Roots & Origins: Little Homey’s Celebration of Black Creative Power

Brunswick’s Little Homey isn’t just a Black-owned and celebrated cafe tucked inside Honey Bones Gallery; it’s a cultural meeting point with good coffee. A place where espresso is poured alongside conversation and community, where art doesn’t just hang politely on the walls but breathes in the room, and where the playlist feels as intentional as the entire ethos behind the business. Over the years, it’s become a site for fundraisers, collaborations and community moments that stretch well beyond hospitality. You don’t just pop in for a flat white; you stay because you feel seen.

Later this month, the gallery transforms again for Black Superheroes 2: Roots & Origins, the second iteration of an exhibition celebrating Black identity, heritage and creative power.

For founder Chad Camp, the theme was never going to be random.

“‘Roots & Origins’ for me feels like the source of my superpowers — my upbringing, my cultural background, the people that raised me, and the people that came before,” he says. “My textured crown is something I wear proudly. It’s a direct line to my heritage.”

The title holds a deliberate double meaning. It gestures toward ancestral homelands and lineage, while also referencing textured hair — roots as biology, roots as memory, roots as identity. If you grew up Black in Australia, chances are you carry a very specific memory of learning how to care for your hair. It wasn’t just grooming. It was navigation and connection.

“A large portion of Black people have a strong memory of growing up and having to work out how to look after their textured hair,” Camp explains. “Particularly if you grew up in Australia and didn’t have access to resources or support because you were part of a small minority. It usually goes hand in hand with your journey of identity.”

That shared experience shapes the exhibition that opens later this month. Each artist and collaborator brings their own lens to the theme, but there’s a unifying understanding underneath. One that doesn’t flatten stories into a single narrative. One that recognises a common thread and lets it stretch across different mediums, bodies and voices.

Importantly, Roots & Origins refuses to centre struggle alone. Yes, hardship exists. Yes, those stories matter. But this exhibition leans into celebration.

“Sometimes we look back at our origins and focus on the hardships and struggles faced,” Camp says. “Those are important stories, but we don’t celebrate those origins enough. This show is about celebrating our Roots & Origins.”

If the first Black Superheroes exhibition proved anything, it’s that people are hungry for spaces like this. Camp still talks about the energy: the love, the unity, the sense of pride that filled the venue. Strangers meeting, conversations that carried on long after the night ended.

“The role of this exhibition is to serve as a meeting place,” he says. “To form meaningful connections, educate, start important conversations, and give flowers to heroes in our community.”

That phrase — give flowers — lands. In a culture that so often withholds recognition, especially from Black creatives, building your own stage becomes an act of self-determination.

What excites Camp most about this second iteration is simple: the feeling.

“I’m excited to feel that energy, unity and inspiration again,” he says. “It’s a special feeling having the venue filled with the love, support and positivity that Black Superheroes attracts.”

Ultimately, the goal is clarity.

“There are so many positive stories that just need a microphone, canvas or space,” Camp says. “We hope everyone who comes through leaves feeling inspired, empowered and with a sense of pride in their community.”

Black Superheroes 2: Roots & Origins runs from Friday 27th February to Sunday 1st March 2026 at Little Homey & Honey Bones Gallery, 46 Trafford Street, Brunswick.

In a city that loves to claim culture as currency, Little Homey continues to remind us what culture actually is: people gathering with intention, honouring where they come from and refusing to wait for permission to celebrate it. For more moments shaping our city right now, explore our monthly arts and culture guide.