MAV empowers diverse creatives and communities who create work that challenge, re-define, inspire, provoke and engage. Meet these artists and their works here.
Curator, Producer, Dancer, Choreographer
Gracieuse Amah (aka Kwabo Grace) is a curator, producer, dancer, choreographer and the creative director of social enterprise Kwabo Events.
Composer, Multi-Instrumentalist, Producer
Rodrigo Gallardo is a composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer from Chile. He began his journey in music from an early age, next to the charango and the zampoña.
Collective
ISU TAKI is a collective of Naarm-based Latin- American DJs/promoters that began as a response to the lack of representation of emerging movements of underground dancefloors across Abya Yala (aka Latin America).
DJ
Originally from Colombia and now based in Melbourne. Cuerpo Negro is a music selector who started out with the aim of sharing the vibrant rhythms of South American Folktronica in the Southern Hemisphere. Over time, the project has expanded to incorporate a range of world electronica elements, resulting in a sound that is both innovative and eclectic.
Music selector
Otorongo is a music selector originally from Chile but currently based in Naarm (Melbourne). He is known for transporting audiences to pristine ecosystems: tropical floodplains, mountain rainforests, or wherever your imagination feels the most comfortable. Otorongo's sets are filled with ethnic percussions, nature samples, and exotic instruments, and are driven by ancient rhythms carefully blended to ensure you feel free to dance. Usually playing from ethnic downtempo to eclectic Afrofuturism, passing through chillrave and tribal tech. This time he will share his taste for cumbia from yesterday and tomorrow.
5-piece band
SunSeeds lyrics are mainly about our connection with the land, the universe and everything that surrounds us, giving a mindful message about our presence on this planet, appreciation and gratitude, connection with our ancestors, spirituality and awakening, social rights, justice and dignity, love and passion.
Collective
Bellaqueo is a Reggaeton party collective founded in Melbourne in 2021 by three Colombian friends with the purpose of spreading urban latin rhythms in Australia.
Producer
Mai is a 30 year old Colombian event producer based in Naarm (Melbourne) Australia. She has a professional degree in business administration and more than 8 years experience managing teams in different industries in Colombia and Australia.
Collective
Slo is made up of filmmakers, Ivy Mutuku, Kalu Oji, Mimo Mukii, Ranima Montes and Gabriel Francis. Together they write lines to be imagined and memorised for the screen. 'what ties us apart' first project as a collective.
Spoken word and Hip-Hop Artist
Damon “Nomad” Paraha, is a spoken word/hip-hop artist from the Western suburbs of Melbourne.
Singer and music producer
Singer and music producer born in Colombia, SKR is currently based in Melbourne, Australia. His music blends Jamaican Reggae with traditional and urban sounds from Colombia, creating an unique and very danceable style. He has shared stage with several great artists from the urban scene such as; J Alvarez, Golpe A Golpe and Mackie. He is currently working on new collaborations with local producers.
Singer and Composer
26-year-old singer and composer born in Envigado, Colombia, raised in a Cuban descendant family. Her voice flows powerfully through Dancehall, Reggaeton, Trap, Afrobeat and R&B. Her style stand outs and generate distinction at a commercial level. She broke the scene with her first EP in 2016 which gained her the respect to open and collaborate with well-known producers. In Australia she has opened for various international artists such as; Mackie, Andy Rivera, J Alvarez, Blessd. Dani is now preparing her first full-length album titled “No Fear”, a blend of Hip Hop, Rap and R&B where she collaborates with several artists.
Singer, songwriter and producer
Charlez Meza is a singer, songwriter and producer who tastefully blends Latin and Anglo influences into an original, contemporary urban sound.
Social Justice Advocate and Recording Artist
Titan Debirioun is a South Sudanese social justice advocate and recording artist from Melbourne's outer western region, dedicated to continuing the exploration of art as a means of protest - he's become a champion for change, adamant on advancing the weight of minority voices by becoming a voice himself.
Singer, Producer, Songwriter
R.em.edy is a Melbourne-based singer, producer and songwriter who makes music primarily in the R&B, soul, indie pop and hip-hop genres.
Rapper, Producer
chef chung is a Melbourne rapper/producer carving a careful space within Australia’s small but thriving alternative rap scene. Known best for crafting his own beats, the 22 year old unveils his musings over a fine selection of soul-samples, giving his listener a nostalgic sentiment that peacefully pushes forward.
Music Ensemble
Straddling borders of music and theatre, SARAY Iluminado, creatively reimagines Bosnian Sevdah and Sephardic Jewish music in contemporary Australia. The ensemble was formed in 2013 and is led by the Bosnian-Australian artist Dr Nela Trifkovic, including members Irine Vela (the haBiBis,) Ernie Gruner (Bohemian Nights,) Kelly Dowall (Gelareh Pour’s Garden) and Dan Witton (Bush Gothic.)
Musician
Waki offers a breath of fresh air; using his narrative-led lyrical style to convey introspective and complex undertones under the guise of Rap/R&B/ Trap- Soul music.
Singer-Songwriter
Singer-Songwriter SJAI is an R&B artist hailing from Melbourne’s burgeoning music scene. She has been a lover and creator of music ever since she was a child. Woven into the fibers of her delicate soprano are the purest expressions of love, honesty, and passion.
Rapper
Srirachi is destined to shake up Australia’s music scene. Her crazy energy and addictive personality is key to her fiery ambitions and fun, reckless attitude. A mainstay in the Melbourne hip hop scene, her unique combination of hilarity, honesty and brazen confidence, makes her a force to be reckoned with.
Writer, Rapper
Hailing from Melbourne Australia’s West, MAMMOTH. has taken the Underground Hip-Hop scene by storm as of late. The razor tongued rapper has turned heads with his watery flows, dynamic punch lines and poetic approach to his own brand of Rap.
Independent Producer, Artist, Writer, Curator and Avid Bird Watcher
Independent producer/artist/writer/curator and avid bird watcher – Kush Tut often calls herself a “Creative Alchemist” for short.
Artist and Producer
YUNGKILY also know as The African Titan is a multi talented African Australian Artist/MC/Producer born and raised in the Democratic Republic of Congo. YUNGKILY has cemented himself as one of the rising talents in the Australian music community, not just as an artist but as one of the youngest MCs in Australia, hosting and performing at some of the biggest event across the country.
Producer
Co-Founded by Damon “Nomad” Paraha, Diederich Hettig & Chad Fury, We Move Productions is a media company for creatives by creatives. Our mission is to promote freedom in artistic expression through all creative mediums including music, visual art, apparel and more.
6-Piece Band
With their roots in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 6-piece Melbourne-based band The New Monos combine inspiration from their South American heritage and diverse musical experience with the flavor of contemporary Buenos Aires, mixing Cumbia, Reggae, Folklore, Rock, Rumba, Hip-hop and Latin beats, all expressed with the passion of the Tango.
DJ
Julieth Torres Valoyes, A.K.A. DJ. Julia Towers is a DJ born in Bogotá, Colombia. Her roots consist of a mix between Chocó, in the Pacific region, and Boyacá, in the interior of Colombia. She is currently based in Melbourne (Naarm).
La Descarga
La Descarga, a 6-piece band is the forerunner of Colombian tropical roots music in Australia. Born in 2010 in Melbourne, Australia, as a tribute to the folkloric rhythms of the coasts of Colombia and as a preserver of its cultural heritage, it has evolved through diverse musical and cultural collaborations into an innovative Latin-Australian band where folklore mixes with contemporary Aussie stamps.
Collective
Big Bao is a collective comprised of Angela Schilling (Oliver White/Take Your Time/DJ Cookie), Vivan Vo (Small FRY) and Yeo Choong (Yeo).
Artist, Writer and Facilitator
Diego Ramírez began his career making video art. He approaches this medium cinematically and with an interest in representation. His video work was subject to a joint solo screening by ACCA x ACMI titled Diego Ramirez: Towards the Umbral, curated by Annabelle Lacroix in 2018. His videos are shown internationally, participating in Terror En Lo Profundo curated by Deslave at Human Resources LA. And various international festivals, such as EXiS, FILE Sao Pualo, Stuttgarter Filmwinter, Kuala Lumpur EFVF, and Channels Video Art Festival. Over the years, he expanded his interest in media by working with different mediums, often looking at language and representation. Examples of objects include the life size vampire coffin for the group show Those Monuments Don’t Know Us. His pictorial work with Columbus’ solar eclipse has been exhibited at Aeon Resurrection as a large scale banner, and as a mural in Necronomicon Uploaded at Desvale, in their address Av. H Cristobal Colon, Tijuana. He is also known for performance, like the comical audition for Buffy The Vampire Slayer in Lifenessless at West Space x Gertrude Contemporary in 2019, as part of Ventriloquy curated by Joel Stern.
Violinist, Producer, Curator, DJ and Multi-instrumentalist
嶋田会希–Elle Shimada is a violinist, producer, curator, DJ and multi-instrumentalist from Tokyo based in Melbourne. A unique combination of thickly layered string lines making tender love to heavy new-jazz influenced beats creates a cinematic and other-worldly atmosphere while keeping the dance floor pulsing with visionary and edgy production. Fluidly fusing between Tokyo’s futuristic underground scene, Melbourne mellow-jazz and influences from jazz, house and traditional music from around the globe, Shimada’s production and live sets are a kinetic succession of dance beats and abstract compositions. Elle Shimada Band’s live shows often feature multicultural and diverse artists of various mediums of arts (dance, fashion and fine arts etc.). Her curation is a politically charged peaceful protest, and emphases on exchanging knowledge and energy between the stage, dance floor and the community. Shimada has independently collaborated with a myriad of artists in Melbourne and overseas, performing and recording with Clever Austin, Paul Bender (Hiatus Kaiyote), Jace XL, Allysha Joy and Dufresne, Triple J 100 artists such as 40 consecutive sold-out shows with Tash Sultana – music that can be found on releases by Worldwide FM and Stamp The Wax, appearing on festival stages such as Womadelaide, Blues Fest, Strawberry Fields, Meredith, Sun Cycle, Laneway. With an undercurrent of feminism, cultural curiosity and a political mindset, Shimada’s musicianship has been shown on stages supporting Lonnie Liston Smith, Giles Peterson, and The Australian Art Orchestra as well as sharing stages with Sampa the. Great, Freddie Gibbs, Floating Points, and many more. Shimada utilizes the uniting power of music to cultivate a dance-floor-activism that is inclusive, honest and raw creating progressive spaces beyond musicianship, through collaborations with the Human Rights Film festival, model, and as a conceptual event curator.
Colombian Artist
Katherine Gailer (aka Katira) is a Colombian artist currently based in Melbourne. Gailer graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Arts Management degree from RMIT University, both awarded with honours. Her work explores cultural identity, the natural environment, women's empowerment, magical realism, and contemporary design through large-scale mural painting, oil painting, illustration and music. As part of her creative expression, she examines the intricate relationships between vulnerability, strength, and empowerment. Her dream-like compositions celebrate resilience and liberation, and urge us to restore the invisible fabric that weaves human beings and nature together. Rediscovering a sense of the sacred and revisiting our ancient past are the driving forces in developing her artworks. Her work challenges constructed social structures and reclaims the much needed space for diverse cultural expression and women at the forefront of social change. Gailer’s work has been awarded the People’s Choice Award at Corangamarah Art Prize 2018, Packer’s Art Prize 2018 (Red Rock Regional Gallery, Victoria) and ROI Art Prize 2017. (Melbourne). Gailer is also the lead singer of Melbourne-based folktronica band Amaru Tribe, combining urban sounds with her voice to represent women on stage. Her composition El Girasol – in collaboration with Oscar Jimenez and Leonardo Rodriguez was selected as a finalist at the 2018 International Songwriting Competition.
