A cross-cultural creative dialogue is emerging between Sean James Cassidy, Parkes-based artist and director of Ub Ubbo Exchange, and Toby Finlayson, Forbes-born co-founder and CEO of Desert Pea Media (DPM), grounded in a shared belief that storytelling can strengthen identity, preserve culture, and create pathways for healing within communities.

Ub Ubbo Exchange is a locally and internationally recognised award-winning art and music collective, while Desert Pea Media has become widely respected for its community-engagement initiatives through music, film, and storytelling projects across Australia.

Finlayson is widely respected throughout the Central West for his long-standing commitment to preserving First Nations culture through music, film, and digital storytelling.

His work has centred on building strong relationships within communities to create sustainable, community-led cultural programs that empower young people and preserve local knowledge for future generations.

Cassidy’s Ub Ubbo Exchange has built a strong reputation for supporting emerging artists and musicians, creating pathways for regional creatives to connect with established national and international talent.

The collective has been supported at their fundraising events by musicians Parkes' Dusty Yellow Sunbeams, Julia Jacklin (Phantastic Ferniture), and Celia Pavey (Vera Blue) and most recently acclaimed music director Paul Beard, known for his work with James Blunt, Robbie Williams, and Lily Allen.

The group also continues to collaborate closely with local creatives including Marc Payne of Marc Payne Photography, and Scott Turnbull, whose Wiradjuri-inspired painting and design work has contributed to a growing movement of regional cultural collaboration throughout the Central West.

What began as a series of conversations around art, narrative, and cultural preservation has evolved into an ongoing exchange of ideas centred on community-led storytelling.

Both Cassidy and Finlayson are products of country Central West NSW, and despite taking different creative paths, they share a deep commitment to ensuring culture, memory, and lived experience remain in the hands of the communities who carry them.

Their discussions have expanded beyond artistic practice into broader ideas surrounding international collaboration, digital archiving, and community ownership of cultural knowledge.

Early concepts include creating opportunities for communities across Australia, the Philippines, and the South Pacific to document and share stories in ways that are authentic, living, and self-determined.

The pair recently travelled together to the Philippines for a cultural exchange, reconnecting creatively for the first time since collaborating there in 2012 on a music and arts project.

During the visit, Cassidy and Finlayson met with First Nations tribal communities to explore opportunities for future cultural exchange programs and community-engaged arts initiatives throughout Asia and the South Pacific.

Now, the collaboration is moving into a new phase.

Cassidy and Finlayson are currently developing a pilot video project designed to spark broader conversations around preserving culture through arts and music engagement.

The project ties into internationally recognised cultural celebrations including International Mother Language Day on 21 February and Australia–Philippines Friendship Day on 22 May, highlighting the importance of language, identity, and cross-cultural connection through creative practice.

For Cassidy and Finlayson, the work extends far beyond artistic output.

They describe the process as a “yarn” - an ongoing conversation shaped by trust, deep listening and mutual respect.

At the centre of the collaboration is a simple principle: connection comes before creation.

From that foundation, they believe meaningful cultural exchange can grow organically and sustainably across communities and borders.