The First Nations Arts Roundtable

Welcome to the First Nations Arts Roundtable

Now and the Future

15 May 2020

australiacouncil.gov.au Welcome and introduction to your panellists

Wesley Enoch AM Chair, First Nations Arts Strategy Panel Artistic Director, Sydney Festival

Rhoda Roberts AO Head of First Nations Programming, Sydney Opera House

2 First Nations Arts Roundtable Key Focus

• Connect • Share • Ideas • Networks • Navigate

Tracks Dance Company. 2019 Milpirri Jurntu. Male dancer Tarkyn Japangardi Tasman. Credit: Peter Eve.

3 Agenda • Housekeeping

• Key issues and questions arising from last week’s webinar

• Guests – Nancy Bamaga – Kylie Belling

• What’s next - how do we collectively work together

• Resources – industry, website, facebook

• Grants update

• Next Roundtable 4 Housekeeping

Badu Gilli, Sydney Opera House. Artist: Alick Tipoti. Credit: Daniel Boud.

5 Key issues and questions arising from last week’s webinar • Rachel Maza discussed how Ilbijerri was born out of a need to be in control of stories, and has been in operation for 30 years. Rachel gave an overview of the success of projects such as Black Ties and the process of collaborating with a New Zealand First Nations team and Scar Tree, highlighting works in creative development such as Warumpi Band and The Tracker. Rachel raised the issues around ICIP for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts and the huge body of work to be done to address it. Rachel encouraged anyone interested in working in the performing arts to get in touch with Ilbijerri regarding opportunities. • Eva Grace Mullaley highlighted their existing projects Metro Writers’ Group, Regional Writers’ Group, Ngalaka Daa, FIFO and Bilya Kaatijin. Eva spoke about Yirra Yaakin’s individual and collaborative skills development, and the EOI call-out to which they received a multitude of interesting proposals and are now working with many artists to help them realise these projects. Eva talked about Yirra Play Club which pays artists to facilitate workshops to remain creatively engaged. Eva also questioned the idea of recovery and how we can create a new normal without going back to an unhealthy ecology. • Merindah Donnelly gave an overview of the work that Blakdance does and acknowledged founder Marilyn Miller. Merindah discussed the meeting spearheaded by Blakdance with fellow self-determining performing arts organisations Ilbijerri, Mooghalin and Yirra Yaakin to determine a set of priorities, for which they have been advocating at every level of government. These joint priorities include ensuring the safety of Elders to prevent loss of cultural knowledge, finding ways to ensure spiritual and mental wellbeing during isolation and the overwhelming concern that many First Nations artists are independent sole traders and their access to Centrelink is complex. Merindah stressed the industry need for a national cultural arts peak body to advocate and lobby for protocols, policy, stimulus packages development 6 of baseline data and accountability to Indigenous human rights. Guest panellists

Nancy Bamaga, Bamaga Productions Panel Member, First Nations Arts Strategy Panel

Kylie Belling, Creative Victoria, Senior Manager, First Peoples

7 Nancy Bamaga Bamaga Productions Panel Member, First Nations Arts Strategy Panel

Queensland Aboriginal Creations (QAC) Retail Wholesaler & Gallery • Work for 10years at QAC • Bachelor of Applied Science in Indigenous Community Development & Management • From Centre for Aboriginal Studies, Curtin University

• Indigenous Business Development IBA funded increase the capacity of Indigenous people to own and manage sustainable enterprises. Clancestry Festival – G20 SUMMIT 2014

Community Legacy Projects

Kylie Belling Creative Victoria Senior Manager, First Peoples, Creative Victoria

16 Coronavirus and Victoria’s First Peoples Creative Industries Whole of Victorian Government The Victorian Government has committed to the 11 principles of Aboriginal self-determination as set out in the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework 2018-2023.

Treaty talks are part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to self- determination and is currently working towards a Treaty or treaties with Aboriginal Victorians.

18 CURRENT CREATIVE VICTORIA STRATEGIES

19 First Peoples Partnership Group that will play a central role in determining creative and cultural policy in Victoria. Andrew Jackomos (Chair), Executive Director Aboriginal Economic Development, Yorta Yorta/Gunditjmara Belinda Briggs, Community Engagement, Shepparton Art Museum, Yorta Yorta/Wamba Wamba Vicki Couzens, Artist and Academic, Gunditjmara/Keerray Woorroong Dr Treahna Hamm, Visual Artist and Education and Arts practitioner, Yorta Yorta Gail Harradine, Artist and Curator, Koori Heritage Trust, Wotjobaluk Kim Kruger, Lecturer and Researcher, Moondani Balluk Aboriginal Unit Victoria University, Murroona/Djiru Yvonne Luke, Director, Baluk Arts, Alylawarr NT Neil Morris, Musician and Poet, Radio Host, Yorta Yorta/Dja Dja Wurrung Ray Thomas, Visual Artist and Musician, Brabrawooloong Gunnai Jason Tamiru, Producer and Director, Malthouse Theatre, Yorta Yorta Uncle Larry Walsh, Storyteller and Elder in Residence Footscray Community Arts Centre, Taungurung Kylie Belling, Senior Manager, First Peoples, Creative Victoria Eliza Mango, Senior Arts Officer, Creative Victoria

