Makeshift Workshop by Bhenji Ra and Nayuka Gorrie
Questions of decolonisation have emerged as some of the most urgent in contemporary art practice today. This Makeshift Workshop will look at strategies to push back against the colonial and canonical perspectives influencing the ways in which we make work as queer people of colour.

Interdisciplinary artist Bhenji Ra and her collaborator writer/activist Nayuka Gorrie will guide participants in breaking down existing frameworks governing our bodies and practices in order to find alternatives that are both political and personal to ourselves. We will look at ways in which we write and dance ourselves into history, as well as finding the threads of making work between the body and writing.

2019 Workshop participants: Ava Amedi (VIC), Charlotte Raymond (VIC), Hannah Troth (VIC), Ileini (Lay) Kabalan (VIC), Kilia Tipa (NSW), Mossy Jade (VIC), Patrick Gunasekera (WA), Raina Peterson (VIC), Ripley Kavara (VIC), Sean Miles (VIC), Tiara S (VIC), Xen Nhà (VIC), Atong Atem (VIC), Indiah Money (VIC)

Who is it for?
This Makeshift is suitable for artists whose practice involves dance, writing and the spaces between, with a special call for First Nations, trans, gender diverse and intersex people.

How to apply
This is Makeshift Workshop can support up to 10 participants. It is important that participants can commit to attend all three days. Participants are provided with a $300 stipend and lunch each day.

Through our partnership with Midsumma Festival, travel and accommodation support for two interstate artists is available. Please notify us in your application if you would like to apply for this support.

Lead Makeshift artists determine the application and selection process for participating artists.

Deadline for applications: Applications have now closed.

The online application asks:
– A little bit about your practice and what interests you right now?
– How do you make your work?
– In what ways do you apply sovereignty to work?
– Do you relate your practice to a mode of decolonising and, if so, how?

About the Artists

Bhenji Ra is an interdisciplinary artist currently based on the stolen land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation; Sydney, Australia. Her practice combines dance, choreography, video, installation and club events. Her work is often concerned with the dissection of cultural theory and identity, centralising her own personal histories as a tool to reframe performance. With an emphasis on occupation and at times collective action, her work plays with the multiplicities of spectacle while offering strategies to disrupt normativity and Western dance convention. Collaboration is key to her work and she regularly accesses her own community as an essential critical voice. She is currently occupied with being the ‘Mother’ of a young, western Sydney-based vogue house named Slé, whose work consists of hosting events and balls for the intersections of community and performance.

Nayuka Gorrie is a Gunai, Gunditjmara, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta writer. Their social commentary has featured in the Saturday Paper, Guardian, The Lifted Brow and NITV. They wrote for and performed in Season 3 of Black Comedy. They are writing of a book of essays.

For questions about this Makeshift, please contact Sarah Rowbottam – Producer, Arts House
Email sarah.rowbottam@melbourne.vic.gov.au  or call on (03) 9322 3720