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Annual Report 2018 Messages from Elders in Residence

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Annual Report 2018 Messages from Elders in Residence ANNUAL REPORT 2018 MESSAGES FROM ELDERS IN RESIDENCE DEAR FRIENDS AND FAMILY As Elder in Residence, I’m proud to see younger faces in the company, both in the Two or three years ago, ILBIJERRI, all of us, went for a camp and we discussed the office and in the theatre. That ILBIJERRI is providing solid ground to stand on and next steps to make sure ILBIJERRI has a long-term, viable future. And we realised one giving our young people confidence is one the things I’m most proud of. of the lacking elements was bringing in the next wave of producers, writers and actors. Even though it is a small company, ILBIJERRI invests in future generations. With Over this last year we are seeing the new young writers, the new young producers five trainees in the office, ten young people in the ILBIJERRI ensemble, four and the new young actors come through successfully. Some of them are going on emerging creators being supported to develop new work, as well as attachments and to produce their own shows, and are finding other young people to work with in mentorships embedded into all of our shows, ILBIJERRI is going above and beyond to collaborations. ensure that our heritage isn’t thwarted by short-term thinking and short-term funding cycles. Our eye is on the long game and I am proud to be Elder in Residence of a As long as we keep giving them good solid grounding - they will continue to grow, and company that is committed to strengthening our people, so we can tell our stories – I look forward to being a really old man, invited to watch people on film and TV and in our way. theatre productions. And we also see these young people starting to mentor others coming through. Giving them that confidence to be able to mentor others, is one of the steps ILBIJERRI is taking that I, as Elder in Residence, am really proud of. Our heritage is not about short term thinking. It’s about what happens after we’re N’Arweet Carolyn Briggs gone. Uncle Larry Walsh TANDERRUM Photo: James Henry MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DEAR FRIENDS With the expansion of a wide range of artist and sector development programs Simultaneously, we have stepped up our commitment to being a First Nations and a dynamic slate of theatre, 2018 offered up a vibrant array of activities company staffed by First Nations people. We are proud to be investing in the future and achievements. We are particularly proud of the ILBIJERRI ENSEMBLE, of the wider performing arts ecology through the employment of five new First BLACKWRIGHTS and the EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, alongside the Nations staff members: Davey Thompson (Bidjara/Inningai/Wakka Wakka/Gubbi commission of our two largest scale works to date, BAGURRK and BLACK TIES. Gubbi), Emily-Anyupa Napangarti Butcher (Warlpiri/Pitjanjatjara/Luritja), Laila Thaker (Meriam Mir/Badulaig), Caleb Thaiday (Mer/Erub) and Daniel Riley (Wiradjuri). Looking back over our tracks in 2018 we are proud to have taken our stories across Australia and around the world. Our largest tour to date, WHICH WAY HOME, visited As always, our achievements are both obvious and subtle, as we navigate the demands thirty venues across regional and urban Australia to critical acclaim. and blessings of making black theatre in a white industry. The year also marked the ending of a beautiful chapter in the ILBIJERRI story as we were incredibly humbled to take JACK CHARLES V THE CROWN on its final swan song, to Auckland Festival (New Zealand) and Shizuoka Arts Centre (Japan), following a magnificent eight years of touring. Creating and touring this work has been instrumental to the success of ILBIJERRI and we are incredibly grateful to Uncle Jack for allowing us to be the guardians of his life story, which has now touched so many people around the globe. One of our biggest achievements in 2018 has been the continuation of being the only First Nations funded company in Australia with a one-hundred percent First Nations run Board of Directors. We welcomed Erica McCallum (Ballardong) and Eugenia Flynn (Tiwi/Larrakia) to our board and have been blessed to work closely with them in strengthening our governance and strategic planning. Gavin Somers Lydia Fairhall Rachael Maza President Executive Producer Artistic Director /Co-CEO /Co-CEO Photos: James Henry MISSION 2018 MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS ILBIJERRI Theatre Company creates challenging and inspiring theatre by First Nations artists that gives voice to our cultures. JACK CHARLES V WHICH WAY HOME BAGURRK THE CROWN visited 30 venues was supported by the inaugural became our first across Australia – Creative States Commission, the VISION production to tour ILBIJERRI’s biggest largest arts grant of the Victorian Japan and New Zealand. tour yet. Government for a single project. Our voices are powerful in determining the future of Australia. Our cultures are respected, celebrated