An Inspiring Intersection of Innovation and Accessibility in Art and Culture

In 2023, Juluwarlu CEO Lorraine Coppin embarked on an innovative project that transformed a 1955 vintage Bedford bus into an immersive, mobile art space. Collaborating with artist Dr. Andrew Sunley Smith, Coppin envisioned the Yellow Bus as a vehicle for both literal and cultural transportation, designed to house Yindjibarndi arts and interactive learning materials, traveling to different locations to engage larger audiences with Yindjibarndi culture while at the same time reconnecting the Yindjibarndi community with their history. 

The Yellow Bus symbolizes much more than an artistic endeavor—it’s a living archive of collective memory, embodying the profound connection between Yindjibarndi people and their Ngurra (Country). Lorraine Coppin’s inspiration for the project stems from her own fond childhood experiences in Roebourne, where people were often transported on a yellow bus out onto Yindjibarndi Country. For many, these trips were a rare opportunity to return to their ancestral lands, spending precious time with Elders who shared knowledge, stories, and cultural practices during a period when families had been forcibly relocated to town camps on Ngarluma Country. As Lorraine recalls,

 “The Yellow Bus gave us a time that we looked forward to every weekend and on holidays. It promised us connection with Elders and to take us back home. It taught us how to look after family and each other.”