International Dance Artist
Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Julie Ann Minaai is an international dance artist with Japanese heritage. She has trained in both the US and UK, and completed her MA in Contemporary Dance from the London Contemporary Dance School. Julie has spent the last 12 years in the UK and was recognised as an Artist of Exceptional Promise by the Arts Council England. Since arriving in Naarm 12 months ago, she has established herself as a recognised dance artist with a clear voice, purpose, impact and reach. Key recent highlights have included: a City of Melbourne 2023 Arts Projects grant for a cross-cultural collaboration with the Immigration Museum; an artist residency in Brimbank (The Be Bold Residency); resident choreographer and the creation of a new work ‘BORO’ for the VCA Dance’s Graduation Season 2022; upcoming role as a dancer and performer in Director Meryl Tankard AO, composer Elena Kats-Chernin AO and visual artist Régis Lansac OAM’s ‘KAIROS’ Production in Sydney Festival 2023; MANA, a collaboration with Taiko Master, Toshi Sakamoto and renowned Japanese Shamisen virtuoso, Noriko Tadano; a mentor role in supporting an emerging hip hop dance artist as part of the L2R Mentorship programme; and pro bono outreach workshops conducted in community groups in the CBD, Brimbank and Nunawading. Julie has toured nationally in the UK and internationally (Norway, Israel, China, South Korea, Colombia & Peru) with renowned choreographers, contemporary dance companies and productions. Selected credits: Donald McKayle, Royal Opera House's Die Zauberflote, Peter Darling & Ellen Kane (Groundhog Day and Matilda The Musical), Duwane Taylor, Dickson Mbi Company, Avant Garde Dance Company, James Cousins, Flexer & Sandiland, English National Opera's Madam Butterfly, Richard Malone's LFW Presentation, Lynne Page (Pet Shop Boys, Stormzy’s 2018 and Jess Glynne's 2019 BRIT Awards Performances), Caroline Pope (ITV’s Mr. Selfridge), Lucy Hind (Nick Frost, Simon Peg & Amazon Prime Original Truth Seekers), La Dispute’s Woman (Reading) and ASDA & Th1ng Corp’s Battles Campaign. Julie has been commissioned to teach and create works internationally: Laguna Beach Dance Festival (California), National Dance Festival (Pennsylvania), Paliku Theatre (Hawaii), U.Dance National Festival (Plymouth), The Place (London) and Jeju (South Korea). Julie’s most recent dance film, ba(ME), funded by Arts Council England, has been selected for screenings internationally: The Place (London, UK), Utah Dance Film Festival (USA), Indepen-dance’s Gathered Together Festival (Glasgow, UK), Portland Dance Film Festival (Oregon, USA), INFINITY 2022 Festival (Osaka, Japan), International Portrait Film Festival (Sofia, Bulgaria), InShadow - Lisbon Screendance Festival (Lisbon, Portugal) and Subtropic Film Festival (Taipei, Taiwan). Julie teaches at Chunky Move, Lucy Guerin Inc. and University of Melbourne’s Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) Dance. She has devised and delivered creative movement and mindfulness + mobility workshops for participants from diverse backgrounds.
Visual and Vocal Storyteller
Irihipeti Waretini is of Ngāti Rangi descent, whose experiences of home and healing on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung and Boon Wurrung peoples, determine every aspect of her trans-disciplinary practice. A visual and vocal storyteller, Irihipeti’s mediums are vast and fluid. A collection of gifts in contemporary Māori art, photography, film, movement, personal essay, soundscape, audio scripts, live looping, and taonga puoro (traditional Māori flute). Waretini Productions is a collaboration with her brother Eneti Te Kooro and his practise of projection art and 3d modelling. A community and cultural engagement practitioner working at the intersection of arts and wellbeing, Irihipeti develops repositories of Indigenous methodologies, experiences and viewpoints through various collaborations, creative ventures, movements and wellness-based practises. Providing tools and spaces of learning for the self-determination of the very communities who have fed and raised her and her daughter Marcelina.
Movement and Sound Artist, Cultural Producer, Performer, Weaver, Community Arts Facilitator and Body Worker
Bella Waru (Ngati Tukorehe // Te Ati Awa) is a movement and sound artist, cultural producer, performer, weaver, community arts facilitator and body worker living, listening and responding across sacred, unceded indigenous lands, currently those of the Kulin nation in so-called-australia. For the past 2 years, they have worked in the community arts sector with BigHart as a YouthArts Mentor, working with young people in Frankston schools, facilitating capacity-building workshops and supporting the production of community arts events and content. They are a bodyworker/traditional Māorihealer of 4 years and a traditional martial arts practitioner of 2 years. They have now taken up a position as Vice Chair and Kaiako MauTaiaha/teacher for Te Ara Hononga - the MāoriWeaponry school based on Kulin Country.
Weaver
"Weaving with textile, plastic, and nature, anything flexible has been my practice since childhood. As a child, I learnt to create by way of weaving with my grandmother, mother and aunties growing up in my village in Mt Hagen. I learnt to weave before I went to school. A bag known as Bilum in Papua New Guinea is woven with a continuous figure eight stitch using twisted bark fibre, cotton, and wool. The woven bilum comes in all shapes, sizes patterns and varying uses, including carrying babies. Since I migrated to Australia, 18 years ago and living in Melbourne, the City of Art I knew I had in me unique culture, gifted to me by my grandmother, mother and aunties. I realised the need to PRACTICE it for safekeeping. Also, I am obligated to teach young people from my own cultural background while living away from my country of origin, and this is exactly what I do as a senior person living here in Australia. I am at peace when I design and create something from nothing, I have taught the weaving skill to a lot of people over the years that I have lived here in Australia. I have won awards, as Cultural Ambassador with MAV and Aunty Sana Award during the Pacific Arts Festival as the only person sharing my culture connecting and reaching a lot of people in the community. I have worked in collaboration with both local and international artists on different projects including Indigenous, Asian, Pacific, and African artists most of whom are weavers. Currently, am a senior member of an Art Collective ‘Mata’ala Weavers, a closed group that I teach weaving to our own Pacific Islander youth and mothers monthly. I am very active in the community in Wyndham, making art with families, youth, and Seniors. Also, I have been awarded two commissioned artworks by Melton and Wyndham Councils."
DJ, Event Curator and Radio Presenter
Pioneering Lebanese Australian DJ, radio presenter and event curator, **MzRizk** has always had a powerful affinity with music. Raised on a seemingly incongruous yet wholly satisfying sonic diet of Arabic, Boogie, Jazz, Heavy Metal, House, Techno, Hip Hop and just about anything from Rick Dees American Top 40, MzRizk is a self taught, community emboldened, creative chameleon.
Hip Hop and RnB Artist
JDro is a Fiji born and Melbourne raised Hip Hop and RnB artist who has brought a new sound to the Australian music scene. JDro is a multi-talented artist proving it with the ability to sing, rap and preform. His captivating talent has landed him on playlists including Afro Fusion and has also been featured on New Music Friday AU & NZ. His latest single “Ruby” adds a new element to his genre and made waves in the music scene. His catalog is diverse and has a song suited for any mood. JDro is known for his explosive high energy performances while still interacting with his audience. Not only a stand alone artist but he is also one half of the highly talented duo XENO, Alongside Futurtainments Mirna they are set to put Melbourne artists on the charts.
Band
Fierce storyteller and house music extraordinaire, Brotha Asantï a Zimbabwean born with South African roots, Melbourne-based musician, composer/producer, and music director who leads his band Soulectric; a newly formed uniquely ensemble that showcases a group of Melbourne's vibrant artistic voices in a series of original compositions. Inspired by the underground dance scenes of New York, Chicago house, and rhythmic storytelling straight from the motherland, the band blends house music with lively African percussion, guitar, keys, vocals, and movement art/ contortionist to invite the audience to travel across the world through music.
Helena Inez Abapo
Helena Inez Abapo is a multidisciplinary tinker/designer based in Naarm (Melbourne)-specialising in Set and Graphic Design. Bewildering by and drawn to design for its ability to hold space for; play/practicality, story/emotion–Helena strives to continually explore practices that allow her to investigate and communicate this thoughtfully and conceptually.
Dancer, Choreographer and Erotic Artist
Maura García inspires audiences to liberate themselves through vibrant performances that uplift Indigenous cultural values and harness the sensual rhythms of the natural world. Maura (non-enrolled Cherokee/Mattamuskeet) is a dancer, choreographer and erotic artist. From stages to music videos to the outdoors, her creations reflect the power of stories to form and change our realities.
Arts Worker and Musician
Miriam has worked in arts, communication and education. She was born, lives and works on Wurundjeri Country. She has been a musician most of her life, and is inspired by the power of art and community to transform lives and places. She has held a variety of roles at MAV, from administration to project officer, community engagement coordinator to festival programmer, and has elsewhere produced events, radio programs and established a catering business. She has a Graduate Diploma of Education, a Diploma of Music Performance and a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Artist, Director at Ngala Music
Artist, Director at Ngala Music Paul Ah Chee is a proud Arrernte - Yankuntjarra and Wankangurru man from Alice Springs. Paul began his music journey as a young boy and in due course he formed the renowned Mparntwe/Alice Springs band, AMUNDA, in the late 80s. Over the ten-year period, the band enjoyed great success performing at major national festivals including Big Day Out, Sing Loud Play Strong, Survival, Barunga, Adelaide Fringe, Port Fairy and Moomba Festival, they eventually disbanded in 1997. His latest album best described as Contemporary Australian Soulful Rock, NowhereTo Hide features Paul’s talents as a powerfully evocative lyricist, singer, guitarist and composer. In this record, Paul reflects on attachment and connection to land, identity and experiences of trauma, finding ways to reframe and express these in a positive light. The record is a tribute to understanding where you have come from to move forward, presenting yourself as you are – with nowhere to hide. Paul has recently successfully performed songs off of his EP 'Nowhere to Hide' along with songs from his previous releases at the 2022 Sydney Fringe Festival over 5 nights.
Producer Homelands and Music Victoria
Katie is co-producer (a role she shares with Maurial Spearim) of international touring music project the Homelands Collective bringing young and established First Nations singer-songwriters to connect stories and songs across oceans through music mentoring workshops and live performance opportunities at festivals and gatherings around the world. Katie’s years of experience in the music industry as a producer, artist and tour manager has seen her travel extensively to regional and remote locations, nationally and internationally working with numerous inspirational songwriters, musicians and music professionals.
Storyteller, Composer, Director, Producer, Musician and Soundscape Designer
Allara is a powerful Yorta Yorta winyarr. She is a storyteller, composer, director, producer, musician and soundscape designer. With humour and integrity, Allara uses the double-bass and sound samples from Country to weave textures for healing in her work “I am Sovereign, I am Free”. Allara's innovative music speaks to Blak justice and sovereignty.
Performer, Storyteller, Dancer and Workshop Facilitator
Jackie Sheppard is a mixed medium performer, storyteller, dancer and workshop facilitator. Their creations are inspired by the multilayered narratives of Sovereign peoples. Jackie attempts to identify and interrogate Ancestral, Inter-generational and meta-physical narratives that are relative to Blak lived experiences. Focusing on Somatic, Spiritual and Sub-conscious “bodies”, Jackie seeks to shed light in dark places, exploring taboo and complex topics. They have studied dance at NAISDA Dance College, Acting at WAAPA’s Aboriginal Theatre Course, and are presently studying Somatic Movement Therapy (SMT) where they are working towards a reclamation process of Indigenous Embodied practices. Jackie has extensive experience in community engagement and has worked in a diverse range of spaces nationally. Their work encompasses using bodywork & storytelling to cultivate inner awareness and truth-telling in Bla(c)k, People of Colour and LQBTQI+ communities (Creatives of Colour; Serpent Spirals, Koorie Pride Victoria & Switchboard VIC). Jackie has been a guest lecturer at the Victorian College of the Arts for the Master of Dance student Cohort. They have experience in circus, puppetry & writing. Some notable projects Jackie has co-devised are: The Honouring (a solo show created & performed by Jacki Sheppard with creative guidance and direction by Rachael Maza, Tim Denton, Jasmin Sheppard, Rinske Ginsberg & Jacob Boehme); Chasing Smoke (Casus Circus); Wild Australia – Men in Chains by Jacki Sheppard; & Crackpipe Dreaming @ Melbourne Fringe Festival, 2019. Jackie has recently been appointed by Koorie Pride Victoria as First Nations Creative Coodinator for new festival, ‘FesTevares’; And is officially embarking on their new ongoing research project, ‘SENTIENCE’, through the Art X Science Residency through Arts House and the Science Gallery Melbourne.
Psychotherapist, Counsellor, Life Coach, Writer, Storyteller, Mindfulness Guide and Entrepreneur
Summayyah Sadiq-Ojibara is a Psychotherapist, Counsellor, Life Coach, Writer, Storyteller, Mindfulness Guide and Entrepreneur. She is the Founder, CEO of ComXtra Knowledge Concepts, a Counselling, Coaching and Creativity Consultancy and runs her private practice, DEW Counseling, a service of ComXtra for individuals and groups in Australia and overseas. She designed and delivers Aspire - a Personal, Professional Development, Life Skills, Emotional Intelligence Programme for different groups. One of her Aspire Programmes include BeLive, a retreat that takes women three times a year for a journey of self discovery and recovery. She delivers programmes, talks, workshops, camps and retreats, works with individuals, groups and organizations on various projects on mental health and wellbeing, children, youth, women, parenting, race and religion, social, cultural issues among others, participates in community groups and initiatives in Australia and overseas. She has published works including children's book series, her latest book, the first in her 'Time Travel Series' -Time Travel In My Worlds and let's travel some of the way together in (y)ours, and 3 titles in her new Mindfulness Cards series; Ajo. She also delivers a podcast series; The Time Travel Journal Series, on the book based on the many dimensions of life and living. She has written and continues to write several articles and literary pieces for various magazines and platforms locally and overseas.
