TAYLA SUDALL
A young Indigenous woman has taken huge steps towards achieving her dreams of becoming an artist after she won a $2000 scholarship from ATSICHS Brisbane.
Twice a year, ATSICHS (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service) Brisbane awards six young Indigenous people with the ‘Young, Black and Deadly Scholarship’. Winners are given either a $2000 or $1000 scholarship to support them with their artistic or sporting dreams, or to further their education and training.
The Young, Black and Deadly Scholarships are awarded to young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the local community who are excelling and in financial need, to attend school or university, purchase equipment, get accommodation and much more.
Stevie O’Chin applied for the Young, Black and Deadly Scholarship earlier in the year after receiving encouragement and support from the high school she graduated from in 2016.
Ms O’Chin currently attends TAFE where she studies Visual Arts and felt motivated to apply for the scholarship for the extra money and support that she would receive.
In late August Ms O’Chin was notified that her application was successful and she would be the recipient of a $2000 scholarship to assist her with her artistic goals.
“I didn’t just get the cash, I go to the art stores and I can either just buy all the stuff I want and get the receipt and then give it back to ATSICHS and they will reimburse me or I can do an invoice,” Ms O’Chin said.
Ms O’Chin says that visual art wasn’t something she always dreamed of doing and that more than anything, visual art found her.
Ms O’Chin says that she has really found her passion with visual art, that she loves it and believes it’s what she wants to do as a career.
“Honestly, I like, I never even thought of it, I just… fell into it,” Ms O’Chin said.
Ms O’Chin said she intends to put the full $2000 towards getting herself art supplies.
