APPLICATIONS CLOSED.

A returning to ceremony, community and renewed sustainability. 

Are you a creative of colour with a strong drive to create transformative arts spaces?  

Do you have a passion for economic sustainability, cultural maintenance and evolution, integrity in storytelling, food or environmental care?  

Do you want to work within an intergenerational team to produce an event that strategises towards all of the above and a space to produce creativity of your own to present at the event?  

Are you a Thought Leader or well-connected Creative of Colour in your respective communities?  

Are you a creative of colour who's looking to develop on methods of disruption in the arts and explore what disruption means to you in the arts? 

DIASPORAS IS SET TO DISRUPT SYSTEMS OF POWER IN THE ARTS, IGNITE ARTISTIC PRACTICES, AND REPRESENT DIVERSE CREATIVES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.  

Diasporas has been created for, by and with diverse creatives as an artistic intervention to increase visibility, participation and equity in the arts towards a new arts ecology.   

The first iteration of Diasporas created opportunities to increase visibility by providing creatives of colour participation in self-determined commissions to create new work, present new work or both. 

Diasporas 2023 will be a continuum of culture making, prioritising diverse worldviews and knowledge systems.  As we are transitioning into the next era and navigating extensive global, local and personal changes.   

Diasporas 2023 is seeking to commission a team of 5 Thought Leaders, Creatives of Colour with a strong foundation in ceremony, connection and community to spearhead the second iteration of Diasporas. The team will weave together the five pillars of focus, economic sustainability, cultural maintenance and evolution, integrity in storytelling, food and environmental care and create a path towards a legacy in the arts sector.  

What does this opportunity involve? 

• The Diasporas Artist Team will work alongside and be supported by MAV staff to produce and curate the event.  
• The Artist Team will work towards producing the event within MAV’s allocated budget for the event. 
• The event will take place between June and August 2023 and will centre around discussion, strategising, storytelling and food with foundations in ceremony and community. 
• The discussions, strategising and networking which will take place at the event is envisioned to create the seeds and steppingstones towards a legacy of empowerment for creatives of colour in the arts. 
• Each artist in the team will create new artistic work which artists will have the opportunity to show an example of your work, present your ideas or contribute your new creative work to the event.  
• All artforms are welcome. 
• There will be a series of professional development workshops to build capacity of the Artist Team. 
• Multidirectional skill- sharing workshops will take place within the team and with special guests. 
• The Artist Team will have access to a space for creative exploration and experimentation. 
• Connecting with your communities and creating opportunities to collaborate on the project. 
• Each Artist Team member will receive $10,000 to create their new artistic work and be a part of the team to curate and produce the event. 

Timeline: 

Launch/Meet and Greet Event: Late January 2023 

Kick-off Meeting: Beginning of February 2023 

Professional Development/Skillshare: February to April 2023 

Weekly meetings for festival production: March to June/August 2023 

Time commitment for event production and creative work: Up to one day a week from March to June/August 

We encourage creatives of colour from all artforms, age and abilities to apply. If this project excites you and you want to be involved, please apply and submit your answers via the form provided or provide us with a video application if you prefer to speak.  

ELIGIBILITY
Applicants who:

• self-identify as First Nations or a Person of Colour;
• live in Victoria with a current Victorian address;
• are a Thought Leader or well connected in your communities;
• are able to provide links 1-3 examples of recent solo or collaborative creative work;
• and are able to meet the timeline requirements stipulated above.

KEY DATES:
Submissions Open Monday 31 October 2022
Information Session (Optional) Monday 14 November 2022 - ZOOM RECORDING
Submissions Close Sunday 4 December 2022
Successful Applicants Announced 19 December 2022

Applications will be assessed by the Diasporas Advisory Group of cultural leaders.

If you have any enquiries please contact Diasporas Creative Producer, Akimera at akimera@mav.org.au.