Nutritionist, Herbalist and Artist
Rasha Tayeh is a Palestinian nutritionist, herbalist and artist. Her practice is inspired by the seasons and ways in which we can enhance connections with our bodies, our communities and with nature. She is the founder and director of Beit e’Shai(“House of Tea” in Arabic) a social enterprise, popup teahouse and online store that preserves Palestinian herbalism and traditional Arabic medicine practices. Inspired by traditional teahouses and apothecaries from the SWANA region (South West Asia and North Africa), Beit e'Shai offers beautiful blends that are made from high quality herbs and spices for you to enjoy with your family and friends. For more about Beit e’Shai Teahouse visit www.beiteshai.com Rasha Tayeh is a Palestinian nutritionist, herbalist and artist. Her practice is inspired by the seasons and ways in which we can enhance connections with our bodies, our communities and with nature. She is the founder and director of Beit e’Shai (“House of Tea” in Arabic) a social enterprise, popup teahouse and online store that preserves Palestinian herbalism and traditional Arabic medicine practices. Inspired by traditional teahouses and apothecaries from the SWANA region (South West Asia & North Africa), Beit e'Shai offers beautiful blends that are made from high quality herbs and spices for you to enjoy with your family and friends. For more about Beit e’Shai Teahouse visit www.beiteshai.com
Psychotherapist, Counsellor, Life Coach, Writer, Storyteller, Mindfulness Guide and Entrepreneur
Summayyah Sadiq-Ojibara is a Psychotherapist, Counsellor, Life Coach, Writer, Storyteller, Mindfulness Guide and Entrepreneur. She is the Founder, CEO of ComXtra Knowledge Concepts, a Counselling, Coaching and Creativity Consultancy and runs her private practice, DEW Counseling, a service of ComXtra for individuals and groups in Australia and overseas. She designed and delivers Aspire - a Personal, Professional Development, Life Skills, Emotional Intelligence Programme for different groups. One of her Aspire Programmes include BeLive, a retreat that takes women three times a year for a journey of self discovery and recovery. She delivers programmes, talks, workshops, camps and retreats, works with individuals, groups and organizations on various projects on mental health and wellbeing, children, youth, women, parenting, race and religion, social, cultural issues among others, participates in community groups and initiatives in Australia and overseas. She has published works including children's book series, her latest book, the first in her 'Time Travel Series' -Time Travel In My Worlds and let's travel some of the way together in (y)ours, and 3 titles in her new Mindfulness Cards series; Ajo. She also delivers a podcast series; The Time Travel Journal Series, on the book based on the many dimensions of life and living. She has written and continues to write several articles and literary pieces for various magazines and platforms locally and overseas.
Arts Collective for Latin American Creatives
Yo Soy Collective provides a platform for creatives from Latin America to break creative boundaries. Since 2018, Yo Soy has centred Latin American creative voices and curating projects for artists to create, connect and celebrate culture.
Artist
Being an expressive individual who was raised in Syria, Marie Afram started painting from a young age and would often wait on deliveries of new paint so that she could expand her palette. Marie’s artistic talents have in recent times been influenced by the recent horrors of war within the country. Today, in Australia, she freely practices her artistic expression in various forms and styles, including abstract, surrealism, nature and life drawings. Her preference for medium has been oil and acrylic on canvas. Marie holds a Diploma of Visual Arts, as well as an Advanced Diploma of Creative Product Development. Her works have been exhibited in numerous exhibitions, and she was recently the winner of the “Many Faces One Community – Valuing Diversity” Local Community Art Competition. At present she is a part of the Craigieburn Art Group.
Photographer
Emiliano Fernandez is an Argentinian photographer. He studied Forestry and Fine Arts at Universidad Nacional de La Plata; and photography in the Argentinean School of Photography. In 2008, he left Argentina to travel and experience other cultures and have worked and lived in different countries, including New Zealand, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Germany, Australia. As a result of the years living abroad, in 2011 he produced a photographic body of work -“Los Vínculos” (The links)-, curated together with Marcos Zimmermann, a renown Argentinean photographer. This work has been awarded with the first prize for Latin American author in Montevideo, Uruguay by the Centro de Fotografía and made into a publication. His goal as a photographer is to create awareness and new ways to connect, protect and respect the natural environment. He has received a scholarship in Cologne, Germany; and participated in art residencies, artist book and curatorial workshops in Berlin and Cologne.
Painter and Visual Artist
Anthony Bertucci is a Melbourne based painter/visual artist. He was born and bred in Campbellfield, to Italian immigrant parents Francesco and Teresa and then in his teens moved to Roxburgh Park. He was a creator and performer from a very young age and went onto performing arts and corporate careers all the while producing art for Design firms, Private collections, Display Homes and exhibiting in Group and Solo shows. Inspired by Natural landscapes, Ethereal spaces and places of transcendence, his paintings are vibrating with splashes of colour, layered movement and subconscious mark making. Abstract expressionism and spirituality have always been an inspiration for Anthony’s work which has been evolving over 2 decades and the latest collection delves into languishing landscapes, space travel and abstract microcosmos . Bertucci himself says,” There is a constant dialogue happening between me and the art I’m producing, it’s a tug of war between perfection and imperfection. Somewhere in the middle is where I want to be with my art, to honour the majestic imperfections of life and nature and the obscured beauty all around us”
Artist
Yelena Ashlapova’s art practice emerged as an outcome of life journey. Her art is a personal expression of her emotions. Mostly working using acrylic and oil paint, she is interested in connecting philosophy, science and art in her work, which are translated in abstraction or figurative styles. She has received awards for Best entry at Bridgewater Exhibition 2017 and Hume Art Award 2018.
Not For Profit
Indian Care is a not-for-profit organisation set up in 2014 dedicated solely to address the welfare needs of Indian origin people in Victoria.
Writer and Screen Producer
Nikki Tran is a writer and screen producer living and working on Wurundjeri land. Her screen career began with community arts, and she has since been working to bring a deeper sense of cultural nuance and place into Australian narrative stories. Her online credits include CEEBS, GIRL, INTERPRETED, and FRESH! Nikki also co-created and produced ABC’s factual series CAN YOU HEAR ME? Nikki is currently a development coordinator of scripted drama at Fremantle Australia. She has cut her teeth in scripted development working with ABC Drama & Comedy, Matchbox Pictures, Tony Ayres Productions and VicScreen as one of the inaugural recipients of the 2019 VicScreen Screen Development Internship. Nikki’s creative practice has previously received support from Footscray Community Arts’ West Writers and Malthouse Theatre's Writers' Development program, AFTRS Talent Camp, University of Melbourne’s ACMI X residency and State Library of Victoria’s Creative Fellowship. She holds a Bachelor of Media and Communication (RMIT) and Master of Producing (VCA). As a mentor, Nikki hopes to provide support and guidance for story development, funding and/or pitching projects as well as advice on developing a career in TV.
Writer, Director and Producer
Jessica Li is a Melbourne-based writer, director and producer. Her career is fostered by training from the Australian Writer's Guild, Howard Fine Acting Studio and Swinburne University. Her short film, Mother Tongue, made its Australian premiere at the Melbourne Women in Film Festival in 2021, where it was the recipient of both the Best National Next Gen Film Award and the Programmer’s Choice: Best Victorian Next Gen Film Award, as well as the Critic’s Choice Award. Other accolades include receiving Best Drama at Freshflix Festival in Sydney and Best Emerging Filmmaker at the Setting Sun Film Festival. Mother Tongue is now streaming on SBS On Demand. In addition to writing and directing her own work, Jessica crews extensively - predominantly working within the producing, assistant directing, scripting and casting departments. Jessica's directing and casting work is heavily informed by her early acting background. In 2018, she was cast in Ric Forster's webseries, Flunk, which received Screen Australia and VicScreenfunding for its third and fourth season, set to go into production later this year. She is currently developing a long-form project while working full-time as a Production Coordinator. As an Ahead of the Curve mentor, Jess hopes to show the mentee how to develop projects as a multi-hyphenated creative.
Film and Music Video Director
Ez Eldin Deng is a South Sudanese Australian film and music video Director. He has directed numerous music videos, short films, and online educational content which have reached international audiences in festivals or on YouTube. His writing and directing work includes the critically acclaimed ‘Road Dogs’ and award-winning short film, ‘Blvck Gold’. Deng first arrived in Melbourne, Australia in 2004 with his family and to this day, Melbourne is still his home as he continues to break new grounds in Australia's film and television industry. As a proud member of the African-Australian community, has been a key creative in shaping Melbourne’s arts scene through community projects, workshops, consultation, strategic planning and deliverings. Deng co-founded Next in Colour, a ground-breaking creative initiative run by a team of African creative practitioners. As an Ahead of the Curve mentor, he hopes to share his insights in channeling authenticity, creating and sticking to your vision and empowering the community.
Filmmaker
Matthew Victor Pastor is a Filipino Australian filmmaker. An alumnus of the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts his feature and short films have been selected at over 70 international film festivals. In October 2020 his feature film The Neon Across the Ocean (91 mins) world premiered at the 44th São Paulo International Film Festival. In 2021 A Pencil to the Jugular (121 mins) world premiered at the Moscow International Film Festival (the second oldest film festival in the world). He is the also the associate producer on the feature film Anak (Caleb Ribates) which had its world premiere at the 70th Melbourne International Film Festival. Screen Australia, Film Victoria, and AFTRS funded his short film Fun Times which was penned by AACTA nominated writer Llewellyn Michael Bates. In June 2020 it premiered at the 37th St Kilda Film Festival, and has had a successful film festival run at both Academy & Goya qualifying film festivals and winning Best Film & Best screenplay at the 25th Canberra Short Film Festival. As an Ahead of the Curve mentor, Matt hopes to impart his wisdom on self-driven projects, lean filmmaking and utilising your resources and community at hand to create.
Online Magazine
Peril is an online magazine focused on issues of Asian Australian arts and culture. We have been sharing stories since 2006. Peril showcases new literature and stories through diverse forms, including poetry, drama, translations, creative writing, memoir, essays, biographical profiles, interviews and other structures. We are also interested in critical and reflective writing about the visual arts, music, performance, theatre, film and other cultural arts practices. To understand these practices, we profile leading and emerging arts practitioners, particularly Asian Australian practitioners. We foster dialogue and conversation around issues of diverse cultural production and news issues of Asian Australian interest by supporting creative non-fiction, citizen journalism and opinion pieces. Peril is an active contributor to the Australian literary and creative arts communities, hosting and participating in a range of workshops, panels, seminars and events that look to engage the community in cultural production that is representative of the diversity of the Australian community and relevant in a globally interconnected world. Peril welcomes contributions from all, but will prioritise Asian-Australian and contributors of colour or contributors of diverse backgrounds as relevant to our readership and themes. Peril is inclusive of people of diverse sexualities and genders. Peril acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the original owners and custodians of the land that we live and work on.
Dancer, Choreographer and Writer
Priya Srinivasan is a dancer/choreographer/writer whose performances work towards social justice issues. She has choreographed several solo, duet, ensemble and large-scale projects internationally and nationally for festivals and has collaborated on major projects with the Hermitage Museum Amsterdam, Berlin Wall Memorial, Rockbund Art Museum Shanghai, Typografia Gallery Romania, Showroom Gallery London, Dakshina Chitra and Spaces Chennai, Adishakti Puducherry, Highways Los Angeles, DCA Darwin, Dancehouse and Bunjil Place. Her large span of intercultural work focuses primarily on feminist collaborations most notable of which is “Churning Waters” a feminist Indigenous Indian work which was selected to tour India for Australia Festival and more recently a series of hybrid online and live performance works with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. She is also the author of the award winning book “Sweating Saris: Indian Dance as Transnational Labour.” She is the co-Artistic Director of Sangam: Performing Arts Platform and Festival of South Asia and Diaspora which she founded in 2019 featuring over 200 artists on funded platforms as a corrective to the lack of opportunities for artists of colour in Melbourne.
Philosopher
Philipa Rothfield is a philosopher working in relation to and through dance on Wurundjeri land. She is a feminist academic, reviews dance, and practises a number of movement modalities, including improvisation, Tai Chi, Qi Gong and Yoga. She was a member of Margaret Lasica’s Modern Dance Ensemble. She is the author of Dance and the Corporeal Uncanny (Routledge, 2021), Co-Editor of the Dancehouse Diary, and Creative Advisor at Dancehouse. She is the Chair of the Green Room Awards Dance Panel, and has served as Judge of Dance and Physical Theatre for the Melbourne Fringe Festival. She holds a number of academic positions at Melbourne and La Trobe Universities, currently teaches in Dance, at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne University and is an honorary professor at the University of Southern Denmark.
