Carriageworks First Nations Fellowship
We congratulate Kuku Yalanji/Yidindji multimedia and performance artist Henrietta Baird as the inaugural recipient of the new First Nations Fellowship and award developed by one of Sydney’s largest multi-arts venues, Carriageworks.
Valued at $100,000, the new initiative is geared towards supporting First Nations artists to undertake a two-year research and development project for the creation of new work, backed by a contribution of $25,000 per year with additional support in the form of in-kind venue hire, production and producing opportunities. Baird graduated from NAISDA (National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association) Dance College in 2005 and has performed and collaborated in numerous productions both nationally and internationally. During the Fellowship in 2022–2023, the artist will continue her research of native bush plants from her Country, and explore movement based on the methods and processes of collecting, preparing, and applying traditional plants to make medicine, tell stories and preserve cultural knowledge through dance.
She is currently developing a new performance work called Plant A Promise, which is centred around land management and climate change informed by both scientific studies and First Nation’s cultural perspectives. Alongside her artistic practice, Baird is also studying Land Management, and conducts tours and holiday programs for the public sharing her knowledge of native Flora and Fauna and the history of the Sydney people.
“The First Nations Fellowship represents a significant commitment to First Nations art practices, culture and perspectives. The Fellowship will give First Nations artists the opportunity to deepen and develop their practice at key moments in their careers. We are thrilled to announce Henrietta Baird as the inaugural recipient of this major new artist fellowship. Henrietta is an exceptional artist working at the forefront of First Nations art, writing and performance,” says Jacob Boehme, Director, First Nations Programs at Carriageworks.
The Carriageworks First Nations Fellowship is open to artists working across a wide range of creative disciplines. Expressions of Interest
