Junction Arts Festival is thrilled to announce the details of its Delegates Program for 2023.
The aim of this program is to create tangible opportunities for meaningful creative exchange, and for local and interstate artists to connect with each other and with renowned industry leaders from around Australia.
Junction’s Delegates Program 2023 has been designed to build, nurture and support long-lasting artistic relationships and professional connections. This year’s program offers cross-sector skills development opportunities for independent artists and producers working across the performing arts, music, arts management and PR, as well as curated conversations that spotlight getting your work out there in ways that are manageable and sustainable.
Across the Festival weekend, each interstate Delegate will be hosting a FREE interactive knowledge-sharing session relevant to their practice. These sessions are designed to create small group opportunities for connection, sharing and learning. You can find information about each of our Delegates, and sign up for their knowledge-sharing sessions below.
Kicking off our Delegates Program will be our annual Artist’s Lunch - a thank you to all of the incredible creatives taking part in this year’s Festival. As part of the Lunch, we will be hosting a panel discussion and Q+A with some of the Delegates and Artists from across this year’s Festival program, facilitated by the ABC’s Lucie Cutting.
Lucie Cutting is Junction's Main Stage MC for 2023. She has a knack for finding and telling great stories that she’s honed through her years of experience as a reporter and producer at the ABC, as well as through her work as a writer and MC including at The Pin, which she co-founded in 2015 as a platform discussing race, culture and identity in Australia. Lucie has MC’d at A Festival Called Panama and the Clarence Jazz Festival.
Lucie Cutting began her career with the ABC in 2017. Lucie presents the statewide Tasmanian program Sundays with Lucie Cutting. She has a passion for the arts but covers a wide variety of topics. You can keep up to date with her work on Instagram.
Lucie will be facilitating the Q+A session to be held over the Artist Lunch on Friday 22nd of September from 12pm - 2pm. Those attending the lunch will have an opportunity to participate in this session, to ask questions and hear from industry leaders about a range of arts related topics. Please RSVP to Artist Lunch below.
Laura Milke Garner (MILKE) is an award-winning producer, mentor and active advocate for the arts in Australia. She has been producing events, shows and touring productions for over 25 years. In 2008, she established her own company MILKE to help artists produce their work, while also providing 1:1 mentorship, workshops and online courses for artists and producers looking to develop their artistic careers. MILKE has creatively developed and produced work for Sydney Opera House, Sydney Festival, Arts Centre Melbourne, Darwin Festival, Brisbane Festival, Brisbane Power House, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Melbourne Fringe Festival and Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Laura Garner is providing two, free workshops on Saturday 23rd of September at the Hotel Grand Chancellor. These workshops are open to anyone. Places are strictly limited. Secure your place by selecting tickets below.
Natano Fa’anana is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Casus Creations and Senior Producer at Moogahlin Performing Arts which is New South Wales’ leading First Peoples Arts company.
Natano Fa'anana's unique style of subversive performance art creation draws inspiration from his Samoan heritage and inherent obligation and responsibility to weave culture into the fabric of all his works. Natano champions diverse representation in the contemporary performing arts sphere - an historically non-indigenous, cultural space. Natano’s career began with celebrated Brisbane outfit Polytoxic, and he is a co-founder of the internationally renowned and ragtag collective Briefs Factory International. In 2011 Natano co-founded an award winning, multidisciplinary performance arts company - Casus Creations. Casus’ works include Knee Deep, Driftwood, Chasing Smoke, Sii and Aunties Fiafia Night.
Natano is internationally recognised as a Performer, Director, Producer and Mentor in the contemporary circus and physical theatre space, and for forging the celebration, visibility and voices of less represented cultures and artists.
In 2018 Natano received two Matilda Awards for his work on We Live Here, the categories of Best Director and Best Circus and Physical Theatre production. In 2019 Natano was the recipient for the Sidney Myer Fellowship for his contribution to Humanities through the arts, and in 2020 he received a Churchill Fellowship to investigate theatre practices that work specifically with First People arts practices.
Natano will be hosting a free, Afternoon Tea session at Mad Apple Cafe for arts community members, particularly new, emerging arts practitioners and those hoping to develop works for touring. Junction will cover the cost of afternoon tea for attendees. Places are strictly limited. Secure your place by selecting tickets below.
Samantha is a Programmer and Creative Producer based in Naarm. In May 2022 Sam was appointed Senior Producer at Performing Lines Victoria. Prior to that, Samantha has worked as Arts Programmer at Darebin City Council for 5 years where she programmed and delivered the annual Darebin Arts Speakeasy season, including designing and facilitating the award winning program, Let’s Take Over. Previously, Samantha has worked as the Creative Producer of Elbow Room, as Tour Coordinator with Regional Arts Victoria (where she has also been engaged to produce both 2014 & 2015 Showcase Victoria events in conjunctions with the Victorian Association of Performing Arts Centres), Producer of the inaugural Poppy Seed Festival, Operations Manager for Red Stitch Actors Theatre; Administrator for Rollercoaster Theatre Company; and has sat in many roles as a Freelance Creative Producer. Sam has a particular interest in working with young people in the arts, considering how we centre young people in arts experiences and hand over power to the next generation of diverse arts leaders. This informs her practice in and outside of the arts organisations she has (and does) work with.
Samantha will be hosting a free, Breakfast Conversations session for any creatives wishing to have an informal chat around their practice and the industry. This session is particularly for those with interest in Youth Arts and touring. Junction will cover the cost of breakfast for attendees. Places are strictly limited. Secure your place by selecting tickets below.
Dean Valentino is the A&R Coordinator at Habit Music, a reputable PR & Radio Plugging agency with over seven years in the field. Dean helps to build a diverse, exciting roster through liaising with musicians, managers, labels and more. He scopes out new music via live shows, festivals, radio, playlists, triple J Unearthed and utilises his own musical networks to connect with artists about how publicity and radio plugging can help them build the foundations for a stable career and audience base. Habit is a small team that doesn't work with more than ten acts at a time, they are selective with who they work with, ensuring their ability to offer something genuine, authentic and well thought-out before proceeding to work with an artist.
Dean will soon ascend to a Publicist role within the agency, which involves strategy development and collaboration with artists, setting up effective timelines, writing press releases and most importantly, servicing music to Habit’s network of radio and media across the country.
Dean has previously delivered campaigns for Glitoris, A.D.K.O.B, Safety First and Fletcher Gull.
Beyond PR, Dean has showcased his expertise in artist management for over half a decade at Fright Night Music, aligning with artists like Feelds, Neighbourhood Youth, Merpire, and Peachnoise. He had worked alongside labels such as Polyvinyl, Mirror Records, AWAL, and others. The releases under his purview have partnered with powerhouses like Maison Kitsune, Warner/ADA, and PIAS Australia.
Dean will be hosting a free, casual information and discussion session that is particularly geared towards local musicians. This session will cover the basics of PR (Public Relations), marketing, servicing your music and how to use these tools to build your profile in the music industry. The session will also be an opportunity to connect with peers, discuss how to use PR to your advantage, particularly when aiming to tour interstate or internationally, as well as exploring the challenges of residing in a regional island location when looking to break into new markets. Places are strictly limited. Secure your place by selecting tickets below.
Tickets are non-refundable except in circumstances such as the cancellation of an event or forced changes due to COVID-19.
Tickets will be scanned at Front of House before entry. Please bring your ticket on a mobile device, or a hard copy of your ticket to the event.
Get in touch with us at info@junctionartsfestival.com.au if you have any booking queries.
