The talent of Archibald winners will be present at the first KYUP! Project Art Gala, an event set to make a difference in the lives of thousands of children by improving their self-defence skills and self-esteem.
Art and philanthropy will come together on 20 October at the KYUP! Project Art Gala to raise money to deliver domestic violence prevention education in underprivileged schools across New South Wales.
The event, to be held at the Sydney Town Hall, will display the talent of nine Archibald winners and finalists who have contributed to an evening of glamour and philanthropy, including Katherine Longhurst, Kim Leutwyler and Luke Cornish.
The project, founded by Clontarf local and two-time Australian black belt martial arts champion Mel Thomas, will partner with 20 underprivileged NSW schools to empower 2,000 students in 2024/25 through workshops to improve their safety and wellbeing.
This is the first major fundraising event to support the growth of the KYUP! Project. Seven-time Surfing World Champion Layne Beachley will host the evening.
“We have thrown out the playbook on charity gala events!” Mel says. “Our black-tie ball is going to be a fun immersive art experience with the best of the best food and wine. We have worked very hard to make sure that it’s a remarkable experience. It will be an extraordinary night of art and philanthropy.”
Mel hopes the gala night will create more awareness and raise funds for violence prevention education.
“We are specifically working with our most underfunded and underprivileged schools, which are doing it tough right now,” Mel explains. “We want to talk with students about what to do when they encounter unsafe situations with unsafe individuals.”
Mel’s commitment to this cause is deeply personal, stemming from her own experiences with domestic violence. She found solace and strength in martial arts and decided to ‘pay it forward’ by empowering others.
These skills are crucial in scenarios like schoolyard bullying, party safety, or public transport, enabling young people to help without jeopardising their safety.
Mel and Layne started the KYUP! Project in 2013. KYUP! is derived from the Korean word for ‘shout,’ a term often used in martial arts, and means the spirit of self-protection.
Their goal is to break the cycle of family and domestic violence at a grassroots level by empowering women and children with self-worth and self-defence programs. Over the years, the KYUP! Project has touched more than 20,000 women and children across Australia and New Zealand.
When
Friday 20 October, from 6pm to 11pm.
Where
Sydney Town Hall, 483 George St, Sydney NSW 2000.
To book a table for the Art Gala, visit kyupproject.com.au/artsgala23/