Classical Singer and Composer
Uthra Vijay is a classical singer and composer based in Melbourne and director of the Keerthana Music School and Keerthana Women’s Choir. She is a co-curator of Sangam: Performing Arts Festival of South Asia and Disapora. She has participated in several festivals such as Mapping Melbourne, Jaipur Literary Festival and AsiaTOPA and worked nationally and internationally establishing herself as a much sought out artist in the South Asian arts scene. She has worked extensively on site specific intra and intercultural performances with Iranian, Yiddish, Surinamese, Flamenco and Indigenous singers in Melbourne, London, Hamburg, Berlin, Amsterdam, Chennai, Bangalore and Barcelona.
Composer and Multi-instrumentalist
Composer and multi-instrumentalist, Hari Sivanesan of Sri Lankan origin trained in the UK and is a unique representation of Indian classical-contemporary artists of international acclaim. He has pioneered projects in partnership with BBC Radio & TV, BBC Proms, WOMAD, Royal Opera House and Multicultural Arts Victoria and is co-Artistic Director of Sangam, Performing Arts Festival of South Asia.
Digital Designer
Quynnn is a digital designer who is passionate about cultures, gender equality, and women empowerment.
Camp Mana
Camp Mana is a creative development program that supports young people as they transition away from the Youth Justice System and back into community. Led by a small yet powerful team of culturally responsive mentors, Camp Mana delivers specialised music workshops, creative business development and vocational preparation as we prepare our young people for the world.
QPOC Multi-disciplinary Creatives
Matisse and Nisha are both QPOC multi-disciplinary creatives who share a love for food and cooking. Matisse Laida (she/they) is a 23 year old, queer, mixed race multidisciplinary creative with a cooking show and collaborative food platform @we.eatin.good.bitch. They have experience in film, theatre, event curation, writing, podcasting and radio. Her podcast Braided (Produced by Artful Dodgers Studios), has appeared on ABC and 3RRR. Matisse is currently working on a play to be shown in June, a film to be screened in August, and starred in a queer documentary for DELL X PEDESTRIAN TV. As an Afro- Mauritian and Venezuelan queer person , Matisse has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion and actively ensure that all spaces she works and creates in are as culturally safe as possible. Nisha Hunter (they/she/he) is a 23 year old, queer, mixed South Asian artist based in Naarm. Their practice is an exploration of identity, informed by their queerness and cultural background. Nisha has experience as a studio - based and exhibiting artist, specialising in video, photography, textiles and installation. They have also worked in the commercial industry, allowing them to build pre and postproduction skills. Nisha has applied their artistic skills in their role as producer and director of photography for We Eatin’ Good.
Multidisciplinary Creatives
Exploring the world using different forms of expression
Actor, Writer and Director
Jazba Singh is an Indo-Canadian-Australian filmmaker and actor. She is an artist of colour currently living in Naarm/Melbourne. With a background in critical race/gender scholarship, Jazba is a passionate advocate for representation both on and off screen. Credits include Impact Producer for the AACTA winning documentary “In the Shadow of the Hill”; South Indian feature film “Hippi”; and a theatrical run as Princess Sophia Duleep Singh in “The Regina Monologues”. Jazba wrote, co-produced, directed and acted in EATING THE OTHER along with a team of majority BIPOC and female collaborators.
Dancer
Aroha Pehi is a proud Darrriebullum, Kuku-Yalnji, Ngāphui and Ngātiporou woman from South-East Queensland with strong ties to the Shepparton community. A graduate of NAISDA Dance College, she works as a freelance dancer based in Sydney. She co-founded ‘Lost All Sorts Collective’, a contemporary dance theatre collective producing works focused on Indigenous issues. Aroha has started to explore new art expressions, such as writing and dance on film.
Writer, Performer, Editor and Filmmaker
Angelita Biscotti is a writer, performer, editor, and filmmaker excited by experimental, non-linear investigations into eroticism, queer embodiment, wellness and social justice. Her interviews, essays, reviews, fiction, and poetry have appeared in respected global and Australian publications, including Jacobin, Overland, Cordite Poetry Review, and elsewhere. She has studied at the Ateneo de Manila University, Brooklyn Institute for Social Research, and La Trobe University. She was a 2017 Hot Desk Fellow at the Wheeler Centre, a 2021 Making Space resident at Siteworks, a 2020 Fellow at Democracy in Colour and coHealth’s Create Change Fellowship for young BIPOC campaigners, and a 2020 mentee for the Progressive Tech Network. She is a Melburnian of Filipinx-Spanish descent, based on unceded Boon Wurrung Country. Pronouns: She/they
Composer and Sound Artist
Anne Hsuyin is a composer, sound artist and vocalist currently based in Melbourne. Born and raised in culturally diverse Malaysia, she is fascinated by the various shades of sound that exist in different communities and is traversing the intersections between tradition, modernity, identity and the diaspora. Her love for the weird and wonderful in the inner mind and in the outside world informs much of her music.
Singer, Songwriter and Music Teacher
Hailing from Chile, Vanessa Estrada is a driving force in the Melbourne Latin music scene. Her music is compelling and moves the heart, soul and body. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Violeta Parra, Pascuala Ilabaca, Elizabeth Morris, Vanessa’s folk-rock-experimental sound is an eclectic mix of melodies and instruments. Multi- faceted in her approach to her art, she transports you through her soundscape with graceful guidance. Her newest single "Canción De Despedida" which will be part of her debut solo album, is a testament to her storytelling. Her vocals and emotions take centre stage on the track as it touches on heartbreak and goodbyes. A poignant human experience that we all can relate to, told through the beat of the Chilean folk style “Cueca” and Argentinean “Chacarera” with gentle touches of Jazz, Electronic and Rock. Vanessa will be releasing her second single and animated video clip "Agua libre" on April 30th, 2022 as part of her Chile tour, which will feature Chilean artist "Frecuencia Nativa" and Peruvian environmental activist "Nelidad Ayay" from the documentary "Hija de la laguna" (Daughter of the lake). Vanessa expects to release her debut album by the end of 2022.
Unionist, Activist, Digital Artist
Judy Kuo is an Asian-Australian unionist, activist, and artist making digital art, zines, and posters.
Multi-disciplinary Creatives
Wintana Kidane and Rahel Davies are the hosts of the Bittersweet Podcast, a platform developed with the intention of authentically representing the stories and experiences of people of colour living in Australia. The pair deliver weekly podcast episodes, social media, and YouTube content to engage audiences on topics such as identity, politics, self-discovery, careers, and relationships. 'Bittersweet Talks' is an extension of Bittersweet - a talk series dedicated to celebrating the stories of accomplished people of colour in Australia.
Creative
Abdul ‘Min’ Muhaimin graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts from the VCA, and is currently juggling between performing in the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and creating artwork that inspires him. Having grown up in Malaysia, Min loves to find the duality between where he’s from and who he wants to be, and showcases it in the many types of art he makes.
Sound Artist
Michelle Nguyen is an emerging sound artist exploring glitch, noise, dance, and psychedelia in sound. Since 2020, Naarm-based artists, Michelle Nguyen and Grace Quiason have collaborated on experimental audio-visual pieces for Signal and MAV.
Video Artist
Grace Quiason is an emerging video artist focused on experimental filmmaking through manipulating analogue processes with glitch and remix. Since 2020, Naarm-based artists, Grace Quiason and Michelle Nguyen have collaborated on experimental audio-visual pieces for Signal and MAV.
Poet and Writer
Panda Wong is a poet and writer living on unceded Wurundjeri land. She is an Associate Editor at The Suburban Review, a Performance Review board member and a Hot Desk Fellow 2020. Her first chapbook 'angel wings dumpster fire' is forthcoming with Puncher & Wattmann in 2022. She loves to make work with her friends.
Dancer and Instructor
Lerato Masiyane AKA Lee, is one of the top dance performers and instructors in Melbourne specializing in Afro Dance and Dancehall. She has opened for International Dancehall musicians such as Beenie Man and performed with some of Australia’s highest profile musicians including Sampa the Great and Baker Boy. She shares her culture by teaching Afro Dance to diverse communities around Victoria.
Composer, Music Producer and Multi-instrumentalist
Beven Elankumaran is an Australian composer, music producer and multi-instrumentalist with a Sri Lankan Tamil heritage. A graduate from the Berklee College of Music (2019) Beven dual majored in Film Scoring and Electronic Production and Design.. He currently serves as the “Music Advisor” for Apple’s upcoming TV show “Shantaram.”
Psychedelic Artist
Influenced by mythology, legend and the stories that are told, Amicus Atman works to construct cross-dimensional and highly immersive artwork while interrogating the constantly evolving circumstances. Coding NFT's while constructing Wayang Kulit, making spicy meals and playing with interactive projection art are all part of the creative process that Amicus uses. As a South-East Asian creative, they are committed to staying true to their ancestral history, respecting tradition and looking to the future, while navigating current realities of living in colonized spaces.
Extended Reality (XR) Artist
Sarah Tan is an Extended Reality (XR) artist, who combines XR technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality and visual art to convey emotions and perspectives in an immersive way.
Digital Photographer and Visual Artist
Madhubani Dutta is an emerging digital photography and visual arts creative based in Wyndham. She has been teaching arts for 7 years now and has been experimenting with various provocations around mental health and art activism. She is actively involved in various projects with the Wyndham City Council and various Wyndham-based community centres. Madhubani has also been volunteering as a graphic designer, e-magazine editor and workshop facilitator with different community groups and non-profit organisations
Knitwear and Fashion designer
Lauren Mavromati Bourke is a knitwear and fashion designer whose work portrays lived bodily experiences through the lens of their own personal and cultural experiences. Lauren reflects themes of trans-generational trauma, gendered trauma, and the ongoing effects of colonialism, as well as aiming to speak to wider embodied experiences. They also take an intersectional approach, focusing on queer, woman and gender-diverse gazes. By focusing on knit, one of the textile practices that are passed down generationally among women as a way of communicating, these pieces reflect how transgenerational trauma is expressed through transgenerational cultural practice. These pieces also speak to the growing intention of exploring the therapeutic benefits of textile-based handicrafts. Lauren’s practice ultimately aims to actively create space away from confining heteropatriarchal and binary discourses, to instead offer marginalised bodies pieces they can wear and interact with, bringing garments into their own context, stretching each piece to meet their evolving needs and bodies.
Creative
Julianne is a second-generation Vietnamese-Australian born millennial. She describes her style as a multi-mix, an amalgamation of philosophies, metaphors, symbols - a tapestry of colours and perspectives. Her style is influenced by the spiritual, religious and cultural groups, movements and social communities she has volunteered and ventured in after graduating with her Design degree. Julianne uses her personal experiences of self reflection, trauma and encounters with people from all walks of life as a catalyst to create sounds and experimental videos to portray the depth of our inner selves, inner core and inner consciousness.
Artist, Naya Ruon
Akuek Deng is a South-Sudanese-born and Central Victorian-based artist who is painting under the name “Naya Ruon”. The emerging creative seeks to capture hidden depths, seamlessly blending brushstrokes with fluid pouring techniques to create a contemporary take on portraiture. Naya Ruon uses acrylic and oil paints featuring vibrantly, bright colours with a resin finish to create organic, abstract paintings and portraits that explore themes of culture and actualise the connection between human emotion and Earth’s natural wonders. Naya Ruon recently launched her first exhibition at the Old Church on the Hill in Bendigo and is currently planning her next exhibition at Exhibit B in Central Bendigo.
Choreographer and Curator
Jonathan Homsey is a choreographer and curator working from the positionality of as a Queer Person of Colour based on Wurundjeri country. Originally an award-winning dancer for crews during the naughties in Southern California, he is humbled to be a community leader in so called Australia for the past decade galvanising people together to dance. From Footscray Community Arts Centre to Melbourne Museum, he specialises in platforming Street and Queer dance forms to cultivate empowerment for sexually and ethnically diverse young people.
Co-Founders, Umoja Empowerment Group
Umoja was founded by two friends Francine Furaha and Muisha Sarah. “We are very colourful people, since migrating here to Australia we quickly noticed the lack of cultural clothing especially African. We order our fabric from Africa because it’s full of vibrant colours and our traditional designs. We then make bags and clothing out of it.” “Since joining this program it has allowed us to source more resources and gave us the tools needed to pursue our business ideas. It was during the program that we made the decision to merge our businesses and work together. Now we sell matching outfits and bags.” Francine and Sarah have sold their products in festivals, markets and events. They have also started reaching out to the women in their community helping them start their own businesses and empowering them where possible.
Artist
Mimi Leung was born in Hong Kong, grew up in England and now lives in regional Australia. Her work explores identity, belonging and uses art to understand and transcend the mundanity of daily life. Her body of work for *Submerged* is about growing up as a ‘yellow’ woman, and coming to terms with her lived experiences that have been constantly denied or rejected within a predominantly white context. A central theme of this work is motherhood, and the way her thinking has shifted through seeing her own children move through similar spaces.
Pop Music Artist
Lah Eh Soe is an 18-year-old Pop artist from Thailand who currently lives in Bendigo Australia. Lah Eh Soe has been making music for 1 year and is influenced by artists like Post Malone, Eminem and XXXtentacion.
