Creating space for young voices to be seen, heard and celebrated.
The ROAR! Collective works with schools and communities to co-create public murals that spark connection, leadership and belonging. We believe creativity is a powerful antidote to disconnection, helping young people switch off their screens, tune into each other and take pride in shaping their shared environment.
Our Why
Today’s young people face increasing pressure online and off.
38% of teens spend three or more hours a day on social media, a habit now linked with loneliness, anxiety and a reduced sense of control. Combined with a growing mental-health burden and waning community connection, it’s clear we need creative, collective solutions.
In LGBTQIA+ spaces, ROAR stands for Resilient, Outstanding, Amazing and Radical. It’s a celebration of strength, authenticity and pride. For us, it’s also a call to action: a reminder that courage can be both loud and gentle, and that change (real and visible) starts right here.
Our Approach
Our youth-led, co-created mural programs offer a mindfulness-based, collaborative model that:
Brings young people together through a shared creative purpose
Builds leadership, confidence and teamwork skills
Offers a tech-free space for reflection and visibility
Delivers a lasting public artwork co-designed by youth
Enhances shared spaces with impactful visual placemaking
Our Values
All Ages, All Abilities
We co-create with everyone, from early childhood through to seniors. Our programs are inclusive, accessible and guided by current Working With Children and Vulnerable People checks.
Regional Roots
We believe powerful stories grow from local soil. Every community has its own history, heroes and environment to protect, and we’re proud to help regional voices shine.
Grassroots Change
Global change begins locally. Our community-led murals turn space into place, strengthening wellbeing, connection and collaboration through art.
Diversity and Belonging
We celebrate the diversity within every community. By welcoming all perspectives, we create murals that feel authentic, inclusive and deeply connected.
Youth at the Centre
Young people lead our projects from concept to creation. Their ideas drive the work, building confidence, skills and a sense of pride in their community.
Respect for Country
We honour First Nations knowledge and prioritise sustainable, low-impact materials. Every project aims to protect, respect and celebrate the environment that sustains us.
About Our Founder
Bohie Blackwood is a professional street artist and creative workshop facilitator who believes in the grassroots power of co-creation to encourage sustainable change. After over 10 years of working on street art and youth-led mural projects across Australia, she has founded The ROAR! Collective to assist schools, community groups and local councils to create spaces where young people feel seen, valued, and connected; to each other, to place, and to themselves.
For Bohie, it’s about leadership, deep listening, and remembering that real change begins with small acts of collaboration and connection.
See Bohie’s full creative portfolio at www.bohie.com.au
PARTNERS
•
National Museum of Australia
•
Canberra Airport Group
•
ACT Government
•
Sustainable Schools Australia
•
NSW Government
• National Museum of Australia • Canberra Airport Group • ACT Government • Sustainable Schools Australia • NSW Government
Bohie Blackwood. Founder.
“Art saved my life.
Not the quiet, solitary kind of art, but the loud, messy, public kind that takes over walls and hearts alike. Mural art gave me a way to connect, to listen and to lead.
As a young woman who never quite fit the mould, navigating mental health struggles, a restless need to explore and a deep resistance to the corporate ladder, I found freedom through large-scale public murals. What began as rebellion against billboards telling me who to be soon became a vessel for storytelling and social change. Through my work, I have had the privilege of collaborating with environmental scientists, First Nations Elders, LGBTQIA+ advocates and female Olympians, translating their voices into powerful visual narratives in shared public spaces.
Rooted in the traditional craft of mentorship and skill-sharing, I now use those same principles to empower the next generation. My projects bring young people together to design and paint their own stories on their own walls, reclaiming space, belonging and voice.
Over the past decade I have led youth-led and co-created mural projects across Australia and abroad, spoken at leadership conferences and delivered creative activations for corporate, school and festival settings. Each project reinforces the same truth:
..I believe co-created art can be a bridge between disconnection and belonging.”
“Working and creating art with you has really given me a new perspective... and has opened me up to so many new ideas and experiences.”
— Youth Workshop Participant, Scratchin’ The Surface Street Art Workshop
“I believe this street art workshop gave the participants a great sense of accomplishment and belonging… We loved every minute of it.”
— Samantha Pawsey, Youth Support Worker, Harrison School ACT
