THIS IS WHO WE ARE is a UK-Australian movement of intergenerational & intersectional women artists, producers and creatives of colour who are transforming sectors, thinking and spaces. With heritages including African and Caribbean, First Nations, West, South & South East Asian origins, we are amplifying collective power through arts & cultural events, socials, professional development resources & gatherings which champion the values of social justice, creativity & care.
Our Family of artists and creatives: meet the writers, filmmakers, speakers, comedians, consultants, live artists and speakers
Our Partners and the UK-Australia Season: We are delighted that our project has been selected to be a part of the British Council’s UK-Australia Season 2021 - 2022. Our movement includes the organisations Renaissance One, Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS), Refugee Welcome Centre and the University of Melbourne. Our supporting partners include the British Library, Third Space, Site Gallery and Live Crossings University of New South Wales.
Co-directors Melanie Abrahams (Director, Renaissance One), Paula Abood (Director of The Third Space), Lena Nahlous (Executive Director of Diversity Arts Australia and host of The Colour Cycle podcast), Nur Shkembi (Melbourne based curator, writer and scholar).
Festival Curator: Melanie Abrahams
Project Manager: Sarah Dara
Producer: Renaissance One
The TIWWA programme that runs between September 2021 and March 2022 includes mentoring, knowledge sharing, online events, talks, masterclasses, podcasts and blogs, and culminates in a festival in March 2022. Visit the events page here for details about the festival and other events.
LIVE NOW: THE COLOUR CYCLE Podcast! UK/AUS - This is Who We Are
Diversity Arts and Renaissance One are thrilled to drop a very special season of #THECOLOURCYCLE Podcast! “UK/AUS - This is Who We Are (Part One).” This season features collaborations between Australian and British creatives, focused on global conversations and knowledge sharing! The podcast is formed by a collective including Renaissance One, Third Space, Diversity Arts Australia and Australia and UK-based cultural practitioners/activists.
Guests include: Hip Hop artists Thelma Trey, Maya Jupiter and Sarah Love; classical musicians Deborah Cheetham and Chi-chi Nwanoku; novelist Sharmilla Beezmohun and filmmaker Pearl Tan + more!
You can listen to the podcasts via the links below.
Podcast: http://diversityarts.org.au/project/the-colour-cycle
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4vzbbTksvVqhtF37za9X9r
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-colour-cycle/
REFRAMING THE MARGINS: UK-AUSTRALIA MENTORING PROGRAMME FOR WOMEN OF COLOUR
Our THIS IS WHO WE ARE mentoring programme is live between January and March. As part of the programme, Kath Melbourne, Australian-based arts consultant and Melanie Abrahams, UK-based arts curator and producer, will mentor up to 30 artists, producers & creative professionals. Read more and meet the mentees here.
ASK ASIAN AUNTY
As part of TIWWA, we launched Ask Asian Aunty in the UK along with it’s organisers.
On 20 March, between 10am-11am, our Asian Aunties - Sundra Lawrence and Jamie Lewis - hosted a live Instagram event on @askasianaunty where they answered all your questions.
Ask Asian Aunty is an interactive performance that melds two cultural matriarchal forms: the Asian Aunty, someone who consistently gives unsolicited and unfiltered but ~loving~ life advice; and the Agony Aunt, an advice columnist offering solutions to readers’ personal problems.
Lead artists: Jamie Lewis & Tian Zhang
Concept by: Jamie Lewis, Natalie Tan & Tian Zhang
Digital producer: Amy Zhang
Bio
Sundra Lawrence is a poet, writer, editor, creative director and meditation walker; and now our newest Aunty~ yeah!
How you can help
Sign up to our Patreon and donate to us every month to help financially support our essential activities and our mentoring programme. 100% funds go towards funding all the work we do!