Theatremaker
Isha Menon is a curious and adventurous theatremaker who makes theatre that is absurd, heartfelt, dramatic and irreverent. In 2019, they wrote, directed and performed in a two hander girl walks home from a train as part of the inaugural student-lead arts festival Discord held at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). In 2020, Isha received a grant from Union House Theatre to launch Voices in Isolation, an interactive website that invited Melbournians to submit stories about their isolation experiences. Isha made their theatrical debut in Melbourne earlier this year in ‘Very Nice Pot Plants’ (dir. Karla Livingston and Zachary Sheridan) at Theatreworks Glasshouse venue. Some of their credits from her time at VCA include being part of Otello: What’s Changed (dir. Draf Draffin) where they wrote and performed Butterfly!, and Sleep Faster Show Cat (dir. Emma Hall), a semi-improvised endurance theatre piece set entirely in the surreal online world of Zoom.
Founder, Bangladeshi Shaad
Bangladeshi Shaad, which translates to Bangladeshi Taste , was founded by Kaberi Jesmin in 2021. Passionate about sharing the tastes of her homeland, Kaberi uses her cooking to bring people together and celebrate Bangladeshi culture. Kaberi was catering just for friends and family, when an invitation to cook biryani at an event for 50 people motivated her to start her own business. Since then, she has catered for community celebrations and organisations, including Neighbourhood Collective Australia and Regional Victorians of Colour. Kaberi offers event-catering and cooking demonstrations across the Bendigo region, for foods like chai, biryani and Bangladeshi snacks.
Painter and Illustrator
As a self-taught painter and illustrator, Shukria uses her practice to express her creative and cultural identity. Limited hand mobility led her to explore painting as an alternative to Afghan hand stitching and since 2018, she has developed her skills through photographic references and watching online videos. Resonating with the work of Rubaba Muhammedi, a partially paralysed young Afghan artist, Shukria seeks to suffuse meaning into her practice. She is currently working on a series of paintings that depict the atrocities currently being experienced in Afghanistan, with plans to exhibit and sell these pieces in support of the Hazara community. Shukria has previously exhibited at EmergeD and illustrated a City of Greater Bendigo Greater Bendigo Against Family Violence brochure. She currently exhibits at the Cultural Exchange Beehive in Bendigo.
Group of Migant Women
Self-described 'Seniors in Action', the Goulburn Valley Seniors Association Incorporated is a group of women from migrant backgrounds who come together to connect and create. From hand woven bags to propagating exotic plants, the diversity of the group's products reflects that of its members. After decades supporting their families mostly through orchard and factory work, the GVSAI allows its members the opportunity to delve more deeply into their crafts and to reconnect with their cultural identities. GVSAI has members across Goulburn Valley, with plans to take their unique offerings to communities and speciality markets across the region.
Collective of South Sudanese Women
Diäär Kuo, meaning ‘our women’, is a collective of South Sudanese women who, together, use traditional beadwork and coil weaving to create home décor, jewellery, and clothing. The group first began working together in 2018, inspired by a weaving workshop facilitated by community leader and expert weaver, Mary Anwat. For Diäär Kuo, women’s weaving circles represent an opportunity to create a stronger community and to learn and to share evolving handicraft methods across generations, both young and old. Diäär Kuo have previously exhibited at MAV’s Interwoven exhibition. Their intricate works can be purchased at the Cultural Exchange Beehive in Bendigo.
Founder, Belle Fleur Mira
Belle Fleur Mira was founded by Mireille Byamasu in 2021, after years of struggling to find gentle, locally made products that support the health of natural African hair. With most African hair products imported from America or Africa, Mireille’s mission is two-fold: to promote the beauty of natural hair and to create locally made products that are readily accessible and safe for children and adults alike. In doing so, Mireille hopes to encourage other retailers to stock products that work with African hair. Belle Fleur Mira will launch online in 2022, with the first collection featuring shampoos, conditioners, leave-in treatments, and oils.
Founder, Freaka Kid Club
Freaka Kid Club is an emerging fashion label from Bendigo-based designer, Ayuen Kuol Bol. Kenya-born and Melbourne-raised, Ayuen uses weaving, beading, and digital printing techniques in a style that links her Dinka heritage and contemporary style. Named in remembrance of her childhood, Freaka Kid Club not only charts Ayuen’s creative journey but is also intended to model a pathway for other young South Sudanese people seeking creative careers. Freaka Kid Club aims to be a platform for collaboration with other South Sudanese artists and designers, with an online shop planned in the future. Ayuen has previously retailed at The Social Studio markets in Melbourne, as well as appearing in Melbourne Spring Fashion Week and Wyndham Gallery’s Stolen/Wealth exhibition.
Founder, Tš Luxuriôus Couture
Under the label Tš Luxuriôus Couture, Nigerian-born Temi Adenubi uses high-quality African print fabrics to produce custom casual, corporate, and special occasion wear. The idea for Tš Luxuriôus Couture emerged after Temi hosted a fashion show at the 2021 A Taste of African Culture event in Shepparton. For Temi, Tš Luxuriôus Couture is an opportunity to introduce elements of Nigerian culture to the broader Australian community, and to create a culturally inclusive and diverse brand from the outset. Tš Luxuriôus Couture is located in Shepparton, with all services available online.
Founder, Bibi Zahra
Prolific in practice, Bibi Zahra is skilled in sewing, crocheting, and knitting. Under her eponymously titled label, Bibi Zahra infuses contemporary garments and footwear with traditional techniques. Bibi Zahra started her business in Afghanistan, where she created hats and beanies, before moving onto crocheted jackets for weddings. Banned from using electricity in her former hometown, she would often close the doors and windows to secretly sew long into the night. Since moving to Australia, she has expanded her range to include embroidered pillowcases, tablecloths and bed covers and is looking to produce hand-embroidered sandals in 2022.
Founder, Malieta Gifts
Malieta Gifts was established in 2021 by aspiring entrepreneur and online gifting enthusiast, Shepparton-based Ane Fotu. Having purchased online gift boxes for friends and family during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Ane noticed a gap in the market for Pacific Island products and set up her business to share her Tongan culture with a broader audience. Together with one or two locally made items, Ane’s gift packs include products made in the Pacific Islands along with explanations of their provenance.
Founders, Pawmosha
Pawmosha was founded by Paw Kyi Pai and Mu Moo to reenergise the practice of traditional Karen hand-weaving in Bendigo. Using a traditional backstrap floor loom, the group creates wraps, bags, and scarves, as well as Karen clothing. They also host regular workshops with both the Karen and broader communities to teach these skills and to pass on this important traditional knowledge on to the next generation. Pawmosha Weavers have exhibited at Dudley House and the La Trobe University Art Institute. They have also hosted workshops at the Karen Language School, Bendigo Pottery and the Bendigo Easter Festival. You can find their wares at the Cultural Exchange Beehive in Bendigo.
Founder, Hoku Tonga
Community, culture and care are at the heart of Hoku Tonga, an emerging retail business from Shepparton-based Kalina Muli. Away from her family in Tonga and extended community in New Zealand, Kalina's business was born from the need to access koloa (Tongan treasures) for her personal fatongia (responsibilities). Recognising there would be other community members in a similar situation, she began making and importing koloa and now also imports materials for the Tongan community to make their own. Kalina is in the process of setting up an online store to retail her koloa across Australia and internationally.
Founder, Karen Lady Catering
An entrepreneurial spirit and passion for the traditional flavours of Karen cooking led Paw Kee to establish Karen Lady Catering in 2019. Paw Kee began her business selling lunches to students and teachers at TAFE which, due to demand, quickly evolved into a highly sought-after catering enterprise. She has gone on to cater for the City of Greater Bendigo, Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services, Castlemaine State Festival, Women’s Health Loddon Mallee and the Neighbourhood Collective Australia. Paw Kee offers event-catering across the Bendigo region and since 2020, has cooked over 600 meals for Cafes for COVID, an initiative that pays local businesses to cook meals for people in need.
Photographer and Videographer
Born in Myanmar, Tha Shee is a proud member of the Karen community. Having grown up in Mae La Camp in Thailand. In 2019 he moved to Bendigo and lives, works and creates on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. He has a passion for taking photos and video and creates beautiful images of nature. He is keen to photograph diverse people in the studio.
Animator and Illustrator
Shirin is an Iranian-Australian animator and illustrator. She works across a variety of media including digital painting and video animation. Her body of work conveys themes of collective memories and visually encapsulates a vast range of cultural influence, Persian literature, issues in modern cultures, and philosophical allusions. She reaches her visual goals by combining different art forms and seeking new means of expression through those established mediums. She recently graduated from a bachelor of fine art in animation.
Musician
Jai Atkinson (AKA KibbZ) is a 23 year old man living on Dja Dja wurrung country with connection to Yorta Yorta people. Jai uses Hip-Hop music as a medium to express and share his views and observations of his surroundings. Jai has been creating beats and lyrics since the age of 13 and in the last 5 years has developed a program to share his skills and experience with like minded youth.
Musician and Artist
BER is an eighteen year old musician and artist from Victoria, Australia, hailing from Dja Dja Wurrung Country (Bendigo) and now living on Wurundjeri Land. She is currently studying at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, where she hopes to expand her musical knowledge and technical capability. She is passionate about the ocean, and scuba dives. She hopes to one day join ocean clean-ups to protect the marine life and ecosystems. You'll often find her in little niche shops, supporting small businesses or in op shops. Her music is available to listen to on all streaming platforms.
Composer, Trombone Player and Band Manager
Aryo is an Indonesian-Australian composer, trombone player, and band manager currently based in Castlemaine. He specialises in Jazz, Latin, Balkan Gypsy, and Gamelan music and has performed extensively around Australia and internationally. Born in Yogyakarta, he began playing music from a very young age, press-ganged by his parents who are well known Gamelan teachers. He studied classical euphonium and jazz trombone and was drawn to the thriving tradition of Gypsy Brass. His ambition is to lead a gamelan-fusion project that would embrace the traditional music of central Java and the processes of contemporary improvisation.
Musician
Zakir Hussain is a talented musician from Afghanistan, currently working as a security guard. He loves music and plays the rubab, a traditional Afghan instrument. He is also learning Indian classical music as well as developing skills in digital art and illustration.
Creative
Jay Pops was born in West Samoa and grew up in New Zealand, where he was an active rugby player. He is currently studying in high school in Shepparton and loves to create video edits to dance music, inspired by an old school, hip-pop aesthetic and different vibes. Jay is exploring creativity as a way to express struggle and to search for belonging. He imagines a world where more Polynesian youths are empowered to share their experiences, whether happy or sad, in the hopes that others will listen and relate.
Podcasters
Nadia and Yvette are sisters from Burundi, East Africa, and have lived in Shepparton since late 2020. Nadia is a hard-working student currently completing her Year 12 studies. She is keen to create a better future for young people of colour with her commitment to learning and sharing her experiences to inform, guide and inspire others. Nadia hopes to pursue a career in biomedicine. Yvette works as a school multicultural liaison officer and is also studying to become a nurse. Having seen how language and cultural barriers have a detrimental effect people’s health and well-being, she is determined to help people from all walks of life access accurate, timely, reliable information and services.
Visual Artist
"I’m Melissa Moo. I have recently moved from Werribee to Bendigo. So far, I like how supportive and connected the community is. I enjoy drawing during my free time but since I was in grade 11 and up till now, I felt too busy with studies and work to immense myself back into this hobby. However, MAV’s Duniya Behter program has opened up opportunities for me to get to know people who share the same interest as me, and they helped me along the way to start and finish my project. My project involves comic like drawings and some stop motion technique to create mini motion. While working on this project, I got to know so many people with different abilities and this makes me feel motivated to draw more often."
Visual Artist and Poet
Mercan is a bright young Turkish woman from Shepparton who loves engaging with her local community. With first-hand experience of the difficulties that multicultural youth and their families face, she hopes to help those facing similar struggles. Besides an interest in community work, Mercan also loves to draw and write poetry.
Young African Australian
Kazadi aka Zadi is a young African Australian living in Shepparton since 2018. He loves running, drawing, rap music, coding, hanging out with his friends, and most of all, riding his scooter and learning new tricks. His biggest inspiration is Isiah Samms, a black British scooter rider. The change he hopes to see in the world is people getting along and accepting each other for who they are.
Creative
Noor is from Iraq, born and raised in Shepparton and currently studying nursing and psychology at Deakin University, Melbourne. She enjoys a variety of creative activities such as drawing and crocheting but is fascinated by people and how our behaviours influence each other. Noor has a strong sense of equity, often standing up against bullies and advocating for those around her experiencing unfair treatment. She understands that sometimes people need a compassionate listener to reassure and lead them through difficult social issues such as racism and peer pressure.
