allowing often under represented people to express themselves creatively and learn more about social issues. It will culminate in an exhibition that will bring the community together.
“Art can be a fantastic medium through which one can express themselves. And that doesn’t need to be good art, I think that’s a misconception about good and bad art,” shares Ronan.
“For me personally, I think creativity cultivates expression just because it allows people to get all their tangled up feelings out onto a page. Sometimes it looks terrible, and sometimes it looks great. But the point is that it allows that medium.”
Written by Jessica Morris
The KUBU Studio launches on October 23, with doors opening at 5.30pm.
Located at 14 Bayley St, Geelong, it is open to the public and tickets are available at kubulaunch.eventbrite.com.