Creativity born from courage
When you give, you create opportunities for students like Sara Jane Johnston to transform adversity into achievement. A Brighter Futures Scholarship gave her the space to heal, grow, and pursue her passion for art at Griffith’s Queensland College of Art and Design (QCAD).
Having navigated through immense pain and numerous setbacks, I now look forward with hope for a brighter future.
Scholarship recipient Sara Jane Johnston
This year, we partnered with Sara Jane to design our 2025 holiday card—a celebration of creativity and resilience. Her artwork, inspired by the persistence of water, the strength of fire, and the joy of the season, blends oil pastel drawings with digital techniques. Each element reflects her journey of overcoming challenges and embracing possibility.
After a severe workplace injury in 2019, Sara Jane was told her injuries would define her future. Instead, she chose to reimagine her path. Encouraged by a TAFE teacher who recognised her artistic talent, she enrolled in a visual arts and graphic design course, rediscovering her passion and finding inspiration from mentors at QCAD.
Receiving the Brighter Futures Scholarship was transformative. It enabled Sara Jane to afford essential arts tools such as the Adobe software every artist needs. The scholarship eased everyday pressures by covering essentials such as parking and, during challenging times, even helping with the cost of meals. “It was really such a lifesaver having a Brighter Futures scholarship - it really did help keep going.”
Sara Jane’s story is one of resilience and hope. “Going through injury, it does feel like you’re struggling through some strange environment and it’s quite a dark place to be at times, but it is a journey. It can be a struggle to keep your grades up. It can be a struggle to manage working at the same time as university. But receiving a scholarship really does help you to keep going, which is a wonderful thing.”
Now in her second year at QCAD, Sara Jane is excited for the future. She aspires to work in graphic design and branding, with the flexibility to create art wherever life takes her. “It’s been an amazing journey and QCAD and Brighter Futures is an amazing community – it feels very much like a family.”
More than $100 million of philanthropy has already been secured to create a brighter future for all.
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