Poet
Nargis Alsakir is a young Iraqi woman born and raised in Shepparton, currently studying at Latrobe University, Melbourne. She loves spoken word and the power it has to convey ideas and emotions by captivating audiences in ways that elude other forms of expression. Nargis is also curious to explore the poetry of film and its potential to express ideas beyond still images, with recent experiments into abstract film investigating its subjectivity and connection with the spoken word.
Oceanic RnB Soul Group
Oceanic RnB Soul group Nesian Blue carry the spirit and rhythm of the islands with church and culture firmly in their foundation. Connecting their motherlands Tonga and Samoa, they were all born in Aotearoa and are among the exciting new generation of young emerging Pasifika artists creating on Yorta Yorta land. A strong mutual love for music, family and inspired by community, they all started singing in highschool together landing their first performance at Pasifika Fest 2021. Also featuring at the upcoming Converge Festival in Shepparton, Nesian Blue are determined to share their god-given gifts to achieve greatness and bring pride to their Pasifika communities. Rich layered voices flanked with soaring harmonies, powerful and meaningful lyrics with soulful piano and gospel stylings, Nesian Blue will draw you in gently and squeeze your heart.
Multidisciplinary Artist
TAGA BARRIO (Larra Juab) is a queer Filipino immigrant, multidisciplinary artist that has been residing and creating work in the land of the Kulin Nation for 11 years. As an immigrant, they have found solace and a feeling of belonging here in the SE Suburbs of Naarm (Melbourne) and is continually working hard to create, and discuss topics such as; Identity, Belonging, Post-colonialism and Community through the use of arts through different forms and mediums. Taga Barrio shares their experiences and point of views through storytelling by the use of painting, sculpture, mixed media, photography, printing and spoken word poetry. They make sure to always incorporate their heritage and language through these works.
Storyteller
Ana Maria Gomides is an Afro-Brasileira, Latina-Indígena storyteller existing on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung country. operating across a multitude of genres and mediums, her work is both reflective and reflexive of her experiences of race, migration, queerness, mental and chronic illnesses, neurodiversity, and the various ways in which they intersect.
Multidisciplinary Artist
Karena Bravo is a multidisciplinary artist from Colombia. Her work is feminine and self-explorative. She uses mixed media techniques to represent Black Women and Women of Colour, their bodies' shape, hair, and style, highlighting their connection with nature and spirituality and representing their beauty, strength, and vulnerability. Her work aims to be a tool for empowerment, building self-acceptance and confidence. Part of her creative process and outcome have been shaped by the constant necessity to reconnect with her roots. Being far away from home had encouraged Karena to explore different art forms and create a sense of belonging through dance and movement, inspiring her through her visual work and helping her preserve her culture and identity.
9-Piece Band
Born of fusion, AUstralia, SEnegal, CUba, and MAli - Ausecuma Beats stands for unity. It is demonstrated through their combined musical influences and rhythms. Collectively, they represent diversity. “We all see the hard work that lies ahead in the future. It’s not easy, and we all have different ways of thinking. But there is also something we all share, and that is humanity, and family. We have to teach our children, to help them on their journey.”. Their most recent album is named Musso; it means woman. It is dedicated to those who gave us life. It doesn’t matter how strong we are, how tough we are, or how lucky we are, in the chances we have been given. There is always someone who is worrying about us; there is no one who can be thinking about us more than our own mother. Musso is dedicated to the women in their lives and is sending respect to all women around the world.
Song Woman
With a name coming from the Wik people, meaning to dance, to sing, to play, Kee’ahn aims to honour her name and Ancestors through her soulful music that weaves lush melodies and words reminiscent of heartbreak and healing. Kee’ahn released her debut single ‘Better Things’ on May 28, 2020. Kee’ahn was awarded the Archie Roach Foundation Award at the 2020 National Indigenous Music Awards.
Visual Artist, Performer, Story Teller
Po Tu Tu is a Karen man born in Burma who grew up in a refugee camp. He is a visual artist, performer, story teller. Po first connected with MAV in Bendigo by exhibiting in Chrysalis at Dudley House and went on to create a story from the perspective of a tree in Once Upon a Tree. He performed in the TerryandTheCuz production of Sk!n and recorded an audio story for Punctum Inc’s. Public Cooling House. Po is passionate about live performance, and in mixing the Karen language and English to express themes about his homeland and contemporary life as a person of colour in Australia. He is currently working with MAV as a Cultural Facilitator to strengthen capacity, connect and engage the Karen community in Bendigo with arts and cultural activity
Musician
Howlin’ the blues with a rock n roll attitude, Jag is a raw musician from Melbourne. She fearlessly engages with audiences, putting on performances of pure emotion. Writing songs of freedom, growth, and individuality, Jag shows that she’s more than just a performer. Jag is a Rock n’ Soul, Hard Blues Funk artist. Her raspy style is influenced by the likes of Tina Turner, Hendrix, and shock-rock legend Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. She released her debut track SATISFIED in December 2021.
Singer/Songwriter, Recording Artist and Performer
Achai is a multi-talented singer/songwriter, recording artist and performer. Her deep and soulful sound and stage presence never fails to capture nor engage an audience. She recently released her debut EP Malka which explores different sounds in music.
Singer, Songwriter and Dancer
Tèbir is a unique Melbourne-based singer, songwriter, and dancer who fuses together African soul and neo-funk genres to create striking music and live performance art.
Rapper, Songwriter, Composer and Producer
Aćol Agaar Apollo, better known by the stage name POOKIE, is a South Sudanese rapper, songwriter, composer and producer who was born in Nairobi, Kenya.
Singer-Songwriter
Chilean/Australian singer-songwriter Karina Lehman blends her smooth vocals and energetic guitar rhythms taking you on a trip to Latin America. Influenced by artists such as Gloria Stefan, Marissa Monte, Natalia Lafourcade and Kevin Johansen, her songs talk about love, life experiences, dreams, and nature. Karina debuted with her solo project last April 2020 with song ‘Son de la Luna Dormida’, followed by ‘Contigo’ and ‘Oh Eah’, and started last year 2021 releasing her first song in English “Sunset dreams” followed by a fresh bossa-samba “Vagabundeando”, a romantic ballad “Winter” and her latest experimental tune called “No seas malo”.
Lebanese Musician
Camille El Feghali is a Lebanese Musician who draws heavily from the traditions of the Middle East. The instruments he plays include the Qanun, the Nay, the Buzuq and the synthesizer. He founded “Tarabeat” in 2016, which is a music collective combining Arabic traditional music with electronic instruments.
Sitarist and Vocalist
Sarita Mcharg brings a unique classical and contemporary flavour to her music. A true devotional Sitarist and Vocalist, she is well known for her spiritual and heartrending playing and singing style, driven by her vast knowledge of classical ragas and traditional Indian folk songs.
Band
With their roots in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Melbourne-based band The New Monos combine inspiration from their South American heritage and diverse musical experience with the flavor of contemporary Buenos Aires, mixing Reggae, Folklore, Cumbia, Rock, Rumba, Hip-hop and Latin beats, all expressed with the passion of the Tango.
Shepparton Culture Kitchen
Agoness Kuol is originally from South Sudan. She made Shepparton home in 2001 with her husband and is bringing up her six children as part of a community that she loves and is proud of.
Singaporean-Australian Artist, Curator, Dramaturg, and Facilitator
Based on Wurundjeri Country in Melbourne, Jamie Lewis is a Singaporean-Australian artist, curator, dramaturg, and facilitator. She creates and curates site-responsive performances that engage audiences as participants, and communities as artists; and often works with autobiographical stories, conversation and food. Committed to diversifying practice, Jamie seeks alternative models in her work and a re-imagining of leadership, governance, and structures. Jamie is currently CEO / Executive Director at Next Wave. She has previously been the Program Manager at TNA (Theatre Network Australia), on the Board of MAV (Multicultural Arts Victoria), and was in the 2018 cohort of Australia Council for the Arts’ Future Leaders program.
Samoan Cultural Leader
Meet Mellisa Silaga, Community Engagement Facilitator for Shepparton Culture Kitchen, Samoan cultural leader, Director of Know Your Roots and Pasifika Festival and Co Founder of Point of Difference Studio.
Shepparton Culture Kitchen
Eman and her young children endured great hardships to reach the safety of Australia when war made living conditions unbearable in Iraq, in 2002.
Shepparton Culture Kitchen
Le’aisa immigrated to Australia in 2004, seeking better opportunities for her family and young children. On visiting Shepparton one Easter, Le’aisa was drawn to the calming presence of Victoria Lake and soon settled in the area.
Shepparton Culture Kitchen
Shakilla arrived in Australia in 2017 after a difficult journey to escape the dangers of war in Afghanistan, where some of her family remain today.
Shepparton Culture Kitchen
Yusniza immigrated to Australia over seven years ago to work on a dairy farm, choosing to live in Shepparton for the English language support it offered for her young children when they first arrived.
Singer-Songwriter, Rapper and Producer.
David Kelly Chomba, aka KidDave is a 17 Year old Melbourne raised singer/songwriter, rapper and producer. He started making music at just 7 years old and has been improving ever since. Now David is focusing on speaking for the young community and issues that they face and he does this through his music. “The goals is to represent my peers and to bring issues such as violence, drug use, etc.”, KidDave explains, his goal for the future is to bring the Melbourne and Australian music scene to the rest of the world.
Founder - Prolific Studio
“I’ve started Prolific Studio so I can assist in nourishing the amazing talent Melbourne youth have to offer musically. The 9 towers lockdown was a devastating time for our community. Witnessing the injustice and inhuman way our people were treated. This has brought so much anxiety within our community. When MAV gave me the opportunity to curate and produce an EP compilation for the Shelter 2 project, it was a great honour to be able to work with a group of talented and resilient young people who experienced the effects of this lockdown. Especially as a past Flemington housing estate resident, this project was very close to my heart. We have a long way to go to repair the damage made. However I’m a true believer that art can open dialogue and begin the healing that we all need.”
Storyteller
“My name is Barry. I am 26 years old and I live in North Melbourne. I am a youth worker and a peer advocate in the city of Melbourne and Flemington working with a number of organisations. My passion lies in creating programs for young people in high school or University that cater to emerging leadership and self confidence for marginalised youth. I was born with cerebral palsy and this is my story.”
Storyteller
Sumaya is 14 years old and lives with her family in North Melbourne. Her parents came to Australia in 2000 and are originally from Somalia. She is a student at high school and in her spare time she loves playing sports.
Illustrator
She creates illustrations using both analog and digital means and is primarily self-taught in her creative practice. Her illustrations vary from drawings, paintings and digital art.
Flemington Sister
“My name is Sara Zakaria. Home is in Sudan and now, Australia since 2004. When my son was born in 2006 I made Australia my permanent home. I look after my son, take him to school and soccer and keep busy with my friends. I work in Moonee Valley cooking my sweets and different kinds of foods. I became part of this project because I wanted to share my cooking, especially my sweets, which everyone likes. The lockdown was very bad for me, just sitting at home and I couldn’t go out. Talking with my friends and family on the phone helped me get through that time. I’m here to help people with food, sweets and cooking anytime!”
Flemington Sister
“My name is Huida Omer. Home is in Sudan and for the past 20 years I’ve made Australia home. Australia is a good country for education and health and good for living. You can find good jobs as long as you have a qualification. The main thing that keeps me busy is my 3 children, I have 3 girls. In 2018 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and spent a year in intensive treatment. Since then I have to rest a lot but it’s important for me to stay connected with my friends and that’s why I’ve joined the Shelter 2 project. The hard lockdown, at first I felt sad and it felt unfair that we were the only ones being locked down like this in Melbourne. But later when I realized that there were some families here in the flats with COVID, I was glad that we were locked down like this. We all share the same facilities and live close together and I was worried because my own immune system and one of my daughter’s immune system is not 100%. We stayed home for 5 days and spent the time watching the news and finding out more about what’s happening and understanding the pandemic. There were people helping us and bringing food so it was okay in the end.”
Flemington Sister
“My name is Ruth Eyakem. I was born and raised in Ethiopia but I am from Eritrea. I came to live in Australia 28 years ago because of war in my home country, to look for a better life. I live in the Flemington high rise with my lovely daughter. We speak English and Arabic. I love cooking, my job is waitressing and I love hosting and serving people. I chose to be part of Shelter 2 because the hard lockdown was very stressful and I wanted to share how I passed through that time. When I first heard about the 5 day lockdown on the news I went quickly to buy medication that I need for stress and anxiety. I had none left at home but they would not let me out of the building and said they would bring us everything we needed. It never came and that was hard for me. But I had my traditional coffee ceremony and this became so important. During the lockdown I did it everyday with my daughter. It helped me pass the time, helped to calm my nerves. It gave me a good feeling of having my friends and family around me and kept me calm. My coffee ceremony was my medicine.”
