Postcards from Somewhere: ‘marginal’ cultural production, creativity and community

Abstract

This paper focuses on a case study of local postcard production in a rural community in Western Australia. Drawing on in-depth interviews with key producers of these postcards, the analysis presented explores perceptions of and contexts for the emergence of this production, in turn examining the notion of ‘creativity’ articulated and privileged by this cultural work. Connections are identified between the making of postcards, the broader historical field of local cultural work and the construction of community. This, in turn, forms the basis for consideration of the role and relativity of ‘marginality’.

Keywords:

• Creativity
• cultural industries
• community
• postcards
• rural Australia

Acknowledgements

I would like to extend a warm ‘thank you’ to the ‘postcard producers of Ravensthorpe Shire’ for sharing their experiences with me and commenting on the draft paper. Sincere thanks also to Chris Gibson for the invitation to contribute to this issue. Much of this research was conducted during an independent Fellowship funded by the Alcoa Foundation's Conservation and Sustainability Program at the Alcoa Research Centre for Stronger Communities at Curtin University of Technology.

Notes

1. This list is far from complete and is not intended to suggest that the noted items are more ‘cultural’ or in any other way worthier than those mentioned.

2. This subjective view is not offered as historically accurate.