Creative Connectors

Damian Meredith is an established performer, founder of Movement Décor (independent contemporary performance art collective) and curator of performance for festivals which have included Esoteric and Strawberry Fields. In this episode we explore his passion for community and sustainability, trends in performance submissions and what he looks out for when curating a stage. Expect giggles, red hot tips, an intro to 'trash performance' and compelling conversations around harm reduction and why you should be spending more time at performance stages. Sit back and enjoy the chat.

Grace Darling is a creative producer who has been involved with many festivals across Australia in varying shapes and forms, from Pitch Music & Arts, Strawberry Fields Festival, Let Them Eat Cake and more. Grace now also acts as Creative Director for Gaytimes Festival which offers a weekend of music, art, community, sexuality and self-expression for the LGBTIQ community. In this episode we delve into her journey to date, how she nearly quit events all together, human behaviour at festivals, the disconnect between event producers and attendees and some valuable pieces of advice for anyone looking to work in the festival space. Sit back and enjoy the chat and gain a great perspective from a female point of view within the events industry.

Clayton Blake is an Australian large scale installation artist who aims to stir the pot, get people thinking and bring awareness to important messages around sometimes challenging or confronting topics. In this episode we chat about his journey as an artist, the trials and tribulations he's faced along the way, right through to the landscape of large scale art festivals and their importance in society.  Tune in to hear Clayton talk first hand about the impactful support of the Burning Man community and his first delve into AR, the artists that inspire him and what keeps his motivation for producing art alive. Sit back and enjoy the art chat.

Holland is a Multidisciplinary Artist from the US, now based in Vietnam. With a background in art and education, Holland offers some valuable perspectives into how festivals can send long term educational ripples to a population. We chat about the challenges and opportunities of working in a foreign country, how sustainability lies at the heart of his work and his approach to experimenting with environments in a progressive way. Tune in today for a fresh new view on the world of festivals and what they offer to individuals and communities.

Lev Shani is one of the directors at Paradigm Festival. Tune into this episode to hear his alternative path to becoming a festival director, the major curveballs and last-minute changes he's had to manage along the way and how important problem-solving is to success. We're talking about everything from fight or flight mode for businesses during Covid, pill testing, the importance and power of a team, right through to how running a festival can be the most rewarding experience of your life. So sit back and enjoy the chat.

Lana Scoville is a multi-disciplinary artist working on bespoke and sustainable sculptures that have been featured at festivals including Strawberry Fields, Rainbow Serpent, Esoteric Festival and beyond. Tune in to hear her journey from studying art at RMIT, through to managing a team for Within_space, stage builds, sustainability and her move to use art to influence the next generation. We're chatting about the big lessons she's learnt along the way, how festivals have changed and the importance of connection and intention within the festival space. Sit back and enjoy the chat!

Jason Rahilly is the founder of B-Alternative a grassroots, environmental solutions group shaking things up at festivals, schools and beyond. We're chatting about everything from female leaders, ancestors, the need for more kindness in the world, through to how festivals have enabled B-Alternative to make measurable positive impact. Jason's mission is to literally go out of business, so come hear some inspiring words and understand how you can be the change we need in the world and the role festivals have played in his journey to-date.

Anna-Maria Flynn is the founder of Eclectica, a performance collective and school of mystery that empowers women to find their creative gifts within and express their true self. Hear her journey on learning to trust intuition, explore self-worth and how to push pass self-limiting beliefs in order to grow. Discover how festivals acted as platform for art and performance to become ceremony, and the way a sense of tribe can be transformational. This episode offers a beautiful view on festivals and the unique experience they offer to all, expect grounding advice and important discussion around female empowerment. 

Tigre Bailando is a large scale installation artist who talks to festivals as a foundation to the human experience, centred in connection and community. Discover how Tigre's work encourages individuals to reconnect, delve into a deeper sense of self and empower those parts of you to feel free within the world.  Having showcased work at Lightening in a Bottle, Rainbow Serpent, Burning Man and more, come on a journey of creativity, connection and discover insights into the world of festival art and beyond in this episode.

Stefanos Makroyiannis aka Gumm is not only an artist, but also heads up the Marketing team for Novel. Tune in to hear his journey from throwing beach parties, landing his dream job, through to releasing music and playing Pitch Music & Arts Festival. Expect chat around getting your foot in the door, pushing forward with your passion and plenty of chat around his festival experiences.