The launch of Powerhouse Materials: Textiles, curated by the inspiring Chloe Hayden, brought a full day of creativity, conversation, and community to Powerhouse Castle Hill. Volunteers were proud to be part of the first major exhibition opening and event of the year, helping to deliver an engaging and memorable experience for visitors of all ages.
The program featured conversations with Chloe Hayden and special guests including Ayesha Madon, Grace Vegesana, and Sam Todd, exploring themes of identity, activism, fashion, and neurodivergence. Ayesha gave a live performance from her upcoming EP, while Powerhouse curators offered insights into the textile collection. Visitors also enjoyed behind-the-scenes tours and learned about the digitisation of textiles in the collection.
Volunteers played a key role throughout the day, especially at the Textile Activity Station, which introduced visitors to the journey of wool—from raw fleece to finished textiles—through interactive objects and guided interpretation.
Volunteers also ran a badge-making station using designs from the Powerhouse textile collection—a huge hit with visitors! Storytelling sessions for children, featuring books about fashion icons like Coco Chanel and their childhood dreams, were also a big favourite.
A huge thank you to our incredible volunteers who brought energy, warmth, and enthusiasm to every part of the day. We had an amazing time and couldn’t have done it without you!
Blogpost by Karen Griffiths, (Volunteers Program Officer)