HOLDING TENSIONS in So-Called Australia: Can We Sing With One Voice?

This year, Australia lost a few performing arts icons. One of those was Judith Durham, lead singer of the Seekers and solo artist. She will be remembered for her beloved folk tunes, her uplifting vocals and charming, yet humble demeanour. Her distinctive voice gave us Georgy Girl and the Carnival is Over. This year the music industry paid tribute to the Seekers’ contribution to Australian music. As a quartet they had an innate ability to reflect the national consciousness, most notably captured in their iconic song, I Am Australian.

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NAVIGATING: Disasters Upon Crises

At this end of the world, we are currently battling devastating floods and COVID outbreaks, all in the shadow of international conflict. These seem dark times, and our only normal is change. The change is rapid and chaotic. It feels hard to get a handle on stability. And with that, the arts and creative sectors seem to again be on the edge of precarity.

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Civil Disco-bedience: It’s time to dance for your life

As an environmental activist and a dancer/choreographer, I had the opportunity to combine two of my passions at Civil Disco-bedience on 11th February. Led by the State Member of Parliament for Newtown, Jenny Leong, this action mirrored other Disco-bedience actions organised by Extinction Rebellion. The idea is simple: dance down the street to Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees dressed in 70s clothing to draw attention to the existential crisis that faces us all.

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