and embraced. WHAT WE VALUE THE POWER OF FIRST FIRST NATIONS PROTOCOLS NATIONS VOICES AND WAYS OF WORKING We work with First Nations storytellers We respect our people, community and (writers, directors, actors, key creatives, artists by working in accordance with the theatre practitioners) to tell our stories protocols of our own community and those through high quality theatre as a whose country we are working on. continuation of our culture. SELF- RESPECT DIVERSITY OF DETERMINATION We always give full respect FIRST PEOPLES We ensure First Peoples to our people, Elders, We respect, celebrate drive all key decision culture and country – and and embrace the cultural making processes within to all peoples with whom diversity of First Peoples, ILBIJERRI. we share our land. our stories, our culture and our experiences. BLACKWRIGHTS CREATION AND ACTIVATION MASTER LAB Photo: Tiffany Garvie OUR WORK WE ARE... ILBIJERRI Theatre Company is Australia’s leading and longest running First Nations Theatre Company. We create, YARNING WITH THE WORLD present and tour powerful and engaging theatre by First Nations artists that gives voice to our cultures. While we are making and presenting incredible theatre, we LISTENING WITH are also doing a lot of other important work for the future of First Nations people, culture and country. COMMUNITY SHARING WITH COMMUNITY NURTURING STORIES NURTURING VOICES GROWING UNDERSTANDING STRENGTHENING SELF-DETERMINATION BLACK TIES CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT Photo: Julie Zhu YARNING WITH THE WORLD JACK CHARLES V Jack Charles’ exceptionally engaging, well-told story is all his own. He has us spellbound as we sit around his THE CROWN campfire. In many ways too, it’s the story of Australia. Just not the one we’re used to hearing.” - Crikey Uncle Jack Charles is an Australian CREATIVE TEAM legend: veteran actor, musician, Koori elder and activist; but for a good portion Director Rachael Maza of his seventy-four years he was also an Co-Writers Jack Charles & John Romeril addict, a thief and a regular in Victoria’s prisons. Performer Jack Charles Dramaturge John Romeril JACK CHARLES V THE CROWN concluded its eight years of touring with Set & Costume Designer Emily Barrie this Asia Pacific tour, taking ILBIJERRI’s Lighting Designer Danny Pettingill work to New Zealand and to Japan for Audio Visual Designer Peter Worland the first time ever. Musical Director Nigel Maclean Percussion Phil Collings Bass Malcolm Beveridge ASIA PACIFIC TOUR 14 March 2018 - 06 May 2018 Performances: 7 Audiences: 1363 The Asia Pacific Tour of JACK CHARLES V THE CROWN was assisted by the Australian Government through the Department of Communication and the Arts’ Catalyst Australian Arts and Culture Fund, as well as through the Australia Council for the Arts. The Japanese leg of the tour was also supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grants Program. JACK CHARLES V THE CROWN Photo: Maria Baranova YARNING WITH THE WORLD “A warmly affirming window on Indigenous family life” - Sydney Morning Herald WHICH WAY HOME Tash and her Dad have hit the road and NATIONAL TOUR are headed home to country, where the sky is higher and the world goes on 24 May 2018 – 18 August 2018 forever. It’s a long way from the wide Performances: 51 streets and big old houses of Tash’s Audiences: 4,948 childhood, back when she was a black face in a very white suburb. Dad still thinks he’s the King of Cool, but he’s an old fella now. It’s time for Tash to take Footscray Community Arts Centre him home. Riverlinks Westside Altona Theatre In 2018 WHICH WAY HOME toured The Bowery Theatre nationally across six states and territories, bringing this warm, intimate, Latrobe Performing Arts Centre father-daughter story to the home towns Esso BHP Billiton Entertainment Centre and hearts of nearly 5,000 audience Forge Theatre & Arts Hub members. Capital Theatre Bunjil Place Theatre The Potato Shed Gasworks Arts Park CREATIVE TEAM Clocktower Centre Writer Katie Beckett The Lighthouse Mildura Arts Centre Director Rachael Maza Centenary Hall Performers Katie Beckett & Kamahi Chaffey Theatre Djordon King Nautilus Theatre Sound Designer Mark Coles Smith Marion Cultural Centre Set & Costume Designer Emily Barrie The Arts Centre, Port Noarlunga Bunbury Entertainment Centre Lighting Designer Niklas Pajanti Albany Entertainment Centre Dramaturge Jane Bodie Tuggeranong Arts Centre Production Manager Nick Glen & Jake Jobling Orange Civic Playhouse Newcastle Civic Playhouse Stage Manager Kellie Jayne Chambers Seymour Centre Brisbane Powerhouse Tanks Arts Centre Maleny Community Centre The National Tour of WHICH WAY HOME was supported by the Victorian Government through Regional Arts Victoria and Creative Victoria and by the Australian Government through Australia Council for the Arts, Playing Australia, Regional Performing Arts Touring Fund. WHICH WAY HOME Photo: Snehargho Ghosh YARNING WITH THE WORLD MY URRWAI Co-produced by Belvoir & Performing Lines in association with ILBIJERRI Theatre Company and Sydney Festival.
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