performing country
a residency development tour for artists to make work on Country with community and performing art centres.
It’s been a decade since a professional full length First Nations contemporary dance production has been developed from scratch and nurtured into a fully-fledged production here in Brisbane. In 2018 we launched the BlakDance Residency Program. The program nurtured and developed home-grown dance in Queensland, with investment from presenters and engagement across communities.
Racist laws and policies from the past meant that in many regional centres, First Nations peoples were not allowed to enter or walk on public municipal property, including most performing arts venues still in operation today. Performing Country supports creative development On Country and deep and sustainable relationships between First Nations communities and their local performing arts centres that converges during the development.
The collusion of stakeholder’s results in a self-generating model that fosters regional activation ensuring an enduring legacy. Built from a multi-dimensional co-commissioning and co-investment model, Performing Country develops presenter capacity, audience demand and local First Nations community engagement with contemporary First Nations dance.
Katina Olsen
Karul Projects
eXcelsior
Performing Country - Queensland is made possible through the generous contributions of our partners; Gympie Regional Council, Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre, Bundaberg Regional Council (Moncrieff Entertainment Centre), Rockhampton Regional Council, Central Queensland Regional Arts Services Network (CQRASN), Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Redlands Performing Arts Centre, Creative Arts Alliance, Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation (QYAC), Bleach Festival, City of Gold Coast, Home of The Arts (HOTA).
Performing Country has received financial assistance from the Queensland Government through the Arts Queensland Backing Indigenous Arts initiative.
In 2016, Performing Country initiated as a four year development partnership between Blackfulla Performing Arts Alliance (BPAA), Performing Lines, Performing Arts Connection Australia (PAC) & BlakDance and was made possible by the generous seed funding of the project by Performing Lines.
See HERE for the list of consulted venues and communities 2016 - 2020.
Performing Country has been evolving from the following conversations and consultation:
Indigenous sector performing arts gathering, Melbourne APACA, August 2016
IPAA, Performing Lines and Pac Australia discussion Montreal CINARS, November 2016
Performing Lines and Pac Australia teleconference, December 2016, January, February and March 2017
Writing and research contribution and consultation with Dr Jeremy Neideck, February 2017- 2018
YIRRAMBOI 2017 consultations: NIDF, BlakDance presenter series, BPAA steering group meeting, Blak Lines new work platform, Arts Front First Peoples First workshop, APACA/PAX 2017.
Knowledge Circle teleconference, September 2017
BlakDance Residency Program and call out for Queensland partners, 2018
Development and consolidation of Performing Country consortium, 2019
Performing Country Residency Development Tour Pilot, 2020