YIRRAMBOI / THE MOB JOURNAL // E03

Events, Grants, News
Photograph of four people standing and talking in a circle. Photo by Henry Chan.

Community Gathering and Feast. Hosted by SummerWorks Festival with Native Earth Performing Arts at Aki Studios, Toronto, Canada

As the days get a little longer we’re finding ourselves in that buzzy moment of stirring awake from the cold at the tail end of Guling (Orchid) Season. The wattles are bursting yellow, caterpillars are marching and the frosty mornings are (hopefully) behind us.

In team news, fresh from YIRRAMBOI 2025’s spotlight on Northern Turtle Island, two of our deadly team members have just returned from Toronto, where they honoured reciprocal relations with Joelle Peters, Artistic Director at Native Earth Performing Arts—the oldest First Nations performing arts company in Canada. Together, they reflected on the importance of the next generation of leadership in First Nations performing arts and began imagining new moments for continued exchange between our countries. While there, YIRRAMBOI also had the opportunity to present a festival overview to artists and industry delegates attending SummerWorks International Performing Arts Festival.

This trip was made possible with the support of the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body. We also want to extend special thanks to Joelle Peters, the team at Native Earth Performing Arts, Elder Whabagoon, Michael Caldwell, the SummerWorks team, and all the artists and friends of YIRRAMBOI who welcomed us along the way.

Behind the scenes, we’ve been busy with plenty on the horizon including our EOI Commission Call Out for YIRRAMBOI 2027, opening very soon. Stay tuned.

Aunty Connie Hart holding a large eel trap outside her home on Gunditjmara Country in Portland, Victoria, late 1980s. Photographer unknown. Courtesy of Sandra Aitken.

KOORIE HERITAGE TRUST 40th ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITIONS

In 2025 the Koorie Heritage Trust celebrates its 40th Anniversary, marking the occasion with Gilgar Gunditj Eel Basket by Sandra Aitken and Connie Hart: One Stitch at a Time.

23 August – 23 November
Birrarung Building, Fed Square

Photograph of a Bangarra Dancer, the woman mid-dance, wearing an extravagant costume which looks like dark hair, the dancer is standing in front of a vibrant orange backdrop.

ILLUME

From Bangarra Dance Theatre comes a new theatrical experience, drawing together music, visual arts and dance.

4 – 13 September 2025
Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne

Photograph of 6 First Nations dancers in performance, 3 of the dancers are carrying the other 3 dancers by their knees, the lighting is dark and moody.

DEADLY FRINGE

Deadly Fringe is back as part of Melbourne Fringe backing emerging artists and producers to tell their stories on their terms.

30 September – 19 October
Various locations around narrm

Photograph of Taungurung Elder Uncle Larry Walsh. He has long grey hair and a beard, and wears a possum skin cloak around his shoulders. Uncle Larry is speaking into a microphone with a serious expression.

MEMORY BEFORE EYES:
A Walking & Writing Workshop with Blak & Bright

Join Taungurung Elder, Uncle Larry Walsh and his daughter Isobel Morphy-Walsh for a meander through the arts precinct. Following the walk, Uncle Larry and Isobel will lead a writing workshop.

Saturday 13 September
Peppercorn Lawn, Alexandra Gardens

Black and White photograph of 2 First Nations people on a stage, sitting next to each other. The person on the left is painted up, with her hand stretched out. The person on the right looks down and is bare foot. Their expressions are neutral.

YELLAMUNDIE FESTIVAL

Gadigal Country, check out Yellamundie Festival, a biennial celebration and platform for new and distinct First Peoples stories. Highlights include a new work, Imigo, from founding Creative Director of YIRRAMBOI, Jacob Boheme.

25 – 27 September
Carriageworks, Sydney

A photograph of young First Nations children, proudly holding up a sign that says “TREATY NOW” in the Aboriginal flag colours (black, yellow and red) there are adults around the children, taking photos and sitting together. The children have big smiles on their faces.

TOGETHER FOR TREATY

Right now, we’re closer than ever to the first Treaty with First Peoples on this continent. Pledge your support, check out the resources and join the movement!

White text on black background reads KAS13.

KOORIE ART SHOW

Koorie Heritage Trust is accepting entries to the 13th Koorie Art Show, our annual open entry exhibition showcasing the diverse talent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists living in Victoria.

Closing midnight Sunday 28 September.

White text on black background reads YOUNG MOB 8.

KOORIE ART SHOW YOUNG MOB

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists aged between 5 and 16 and living in Victoria are invited to submit entries to the 8th Koorie Art Show Young Mob.

Closing midnight Sunday 28 September.

Queensland PREMIER'S DRAMA AWARD: an image of stage warm lights beaming from ceiling.

QUEENSLAND PREMIER’S DRAMA AWARD

Queensland Theatre’s national playwriting award is the only prize guaranteeing a mainstage production, alongside $30,000, full commission fees, royalties, and a year-long development program.

Closing Wednesday 1 October 2025

Photograph of a person wearing an owl mask, the owl mask has a dark colour on the outer, and the face area is a light colour, the person’s eyes can be seen through the holes in the mask, artwork by Kamarra Bell-Wykes, ‘Whose Gonna Love Em’, Image by James Henry

GRANTS CLOSING SOON

Aboriginal Arts Grants 
Closing Sunday 28 September.

SIGNAL Young Creatives Lab
Closing Monday 8 September.

First Nations Arts and Culture Awards
Closing Tuesday 16 September.

 

Photograph of Rosie Kalina wearing ‘I ❤ NARRM’ tee, she has her hands in her pockets and is looking down.

I 🖤 NARRM TEE

White tee with black screen print on front and back. Standard or cropped.
100% cotton

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Gifted by our Elders, YIRRAMBOI means tomorrow in the local languages of the Boon Wurrung and Woi Wurrung peoples. We acknowledge them as the Custodians of the lands in which we thrive, we pay our deepest respects to their ancestors and elders who have held their Songlines through these lands for over 80,000 years. As visitors, we abide by Bunjil’s lore and take responsibility in caring for country, waterways and bubups, our children, our future.

YIRRAMBOI
Meat Market
1 Blackwood Street
North Melbourne VIC 3051

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