NAVA: in conversation

“I think we'll see organisations essentially deciding which artists get supported as opposed to artists applying directly to a funding body… There's independence at stake: the idea that artists can maintain independent practices where they instigate projects that may or may not operate within an institutional context...” This podcast looks at Connie Anthes and Rebecca Gallo’s collaboration Make or Break and what happens when arts policy neglects artists. Make or Break is a collaboration between Connie Anthes and Rebecca Gallo that began in 2015. Make or Break has worked across gallery, institution, festival and nightclub contexts to produce a range of process-based art projects. These have included creating experimental economies that address precarity and privilege; using galleries as live work spaces; performing personal admin for an audience; co-writing texts; circulating fictional currencies; making books; celebrating the invisible labour of strangers; and facilitating conversations and workshops as alternatives to traditional forms of research. Make or Break is passionate about exposing the role and visibility of labour, process and the artist/audience relationship in ways that question and challenge the social and political systems that surround us. NAVA in conversation Logo by Laura Pike Music by Marcus Whale Editing by Bec Stegh

Genevieve Grieves in conversation with NAVA's Wesley Shaw and Georgia Mokak about her current role teaching students about decolonisation at the Art Gallery NSW as part of their annual Djamu Indigenous Art program, as well as her role as Head of the newly formed First Peoples Department at Museums Victoria, and developing a practice and knowledge around decolonisation more broadly.

Esther Anatolitis in conversation with artists Abdul Abdullah, Çigdem Aydemir and Harriet Body presented in partnership with Parramatta Artist Studios as part of Movers and Makers 2019.

What would an artist run world look like? Imagine if artistic courage was a guiding force in the policy arena. What sort of cities could we build? What sort of housing, health, schooling, agriculture, transport or data governance could we put in place? In the lead up to the federal election, 7 artists and critical thinkers joined us for a feisty conversation about voting for a world fit for artists and culture makers. Bek Conroy hosted this conversation with guests: Alex Wisser (Cementa Festival), Bec Dean (The Big Anxiety), Jehan Kanga, Jess Cook (107 Projects), Louise Crabtree (Institute Society and Culture, WSU), Nadeena Dixon and Ange Abdilla (Old Ways, New). 630pm - 730pm Thursday May 8 Venue: 107 Projects at 107 Redfern St, Redfern NSW 2016

Keynote recorded live at Australian Cultural Policy: The Next Decade, presented by Monash University’s Masters of Cultural & Creative Industries and NAVA at the State Library of Victoria on 8 April 2019. “We need a national cultural policy that’s grounded in First Nations sovereignty and the NAVA Code of Practice... Cuts to the arts affect the Australian identity.” Gabi Gabi / Kabi Kabi and Wiradjuri artist and academic Dr Bianca Beetson gave the artists’ keynote and response to Shadow Minister for the Arts the Hon Tony Burke at Australian Cultural Policy: The Next Decade, presented by Monash University’s Masters of Cultural & Creative Industries and NAVA at the State Library of Victoria on 8 April 2019. Dr Beetson studied a Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts) at the Queensland University of Technology 1993-95, completed Honours in 1998 and was awarded a Doctorate of Visual Arts in 2018. She is a visual artist who works in a broad range of media including painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, photography and public art. She is a former member of the seminal Aboriginal artists collectives Campfire Group and ProppaNow. Dr Beetson is the Program leader of the Bachelor of Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art degree at the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University and was recently appointed to the QAGOMA Board of Trustees. In this podcast, Dr Beetson speaks of the need to legislate against fake ‘Aboriginal-style’ art and its cultural harm, to establish a national Aboriginal arts authority, keeping places and a repatriation fund, as well as climate change policy because there are several sacred sites currently at risk of permanent loss to rising sea levels.

NAVA's Esther Anatolitis in conversation with Girramay/Kuku Yalanji artist, Tony Albert and Noonuccal Nuugi playwright and theatrical director, Wesley Enoch discussing the role of artistic courage amidst our nation's current state of political confusion.

