Presenting: Led by lived expertise

Phil Doncon employs live painting performances as a vehicle to promote improved health and well-being outcomes for children, youth and community. Since 2009, he has performed in over 350 schools in WA, Victoria and NSW. In recent years he began incorporating concepts from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) into his shows, as the most likely way to deliver useful skills towards building resilience. 

Phil became increasingly engaged in women’s rights, equality and safety, and would include aspects of this in his shows. The momentum of this process led to him commencing study in a Master of Social Work through Curtin University. As a result of this study, Phil had a dramatic realisation that he has a trauma history that has been downplayed and minimised. 

Since then, he has immersed himself in the area of trauma, what causes it, how it manifests itself and what Trauma Recovery looks like.

• Phil holds a Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art), and a Bachelor of Social Science (Youth Work)
• Phil has staged 25 solo art exhibitions.
• Phil has performed 7 seasons of "Play Me a Picture" in collaboration with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO), the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (TSO) and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.