Blak & Bright Festival
Blak & Bright is a biennial First Nations Literary Festival which focuses on empowering and celebrating First Nations writers and storytellers. This year Blak & Bright featured 80 First Nations artists at over 30 events across city venues. This year’s theme, Blak Futures Now, underscores the urgency and contemporary relevance of Indigenous voices in literature, emphasising the significance of these narratives in today’s world, whilst expressing optimism for the future.
On 14 March 2024, approximately 10 members of the AISN attended the ‘State of the Nations’ and ‘Through Our Lens’ event at the Blak & Bright Festival. This event featured a keynote speech from Leah Purcell AM who reflected on her life as an actor, writer, director, producer, singer, and speaker. This was followed by a panel of six First Nations writers (Julie Janson, Daniel Browning, Mariah Sweetman, Gregg Dreise, Helen Milroy and Kirli Saunders) as they ‘shared 12 images that define their stories’.
Deadly Funny – Melbourne International Comedy Festival
On 15 April 2024, 15 members of the AISN attended the ‘Deadly Funny’ Grand Final at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The event featured a mix of hilarious stand-up performances by a handful of Australia's up and coming Indigenous comedians, including Ben Moodie, Elliot Rovedi, Tyson Walker, Kalah Lovegrove, Kirsten Lynch and Zane Harlem all competing for the ‘Deadly Funny’ title. Kalah Lovegrove and Tyson Walker were deservingly crowned joint winners of the event. The AISN looks forward to attending similar events at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week celebrates and recognises the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, NAIDOC Week officially commenced on 7 July 2024 and ran to 14 July 2024. The theme for NAIDOC week 2024 was ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’, and celebrated the enduring strength and vitality of Indigenous cultures and connection to country and community despite challenges. NAIDOC week seeks to honour that strength by committing to preserving Indigenous cultural heritage for future generations. The theme also calls for unapologetic celebration and amplification of Indigenous identities, narratives, and voices in the modern world.
Annual NAIDOC Morning Tea and March
The AISN held a NAIDOC morning tea on 9 July 2024 and featured delicious snacks from First Nations caterers Pawa.
Each year, during NAIDOC Week, rallies are held across the country advocating for the rights of First Nations peoples. The first of these rallies was staged well before the establishment of NAIDOC, in 1938, when protesters called for full citizen status and equality for First Nations peoples. Approximately 10 Arnold Bloch Leibler staff attended the annual NAIDOC March on Friday 12 July 2024.
In addition to the above, the AISN compiled a list of other events held across Melbourne and Sydney during NAIDOC week that celebrate First Nations art, music and culture, as well as advocating for change and justice for First Nations communities. This list was distributed to all Arnold Bloch Leibler staff, as well as externally on the firm’s website.
Paddy Bedford Exhibition Viewing
On 23 August 2024, the AISN attended a special lunchtime viewing of the remarkable GOUACHE works of Paddy Bedford at the D’Lan Contemporary Gallery.
Paddy was a celebrated Gija artist who began producing works available for sale in 1998 and quickly became a leading figure in contemporary Australian art. His beautiful works, filled with deep spiritual knowledge, warmth, and humour, stand as an enduring legacy of his enormous generosity. The exhibition showcased his Gouache works.
ABL’s Peter Seidel, who shared a deep friendship with Paddy over many years and is co-Executor of his Estate following Paddy’s passing in 2007, shared his personal insights into the extraordinary collection, along with Founder & Director D'Lan Davidson and Head of Research Vanessa Merlino.
Paddy’s firm wish in preparing his affairs before his death was to ensure that the proceeds of the sale of the works in his post-humous exhibitions would be utilised to specifically benefit generations of his people to come, including by establishing the Paddy Bedford Education Fund.
Horizon
On 5 September 2024, approximately 8 members and friends of the AISN attended “Horizon” - a new work by the renowned First Nations performing arts company, Bangarra Dance Theatre, produced in collaboration with leading Māori choreographer and Arts Laureate Moss Te Ururangi Patterson.
Deborah Brown (a Bangarra alum) worked alongside Moss Te Ururangi Patterson to choreograph stories that honour their mother countries and the spirit that calls them home.
“On 5 September 2024, the AISN attended Horizon a new work by the renowned First Nations performing arts company, Bangarra Dance Theatre, at the Arts Centre.
The primary piece, The Light Inside, was choreographed in cross-cultural collaboration between Bangarra alumna Deborah Brown and leading Māori choreographer and Arts Laureate Moss Te Ururangi Patterson. Together, they explored the resilience of the First Peoples of the Oceania region through the ephemeral medium of dance.
Horizon showcased the power of First Nations storytelling through sound and movement. It felt like an incredibly unique expression of First Nations connection to country, and it was great to see it performed at the Arts Centre. It was an amazing performance and ended up provoking lot of further discussion amongst those of us who attended.”
Mia Schaumann, Law Graduate