Artist Adrian Villar Rojas sits down with Coby Edgar to discuss the research methodologies informing his exploration of Australia as a potential site for future works. The conversation covers Adrian's practice, narratives of colonial violence and the tenuous relationship between audience, artist and curator played out in cultural institutions.

NAVA's Penelope Benton in conversation with Chinese-Australian artist Amy Suo Wu and artist, curator and founder of Feminist South, Kelly Doley. Feminist South is a curatorial project and research platform spanning across 2017-2019 that aims to generate discussion on contemporary feminist practice located in and around Asia, Australia and the Pacific regions. In collaboration with I: project space, Feminist South is currently presenting 'Thunderclap', a part-shop, part-sewing workshop and part-exhibition by Amy Suo Wu at the Artspace Sydney Ideas Platform until 10 March 2019.

‘As artists we have to keep questioning and being really honest about what’s going on’ Karla Dickens, 2019. Artist Karla Dickens sits down with Penelope Benton to discuss her most recent work in the new Artspace exhibition; ‘Just not Australian’. The conversation covers Karla’s practice and approach to making work, her Copyright Agency fellowship, and the responsibility of artists to make clear and honest work.

Ku Arts​ is the South Australian support organisation for Aboriginal artists and art centres, and recently hosted a professional development symposium and workshop in Port Augusta. Penelope sat down for a conversation with Alison (Milyika) Carroll, an artist and the chair of Ernabella Arts​ (APY Lands), David Miller an artist and chair of Ku Arts and Ninuku Arts​ (APY Lands), Lavene Ngatokoroua, the director of Ku Arts Port Augusta region, on the board of Ku Arts, recipient of the 2018 NAIDOC Lifetime achievement award in Port Augusta and Marie Falcinella, the CEO of Ku Arts.

‘Both the ‘Community and Cultural Development’ (CACD) and the ‘Emerging and Experimental Arts’(EEA) sector are the vanguards of the exploration of new genres of artistic practice and artistic practice and I think it’s a really exciting part of the Australian arts ecology as we move into the future’ -Jeremy Smith In the midst of travelling around remote and regional Australia, Jeremy Smith sits down the Esther Anatolitis at the NAVA office to talk about his role at the Australia Council for the Arts, and the future of community, emerging and experimental arts in Australia. The conversation covers Jeremy's career trajectory, recent projects and future plans. Jeremy provides provocations for artists and organisations working in Australia, and asks 'what difference can I make in the here and now?'

'Any conversation becomes easier when there is a starting point of universal and collective understanding' Joe Toohey Joe Toohey is the Executive Director of Regional Arts Victoria and he sat down with Esther Anatolitis in Melbourne to discuss Artlands 2018. Artlands is the national biennial event for regional arts in Australia, and was held this year in Bendigo. For information about the program, and future events, head to their website​.

Lu Forsberg is an artist and co-director of Brisbane's Cut Thumb ARI and were awarded the Freedman Foundation Travelling scholarship in 2018 . Lu sits down with NAVA's Claudia Roosen to discuss their practice, future plans and the changing nature of ARI's in Australia.

For this episode, Penelope Benton chats with Meagan Shand, CEO of Arts Access Australia about this year's 'Meeting Place' forum held in Alice Springs. Arts Access Australia is the national peak body for arts and disability in Australia. They work to increase national and international opportunities and access to the arts for people with disability as artists, arts-workers, participants and audiences. 'Meeting Place' is AAA's annual forum, and brings together artists and arts workers in Australia to talk about best practice in disability and access in the arts. This year's event co-hosted with NT's Incite Arts. Details about Meeting Place including the live stream of the sessions can be found on their website: https://www.meetingplaceforum.org/

Curator and writer, Jeff Khan joins Penelope Benton in conversation about Performance Contemporary as part of Sydney Contemporary Art Fair and Liveworks 2018, Performance Space's annual festival.