A Charles Sturt University (CSU) student's exhibition of art works by Bathurst residents and others affected in some way by adoption will be launched in the foyer of Bathurst Base Hospital on Thursday 9 October. The community exhibition 'Lost and Found – the art of adoption' forms part of a Bachelor of Communication (Theatre and Media) (Honours) research project by Ms Alesha Elbourne, a student in the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst. Ms Elbourne has researched the use of art-based methods to explore stories, experiences and issues concerning people affected by adoption. "This participatory art project has provided an opportunity to give voice to the stories, experiences and issues of people who are affected by adoption," Ms Elbourne said. "It was not necessary for the participants to be artists, just people who identified as being affected by adoption in some way. The artworks have a beautifully personalised quality, having been handmade and written using eco art or recycled materials." The exhibition features artworks from both local and nationally-based participant artists via online correspondence, and includes a patchwork-style map of artworks and photographs of artworks including masks, sculpture, letters, postcards etc, and there will also be a handmade magazine featuring stories and artworks by 12 local artist-participants on the topic of adoption.