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For three decades, ‘Next Wave’ has shaped the Australian arts landscape, facilitating a vital international market development for the next generation of Australian art. ‘Next Wave’ encourages interdisciplinary practice and fosters the creation and presentation of works by young and emerging artists working across a broad range of art forms, including dance, theatre, visual arts, performance, new media, and literature.
Artistic Director Georgie Meagher says, “There are many issues facing society which can be difficult to understand and live comfortably within; we are embracing confusion and disagreement in this Festival, bringing together artists that push us to think about the relations between our lives, our politics and our universe.”
In 2016, the festival will see thirty-six world premiere works featured across Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung lands of Kulin country in Melbourne. Organised in clusters of free and ticketed activity across the city, the 2016 Festival brings together the very best of new art in Australia. In 2016, women artists dominate with the gender leading 75% of all projects, while strong representation of First Nations artistic voices will also continue, with 20% of projects led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.
This year’s festival highlights include:
Decolonist
Visual artist Katie West (WA) reflects on the impact of colonisation upon her sense of self as an Aboriginal woman, presenting a personal meditation practice and series of delicate artworks created from local flora. West Space
Ecosexual Bathhouse
Perth artists Pony Express turn Royal Botanic Gardens-Victoria Melbourne’s Domain House into an immersive labyrinth of intimate encounters and sensory interactions – because if we can learn to love the Earth, maybe we can save it.
The Fraud Complex
Curatorial duo Johnson+Thwaites (NSW) question authenticity in life and art, with renowned local and international artists Abdul Abdullah, Abdul Rahman Abdullah, Hany Armanious, Tully Arnot, Bindi Cole, Megan Cope, Bindi Cole, Beth Dillon, Sara Morawetz, Técha Noble, Yoshua Okón and Tyza Stewart. West Space
The Second Woman
A 24 hour performance epic with artist Nat Randall (NSW) repeatedly performing a single scene inspired by John Cassavetes’ cult film Opening Night opposite 100 different male leads, explore the trade of emotion, intimacy, chemistry and authenticity in performance. ACMI
Still I Rise
Queensland artist Hannah Brontë presents a politically charged, fiercely feminist rap and music video environment that explores an alternate Australia with an entirely female parliament including an Indigenous woman Prime Minister. Blak Dot Gallery
Alongside the main artistic program sits a number of initiatives unique to the 2016 Festival. They include: a series of Indigenous language workshops; a new program for writers with disability, Writers in Residence; four discursive commissions, situated both on and off-line, that reflect an experimental approach to public programming that makes space for poetry, enquiry and dialogue across artforms; a digital publication housed at nextwave.org.au, Worm Hole, featuring writing and artworks produced in parallel to ‘Next Wave Festival 2016’.
Fourteen projects in the 2016 Festival have been developed through Kickstart, ‘Next Wave’s’ flagship learning program. Unique to Australia for its multi-faceted approach, depth and scale, Kickstart is money, time and space for young artists to develop ambitious projects – to think bigger than they ever have before.
Five projects have been developed through Next Wave’s long running and highly successful Emerging Curators Program, which provides the most comprehensive development opportunity for young curators in Australia. Partner organisations: Gertrude Contemporary, West Space and Centre for Contemporary Photography, alongside new partners for 2016, Liquid Architecture and Arts Project Australia.
Next Wave is supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria, the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, and City of Melbourne.
Next Wave Festival
5 to 22 May, 2016
Melbourne
