State of Sk8 conversation

Over the past year, 2025 John Oxley Library Honorary Fellow Dr Indigo Willing delved deep into State Library’s collections, uncovering new stories and fresh perspectives on Queensland’s history through their State Library Fellowship. 

Join us for our State of Sk8 conversation in The Edge Auditorium, with Dr Indigo Willing and guests.  

Indigo's research is dedicated to exploring the often-overlooked history of skateboarding and the enthusiasts who claim urban spaces. Her project, ‘Queensland Skate of Mind: Subcultural Game Changers to Olympian ‘Roll’ Models’, aims to uncover the history and future of skateboarding by collecting stories from pioneering and emerging youth skateboarders, both amateur and professional. This exploration will not only highlight the evolution of skateboarding but also shed light on aspects of Queensland’s history that are frequently neglected, particularly the contributions of informal coalitions of enthusiasts who utilise urban “grey spaces” created by concrete infrastructure for creative play and inclusive community-building.

Find out more about Indigo’s research by reading her blogs. This event is part of the Research Reveals program celebrating the achievements of State Library of Queensland Fellows.

This event is part of The Edge's State of Sk8 program taking place throughout June with a variety of free and paid activities and workshops. 

About the speakers

Dr Indigo Willing is the JOL Honorary Fellow 2025. Her research project 'Queensland Skate of Mind: Subcultural Game Changers to Olympian ‘Roll’ Models' explored the rich and diverse world of skateboarding in Queensland, tapping into growing public interest in skateboarding as both a high-performance and Olympic sport, while also shedding light on its deep subcultural roots. Indigo is an Adjunct Research Fellow at Griffith University for Social and Cultural Research and a Visiting Social Social Science Fellow at the Sydney Social Science and Humanities Advanced Research Centre (SSSHARC), at The University of Sydney.  

Alex Anasson is the CEO of Skate Australia and has a strong background in leadership roles in sports administration including as General Manager – Sport Services at AusTriathlon and AusCycling. As a panellist, Alex will talk about preparations for and opportunities of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Miljana Miljevic represents WeSkate Queensland, the longest-running and largest skate network for women, non-binary and non-traditional skaters in Australia. WeSkate host weekly meet ups and lead and collaborate on a range of special events and initiatives. Miljana is a Brisbane-based skater and filmmaker.  

Dani Campbell is a member of the Songline First Nations Skateboarding team, World Skate SB competitor, and is featured in a recent digital history to be added to the State Library collection. 

Accessibility

If you require accessible seating options please call 3842 9827 or email creativeproduction@slq.qld.gov.au

Photography and videography notice

This event will be photographed and filmed, and the resulting content may be shared online to promote State Library of Queensland and its partners.

By attending, you consent to State Library capturing and using images or videos that may include you.

If you prefer not to be photographed or filmed, you are still very welcome to attend. Please contact our Events team in advance at creativeproduction@slq.qld.gov.au or inform a staff member upon arrival, and we will ensure your preferences are respected.

Can't join us in person?

The conversation will not be live streamed but will be recorded. You will be able to watch the entire conversation after the event here. 

Subscribe to be the first to know about our future events.

We respect your privacy. Personal information we collect is used only for our internal activities and functions (Libraries Act 1988 (Qld)) and will not be disclosed unless required by law. For more information, please read State Library's privacy statement. The views expressed by the speakers are their own and the promotion of products/services is not endorsed by State Library.