Flemington Sister
“My name is Awatif Taha. Home is Sudan and for the past 20 years, Australia. I like Australia for its humanity, rights, education, health and job opportunities. I work and volunteer my time with my community across different fields, but especially with women and kids. I’m involved in running a homework club and working with the Multicultural Sudanese Centre where we have provided women with certified training in commercial cooking. A big project I’m involved in at the moment is Mum’s Kitchen which developed through co-design with Moonee Valley City Council. Mum’s Kitchen is for women from different African backgrounds to build skills and confidence for them to access employment opportunities in aged care, child care and hospitality and to create their own business which might also support employment of other women in the community. During the hard lockdown I was so busy working with different organisations and DHHS, door knocking to get information to people, ask them what they needed and link them to services to make sure their needs were met. I especially helped with new arrivals and old women who needed extra support. I also did some media interviews on radio about our situation and I wrote an article that was published in The Guardian. For the Shelter 2 project I have brought together 7 other women from different African backgrounds who live in the high-rises, to share our recipes and eat together and it’s been amazing. For us it’s not only about sharing our food but also about us having confidence and affirming our value in the community.”
Flemington Sister
“My name is Halima Ahmed. Home is Eritrea and since 1999 I’ve been living in Australia. I like everything about Australia especially the education and it’s a beautiful country. I have my family here so it’s good for me. I’m a very busy woman, I have five grown up children and two grandchildren. I’m working now with Mum’s Kitchen cooking and also as a cleaner at the child care centre. I have lots of nice and friends and also look after my mother. For the Shelter 2 project, I’ve been able to share with other African women. It’s been especially a good opportunity for mum’s who work hard at home to tell our stories. Often we don’t get the chance to tell our stories, and no one asks us and often no one listens, but every mother has a story. The hard lockdown, it was very hard for us and maybe they did it too quickly and we didn’t have time to prepare. But it was important for our health and to protect us because we live very close to each other here in the flats, using the same lifts, using the same laundry as other families. We also have a lot of old people and vulnerable people in our community here so it was important that we protect each other.”
Flemington Sister
“My name is Leila Ali. Somalia is home and I’ve been living in Australia for 25 years. Before coming to live in Melbourne I was in Papua New Guinea for one year. PNG was nice but there was too much fighting. I like the peace here in Australia and it’s fair. I keep busy with my work in Mum’s Kitchen in Moonee Valley cooking food for people in need and delivering the food to everyone. I have six children and still two are living at home. The hard lockdown made me feel very scared and I spent a lot of time looking out my window and talking to my friends on the phone. I felt jealous when I looked outside and saw all the police and other people walking around. I felt like why am I stuck here and everyone else is outside. During the lockdown I didn’t want the food that the government was bringing, my community looked after me and brought the halal foods. But I didn’t need food, I just needed air and to get outside again. I wanted to be part of Shelter 2 because I like spending time with my friends. I am the only Somali woman in this team and I wanted to share my special dishes from my culture.”
Flemington Sister
“My name is Samira Ali. Home is in Sudan and now in Flemington since 2000. I speak Arabic and Tigray. Australia is a nice country and we have a good life. I wanted to be part of Shelter 2 because I like to share my culture and want people to learn about my culture and maybe try our food. I wasn’t scared of the hard lockdown. Actually it was good for me because I cleaned my house, I had time to cook the food I like to eat and had time to discuss some important family business with my children. I stayed connected with my friends during the lockdown through our Whatsapp group so it was okay.”
Flemington Sister
“My name is Emebet Asfaw, people call me Amy. Home is Ethiopia and I’ve been living in Australia for over 20 years now. Now Australia is my home. I like the freedom and peace here. I used to work in hospitality and I keep busy now by cooking and looking after my kids. Vegan cooking is my specialty and my recipes are popular. Every month I have a stall at the Vegan Market in Richmond selling my food. During the hard lockdown I was worried about COVID and spent my time researching a lot of different foods and the vitamins they contain and their benefits to protect my family’s health. The lockdown was a very damaging experience and really increased anxiety levels. I worry about what’s going to happen next.”
Anti-racist literary platform
Liminal magazine is an actively anti-racist literary platform, a space for the interrogation and celebration of the Asian-Australian experience.
Singer-Songwriter
Zimbabwean born and Melbourne based singer-songwriter, Thando, has been gracing stages around Australia with her electric presence and powerhouse vocals.
Artist
Seble Girma was a member of the Ethiopian circus in Ethiopia.
Singer-Songwriter, Choir Leader, Performer and Visual Artist
Iaki Vallejo is an Colombian African/Indigenous descendant singer/songwriter, choir leader, performer and visual artist based in Melbourne.
Singer-Songwriter
Tyra Lewis is a singer-songwriter who is based in Melbourne
Singer
Cheryl Simaika is a talented young artist hailing from Samoa and living in Shepparton.
Artist
Jacki Tut is a South-Sudanese Australian artist from deep in Melbourne’s South-East suburbs.
Poet and Educator
Ren Alessandra is an Italo-Australian poet and educator based in Naarm.
Poet, Artist and DJ
Mr. Congo is a poet/artist and DJ, his eclectic style of music and art fuses history and culture.
Interdisciplinary Artist and Community Arts Cultural Development practitioner (CACD)
Grace Vanilau is a Naarm based Interdisciplinary artist and Community Arts Cultural Development practitioner (CACD) of Aotearoa Samoa heritage.
DJ
Melbourne-based DJ Narumi Asada offers a knowledgeable approach to music through her 15 years of experience DJ’ing and supporting the local dance scene.
International Speaker, Performing Artist, Writer, Activist and Storyteller
Amao Leota Lu is a proud Samoan fa’afafine and trans woman of color. She is an international speaker, performing artist, writer, activist and storyteller who infuses the intersectionality of gender, culture and life experiences in her performance works and talks.
Graphic Designer and Photographer
Stefan is obsessed with light and shadow in photography, and it excites him to use light to push boundaries of traditional photography and create interesting compositions.
Video Editor and Colourist
Elizna Van der Walt is a video editor, colourist and sampler of other creative roles based in Melbourne, Australia.
Cinematographer and Shooter-Director
Vincent Lamberti holds post-graduate diplomas in Documentary directing from VCAM and Cinematography from AFTRS.
Writer
Jeremy Nguyen is a Vietnamese-Australian writer from Melbourne who has written for screen (NBC Universal, SBS Australia, Seven Australia, Matchbox Pictures, December Media), stage (Melbourne Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre), radio (ABC), and print (Black, Inc., The Australian Financial Review).
Artist, Independent Game Developer and Poet
Mohamed Chamas is an artist, independent game developer and poet based in Naarm (melbourne).
Musician, Producer and Composer
Daniel Jauregui is a multiple Latin Grammy awarded musician, producer and composer.
Trainer, Producer and Sound Technician
Karina Aedo-Aguilera is a trainer, producer, and sound technician at 3CR Community Radio.
Dancer, Singer, Actress, Activist
Miss Cairo had been treading the boards since the tender age of five.
Multidisciplinary Artist
Stone Motherless Cold is an Arrernte gem, currently based in so called melbourne.
Weaver and Designer
Director of Arawa Designs, Tāne Te Manu McRoberts, is a Māori weaver and designer of fine and intricate Polynesian attire.
Visual Artist, Producer and Singer-Songwriter
Ree works across various mediums including visual art, performance, song-writing, music production and programming.
Comedian, Writer and Producer
Sunanda is a comedian, writer and producer born in Delhi, raised in Bangkok who has lived in LA and NYC before Melbourne.
Makeup Artist
Zian Watene is a New Zealand born Melbourne based freelance makeup artist.
Hairstylist, Makeup Artist, Lash Artist and Nail Artist
Wendy Nguyen is a hairstylist, makeup artist, lash artist and nail artist.
Freelance Makeup Artist
Kaysia-Joy Fair is a freelance makeup artist of 11 years.
Hair and Makeup Artist.
Nisal Atapattu is a hair and makeup artist.
Hair Braiding Specialist
Feven Ghebreigziabher is a self-taught hair braiding specialist based in Melbourne. Born and raised in Eritrea, Feven has been braiding hair since the age of 10.
Hair Stylist
Banan is a queer woman of colour born and raised in Egypt, she began her career in hair after recognising how little space and opportunities were afforded to women of colour with textured hair.
Butoh Dancer and Choreographer
Born in Hyogo, Japan, Yumi is an established Butoh Dancer and choreographer and creator of Butoh Cabaret works.She has been creating her distinctive style of works for 30 years and her works are renowned for provoking visceral emotions and cultural identities.
Fashion Designer
Suzan Dlouhy is a fashion designer and the founder of the label SZN.
Writer, Producer and Radio Host
Shantel Wetherall is a writer, producer and radio host. Her practice is focused on women, culture and change, prioritising the voices and experiences of black women.
Actor, Writer and Theatre Maker
Senuri is an actor, writer and theatre maker of Sri Lankan Sinhalese heritage.
Director, Actor, Theatre Maker and Dramaturg,
Sapidah Kian is a director, actor, theatre maker and dramaturg, working across theatre, film, television, and radio, and an Azeri-Iranian Australian artist living on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation.
Multi-disciplinary Artist, TED Presenter, Art Therapist, Birthworker, Scholar and Philanthropist.
Nel Mama Boho (Janelle Da Silva) is a multi-disciplinary artist, TED presenter, art therapist, birthworker, scholar and philanthropist.
Vocalist, Rapper and Producer
Muma Doesa is a vocalist, rapper and producer working in hip-hop, reggae and dancehall.
Photographer and Filmmaker
Maylei Hunt is a photographer and filmmaker whose career spans more than 21 years.
Jazz Singer, Cabaret Artiste and gender transcendent Diva
Mama Alto is a jazz singer, cabaret artiste and gender transcendent diva.
Dancer
Loz (Lorraine) Sorono was born in Cebu city in the Philippines.
Performance Artist and an emerging Arts Manager
Kiki Dévine is a performance artist and an emerging arts manager.
Dancer, Choreographer, Actor, Teacher, Writer and Filmmaker
Joshinder Chaggar is a dancer, choreographer, actor, teacher, writer and filmmaker whose work centres around the themes of freedom and transcendence.
Storyteller, Advocate and Photographer.
Jessica D’Cruze is a storyteller, advocate and photographer.
Fashion Designer
Hyra Usman is a mother, homemaker and fashion designer who launched her own brand in 2019. A Muslim woman from Pakistan, Hyra moved to Australia 11 years ago and has volunteered with many multicultural organisations and events.
Multidisciplinary Artist and Designer
GOLDSTANK is a multidisciplinary artist and designer, and the daughter of Ethiopian refugees.
Director, Lighting designer, Dramaturg, Video designer
Emma is the co-artistic director and co-CEO of feminist theatre company THE RABBLE. She is also a freelance director, lighting designer, dramaturg, video designer and occasional troublemaker.
B-girl (breakdancer) and Hip Hop dancer
Hailing proudly from the Philippines, Demi Sorono, a self taught B-girl (breakdancer) and Hip Hop dancer, definitely made her mark as one of Australia’s favourite dancers on “So You Think You Can Dance 2008”.
Digital Artist
Rukaya Springle is a Zanzibari/Australian digital artist whose artwork focuses on Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC), highlighting issues of racial politics, gender equality, and social justice. Her artwork was accepted into the 2017 Top Arts exhibition hosted by the National Gallery of Victoria where she was also awarded the People’s Choice Award.
Multidisciplinary Creative Artist
Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore is a multidisciplinary creative artist working in film, photography and dance.
Director and Producer
Chichi Nwokocha (aka Cheech) is a Nigerian British director and producer.
Designer and Maker
Bianca Pardo is a designer and maker.
Digital Media
Bexx Djentuh is a Maori (Tainui, Ngati Maniapoto) and Ghanaian woman from Aotearoa whose artistic practice focuses on digital media and queer and trans people of colour (QTPOC).
Actor, Writer, Spoken Wordsmith, Comedian, Dancer, and Singer
Ashleyrose Gilham is an actor, writer, spoken wordsmith, comedian, dancer, and singer.
Writer
Ashleingh Black is an emerging Black writer.
Writer, Producer, Researcher and Teacher
Reagan Romero Maiquez completed his doctoral degree at Monash University’s Theatre, Performance, and Music Program and received the department’s best thesis award for his ethnographic research on flow and performances in the Sinulog Festival of Cebu, the Philippines.
Community Strengthening Officer, Social Worker, and Cultural Worker
Eh Su is the secretary and general coordinator of the arts and cultural group, the Australian Karen Cultural Association Inc.
Creative Multihyphenate
Candy Bowers is a radical mischief-maker born of South African political refugees.
Cross-disciplinary Artist
Christos Linou is a cross-disciplinary (CALD) artist with three decades of work as a professional dancer, choreographer and filmmaker, touring works in Australia and internationally.