20 RECENT CREATIVE VICTORIA FIRST PEOPLES PROGRAMS First Peoples Creative Industries Traineeship Program The First Peoples Creative Industries Traineeship Program provides opportunities for First Peoples individuals, groups and organisations to develop their professional and creative practice and increase career pathways into the creative industries. First Peoples Investment Program (pilot) The First Peoples Investment Program is a non-competitive funding program designed to provide opportunities to new and emerging creative practitioners, groups and organisations. Applicants are supported throughout the application process and assessed by a panel of First Peoples creative industry experts. Emerging Creative Leaders Program (pilot) A professional development employment initiative to support First Peoples career development within key creative organisations through mentoring; networking and skills development opportunities Yalingwa A visual arts initiative delivered in partnership with the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art and TarraWarra Museum of Art including a curatorial position, major show and fellowship.

21 SUPPORTING OUR CREATIVE STATE THROUGH CORONAVIRUS

SECURING FIRST PEOPLES CREATIVE ORGANISATIONS

Through $13m Strategic Investment Fund: Round 1: Funding secured and extended for our First Peoples multi-year funded Arts Organisations - Kaiela Arts Shepparton, Baluk Arts Mornington, Koorie Heritage Trust, Short Black Opera, Wurinbeena Aboriginal Arts Studio, Ilbijerri Theatre Company and Songlines Aboriginal Music

Round 2 (opens June): competitive process open to all orgs. Focus will be on responding to program’s priorities.

22 SUPPORTING OUR CREATIVE STATE THROUGH CORONAVIRUS SUSTAINING CREATIVE WORKERS INITIATIVE - $2.2 MILLION

Quick response grants. Up to $5,000 for individuals, sole traders and freelancers Up to $10,000 for collectives, micro-organisations and businesses* Up to $2,500 in additional access funding for applications from Deaf and Disabled creatives, artists, arts workers and disability-led organisations/businesses Stream 1: First Peoples creatives/artists, micro organisations/businesses from across Victoria with a minimum track record of 5 years in professional public outcomes.

23 Installation view of In Absence, 2019 designed by Yhonnie Scarce and Edition Office for the 2019 Architecture Commission at NGV International, Melbourne. Yhonnie was the recipient of the 2020 Yalingwa Fellowship Award.

24 Panel discussion

Bangarra, 30 Years of Sixty-Five Thousand, ‘To Make Fire’. Sydney Opera House. Credit: Daniel Boud. 25 Resources Lotterywest COVID- 19 Grants www.lotterywest.wa.gov.au/lotterywest/covid-19/covid-19- grants

Playwriting Australia (PWA) is offering a virtual First Nations writers retreat and the commission program Ignition has a focus on First Nations and CALD works. Register by Sunday 24 May 2020 www.pwa.org.au/2020-program

Theatre Network Australia (TNA) Crisis Cash - $1000 for independents www.tna.org.au/1000-x-1000-crisis-cash-for-indies/ Click ‘Request Support’ Designed to support artists who don’t have access to financial support (via JobKeeper, JobSeeker, family or savings) 26 Resources

Beyond Blue and links to other national help lines https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/national-help-lines- and-websites

Resources in Indigenous languages: https://covid-19-indigenous-languages- translations.dropmark.com/793396

Resources in English aimed at Indigenous communities in remote areas https://covid-19-indigenous-languages- translations.dropmark.com/793398

27 Resources

Australia Council website www.australiacouncil.gov.au/ www.australiacouncil.gov.au/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-arts/First- nations-roundtables/ www.australiacouncil.gov.au/programs-and-resources/creative-connections/ www.australiacouncil.gov.au/funding/funding-index/2020-resilience-fund/

COVID-19 information https://www.australia.gov.au/ https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus

Facebook Groups Arts and creative industries: digital support Australian Arts amidst COVID-19 28 Grants update Our Response Package, at this stage, includes:

Reporting and Adjustments to Suspending current other grant Four Year investment programs conditions relief Funding 2021- and introducing new 2024 ones

Online First Nations Sector learning support roundtables series

Digital Sector Research and analysis to support development identify immediate and long initiatives term impacts of COVID-19 on Australia’s cultural sector

Contact your Grants Officer at the Australia Council or email [email protected] Legal advice contact: Arts Law Centre of Australia 02 9356 2566 or www.artslaw.com.au The 2020 Resilience Fund includes three streams: www.australiacouncil.gov.au/funding/funding-index/2020-resilience-fund/

Survive – small grants for individuals, groups and organisations to offset or recoup financial losses due to cancelled activity.

Adapt – grants for individuals, groups and organisations to adapt their practice and explore new operating models.

Create – grants for individuals, groups and organisations to continue to create artistic work and develop creative responses in a time of disruption.

Closing date: 28 May 2020

Contact your Grants Officer at the Australia Council, phone: 02 9215 9000, toll free: 1800 226 912 or email [email protected] Next Roundtable

Friday 22 May 2020 2pm – 3.30pm, AEST

Guests:

• Dr Terri Janke, Solicitor Director, Terri Janke and Company • Dr Lyndon Ormond-Parker, Senior Research Fellow, University of Melbourne