The Cost of Living Workshop by Clarence Valley Council

The Cost of Living is a free one-day creative workshop led by artist Peggy Zephyr, centered on lived female experiences including everyday pressures, care, identity, and survival. Participants create playful, satirical 'products' using supermarket imagery and mixed media, contributing directly to an evolving community-led art exhibition at Grafton Regional Gallery. Held on May 9, 2026, from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM, the trauma-informed session includes warm-up activities, 3 hours of hands-on making, a light lunch, and flexible breaks, co-facilitated by the artist and an art therapist from Happymess Studio. No art experience is required, and all materials are provided in a supportive, women-centered environment prioritizing choice and agency. Funded by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, it invites regional community members to explore emotional and social costs of living through accessible art-making.