Visual and Installation Artist
Jenny Zhe Chang is based in Melbourne, Australia. For the past 12 years, she has been creating installations, sculptures, paper cuttings and paintings that investigate the interaction between the Eastern and Western ways of being.
Dancer, Singer, Songwriter
Samuel Gaskin is a commercial dancer and successful singer/songwriter. Hailing from African, New Zealand and European roots, Sam has always been one to stand out in a crowd.
Visual Artist
Mahla Karimian is a visual artist whose emerging practise has been predominantly focused on classical Persian Miniature scratchboard and photography.
Visual Artist
Naazi Kakavand is a Iranian born fashion designer and visual artist with more than 20 years of experience.
Interdisciplinary Artist and Researcher
Anindita Banerjee, a twice uprooted Indian, is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher. The memories of ritualistic ceremonies, mark-makings and her reconstruction of them informs her practice
Musician
River Loizou usually produces hip-hop and rap music. However, recently he taken interest in the genre of cinematic music.
Writer, Performer, Multidisciplinary Artist
Margot is a writer, performer, and multidisciplinary artist.
Independent Curator, Writer and Performance Artist
Beatrice Rubio-Gabriel is an independent curator, writer and performance artist based in Naarm/Melbourne.
Composer, Multi-instrumentalist
Performing as DollFace, Benji Miu is a composer and multi-instrumentalist. He is a lover of all musical instruments, acoustic and electronic.
Painter, Photographer, 3D printer, Site-responsive Installation Artist, Video Artist, and Drag Performer
Scotty So works across mediums, using painting, photography, 3D printing, site-responsive installation, video, and drag performance to provoke humour and irony on the construct of identity and worldmaking.
Writer
Ruhi is grateful to the traditional owners of Boon Wurrung land where she writes everyday.
Production and Costume Design, Fine Art, and Visual Dramaturgy
Valentina Serebrennikova is an established Russian-born Artist, with a broad spectrum of practices, including; Production and Costume Design, Fine Art, and Visual Dramaturgy.
Singer-Songwriter, Multidisciplinary Artist
Sandy Hsu is a singer-songwriter and multidisciplinary artist from Melbourne.
Choreographer, Photographer, Performing and Installation Artist
Arun Munoz has a Post Graduate in Choreography from the Victorian College of the Arts and continues his creative works in photography, installation and performance.
Artist
Laura Cionci was born in Rome and studied at Rome’s Accademia delle Belle Arti under Professor Gino Marotta and in 2009 she began her artistic practice.
Screen and Stage Creator
Serah uses comedy to explore longing, loneliness and consumption in the work she creates for screen and stage.
Singer-songwriter
Stefania Serna is a Melbourne-based singer/songwriter.
Singer-songwriter
Stefania Serna is a Melbourne-based singer/songwriter.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter Nina Rose blends her velvety vocals and mellowing guitar rhythms taking you on a folky acoustic carpet ride.
Multidisciplinary artist
Khalid Farah has a Bachelors Degree in Media and Communication.
Writer
Nada is an Australian born 18 year old Eritrean young woman who was born in Melbourne and has lived her whole life in the Flemington towers.
Musician
Ethiopian born contemporary jazz musician Zelalem Negatu came to Australia in September 2013 and has since established himself in Australia with Reggage and Ethiopian Jazz bands including Nhatty Man, JAzmaris, Lalibelas, JahKnow and Rasta Unity.
Writer
Ras-Samuel Welda’abzgi is a vessel for telling stories that are gifted to him, and he is on a mission to share those gifts with the world. He became a writer to tell BIPOC stories in a creative landscape and on screen because as a young African creative he always noticed the great inequality in terms of representation. Ras-Samuel writes universal, relatable and complex characters dabbling in the genre of drama and comedy. His writing style is highly influenced by Spike Lee and the magical surrealism of Childish Gambino (Atlanta). Recent screen works include The Last Supper, BLVCK GOLD, Jebena Genie all of which he also wrote and produced. Ras-Samuel hopes to diversify Australia’s artistic landscape by inspiring the next generation who might not see many culturally diverse artists like him on stage and on screen.
Comics Artist
Rachel Ang is a comics artist from Narrm (Melbourne, Australia).
trans-disciplinary creative
Geskeva Komba is a trans-disciplinary creative of Comorian and Tanzanian heritage.
Singer/Songwriter/Producer
TruSoule is a Singer/Songwriter/Producer hailing form East Africa ‘Ethiopia via Melbourne , Australia.
Music Producer
CYNDYCUT is a Melbourne based producer duo featuring Kuda and Arad Kian.
Producer
A 17 year old Somali music producer from Flemington and specialises in Hip-Hop and R&B beats.
editor, writer, speaker and dancer
Adolfo Aranjuez is an editor, writer, speaker and dancer whose interdisciplinary practice focuses on queering and ‘collisions’ of word and movement.
Graphic designer
Tina Tang is an aspiring graphic designer based in Melbourne, Victoria.
Writer and Storyteller
Writing, storytelling and sharing experiences is important to Birkti, because she believes they create opportunities to amplify the voices of those who often go unheard.
Designer, Theatremaker, Puppeteer
For more than fourteen years, Astrid Mendez has been artfully weaving her training as a designer with her inner most passion for theatre and puppetry.
Producer, Arts Organiser, and Educator
James Emmanuel Mckinnon is a Filipinx producer, arts organiser, and educator.
Writer, Film-maker and Photographer
Francis Cao is a young Vietnamese-Australian writer, film-maker and photographer.
Writer, Performer, and Theatremaker
Cindy Jiang is a Chinese writer, performer, and theatremaker.
Visual Artist
Supansa Thongsuk (Nicky) produces realistic paintings, and mostly, her creative work includes drawing, printmaking, sculpture and installation.
Dancer, Visual Artist
Nakarin Jaikla was born in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He learned arts and craft in Northern Thai style from his grandmother who always brought him around when there were community events or ceremonies in the village.
Multi-disciplinary Visual Artist
Marla Celeste is a multi-disciplinary visual artist of Tamil and “white Australian” descent with experience in installation, video, photography, painting and sculpture.
Musician
Daniel Seifu is a professionally trained Ethiopian jazz, traditional and contemporary musician graduated from the Yared School of Music in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa
Visual Artist
Always having a fond interest in the workings of nature, environmental conservation and global community Giovanna conveys an artistic style that is simplistic but a reflection of these themes through bold use of line work and natural tones.
Singer, Composer, and Persian Kamancheh and Qeychak Player
Collaborating with musicians with diverse backgrounds allows Gelareh to explore concepts of place and time and create an individual and unique cross-cultural motif.
Visual Artist
Ellen Yeong Gyeong Son is interested in exploring transcultural diasporic identities and their memories.
Potter, Writer, Musician and Painter
Luc Yong believes the different mediums of artistic expression in her life fuel each other and continue to inspire and motivate her, to create and express her work in ever-evolving ways.
Filmmaker, Producer, Artist
Mimo’s artistic practice utilises video, photography and collage to tell stories and reflect on culture, identity and ancestry.
Musician
Madi Colville Walker, is a proud Yorta Yorta Woman, an inspiring musician who has had many opportunities after her very first performance at the CMAA Junior Academy.
Photographer
Ammar Yonis dedicates time to exploring his creativity through mediums such as photography.
Freelance Arts and Literary Critic
Thuy On is a freelance arts and literary critic/journalist whose work has appeared in The Australian, The Saturday Paper, The Age/The SMH, ArtsHub, and Books+Publishing.
Sound Artist
Ai Yamamoto sources her sounds from field recordings, game sounds, and daily life in the world, manipulating these textures into a body of work influenced by sound scapes, ambient, and industrial music.
Producer, artist, multi-instrumentalist and rapper
Producer, artist, multi-instrumentalist and sometimes rapper, Joelistics (Joel Ma) is recognised as a unique voice in the Australian music scene.
Solo Vocalist
Aarti is a solo vocalist, known for performing and creating hybrid cinematic compositions and vocal arrangements.
Bio-Artist, Synthetic Biologist, Biohacker
Dr. Latif is a bio-artist, synthetic biologist, and biohacker.
Visual Artist
Ali Choudry is an emerging visual artist in Melbourne.
Choreographer
Victoria Chiu trained at the VCA, Melbourne. She performed and toured extensively with Cie Nomades, Cie Gilles Jobin, Micha Purucker, Jozsef Trefeli, Fiona Malone, Bernadette Walong, with Australian Dance Theatre for Superstars of Dance.
RDYSTDY
Hana Miller and Jacob Perkins are founders of Ready Steady Studio (RDYSTDY), a visual production animatronic puppets for Disney, Cirque and Wynn Casinos with kinetic theatre company Michael Curry Design; created animation for Vice Magazine’s online channel VBS.TV; collaborated with Atlanta Eke on Keir Choreographic Award winning Body of Work and The Unsettling with Ghenoa Gela; mounted installations and performed at Carriageworks, MONA, Dark Mofo, SPLORE, Soundstage, the National, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, 30 upstairs, Les Plateux, Dance Massive, Adelaide International Arts Festival and Performance Space New York (PS122); other moving image collaborations include work with fashion designers Otsu, Penny Sage and contemporary jeweler Lisa Walker. RDYSTDY is currently creating an online video series on inquiry based art commissioned by TVNZ and NZ on Air.
Video Artist
Originally from the suburbs of Hobart, Tavis Pinnington relocated to Melbourne in 2013 to study a Bachelor of Film and Television at Swinburne University and pursue a career in filmmaking.
Sound Artist
Ali Adriano is a Melbourne based multidisciplinary Artist/Creative – formally trained in acting and filmmaking, and self-taught bedroom producer/singer.
Video Artist
Farey is motivated by the beauty in the mundane. Her art practice unites a complex range of often contradictory references from her life and experiences.
Sound Artist
黑芝麻 (Hei Zhi Ma) is a sound artist based on Ngunawal, Ngunnawal, and Ngambri Country. A master of building emotion and narrative in her sets, 黑芝麻 weaves spoken word, poetry, and film samples into breakbeat, techno, trance, and jungle.
Photographer and Filmmaker
For Max image making is an act of transforming the world by creating images the naked eye cannot see.
Percussionist, Multi-instrumentalist, Educator and Composer
Ron Reeves is a percussionist, multi-instrumentalist, educator and composer who has worked with a hugely diverse range of musicians and groups around the world.
Actress, Playwright, Director, and Facilitator
(Jon)Pongjit Saphakhun, is an actress, playwright, director, and facilitator now based in Melbourne.
Filmmaker
Kun Li is a filmmaker and educator who lives in Lanzhou, China.
Creative Producer
Takashi Takiguchi is an independent Creative Producer and an artist of Japanese heritage based in Naarm (Melbourne).
Composer and Guzheng Performing Artist
Mindy Meng Wang is an internationally renowned versatile Chinese/Australian composer and Guzheng performing artist.
Musician
Ria Soemardjo is a Melbourne based musician with a passion for collaborating with artists across diverse range of genres and artforms.
Contemporary Aance Artist and Performance Maker
Janette Hoe is an independent Melbourne-based contemporary dance artist and performance maker. Her practice is grounded in Butoh, and informed by Eastern and Western somatic, movement-based improvisation modalities.
Performing Artist
Yee Wen Soo is a performing artist and a school teacher. She has a background in Odissi, whereby she performs, assists in teaching and choreographs short dance pieces.
Visual Artist and Community Arts Practitioner
Youbi Lee is a visual artist and community arts practitioner. She works in many different forms of visual art; such as printmaking, installation, video and performances.
Artist
Jennifer Cheung is a Canadian-born Chinese young architect-to-be based in Hong Kong.
Contemporary Artist
Emily Wong is a contemporary artist in Hong Kong.
Software Developer and a Generative Art Lover
Jun Kiyoshi is a software developer and a generative art lover who lives in Nagoya, Japan.
Artist
With many sculptures being exhibited across Europe and China, he is also an expert in new media, interactive installation, parametric design, digital generation, public art, game design, and 3D printing.
Artist and Inventor
Jinglu Liu, a Chinese artist and inventor who was born in Linyi of Shandong province in 1965.
Bansuri Virtuoso
Born into one of India’s greatest flute-playing families, bansuri virtuoso Vinod Prasanna shines as an outstanding contemporary performer of authentic traditional Indian music.
Artist
"The practice of audio documentation I use to better understand our internal, external, and interpersonal environments."
Artist
CREATURE CREATURE is an artist duo consisting of Ambrose Rehorek (Born in Adelaide, Australia) and Chanel Tang (Born in Wellington, New Zealand).
Visual Artist and Independent Curator
As a visual artist and independent curator, Soyoun Kim’s creative practice centres on the notion of identity and humanity in contemporary society.
Creative Director, Goodworthy
With a 20-year rich history in the Australian music and performing, arts industry Neda Rahmani brings a wealth of knowledge to the Goodworthy team, translating her experience on stage and in front of the camera, into her role as head creative director of Goodworthy.