First Nations Roundtable: Digital Space
for arts and creative independents and organisations
First Nations’ Roundtables: Roundtable 2
Topic: Digital Space
Date: Friday 27 March 2020
Time: 2:00pm-3:00pm
This forum discussed the support for sole traders, independent creatives, and arts organisations, the impact on creative processes and how people are responding to this, connecting to networks, and what could a digital think tank be for First Nations.
Hosts
- Wesley Enoch AM: Chair of the First Nations Arts Strategy Panel
- Lydia Miller: Executive Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts
Guest speakers
- Ali Murphy-Oates: Managing Director, Moogahlin Performing Arts.
- Travis de Vries: Artist, Writer, Producer and Podcaster, Awesome Black.
- Philip Watkins: Chief Executive Officer, Desart.
- Ben Graetz: Independent Creative Director, Co-Director Party Passport, CEO, BRG Productions.
About the series
The Australia Council for the Arts is hosting a series of First Nations’ Roundtables for arts and creative independents, and organisations, to discuss the current situation that affects us all in relation to COVID-19.
Watch the webinar recording
Watch the rest of the series.
Contact us
Please contact Michael Hutchings directly if you require further information.
Phone: Michael Hutchings, Project Manager First Nations 0490 299 493

Travis De Vries (Gamilaroi)
Travis De Vries (Gamilaroi) is the founder and director of Awesome Black and is the co-host of the Broriginals podcast. Travis is a celebrated visual artist, writer and producer. Awesome Black is a new First Nations digital creative content platform that gives audiences a way to engage and support the work of the creators they love.
Awesome Black is a new First Nations digital creative content platform that gives audiences a way to engage and support the work of the creators they love. It’s been created after two years of research into digital platforms and audience engagement and draws on podcasting and gaming network models to empower connection between audiences and creators to result in a deeper level of ‘buy in’ in creative content.
Featured Section
Impacts of COVID-19 on First Nations arts and culture: Download the paper
This paper outlines the immediate and longer term needs, concerns and potentially catastrophic impacts for First Nations arts and culture in light of COVID-19. This includes potential for the most significant loss of arts, culture and language since the arrival of the First Fleet.
ExploreJobKeeper and the cultural and creative industries
This paper outlines the immediate and longer term needs of the cultural and creative industries pertaining to the JobKeeper program. While JobKeeper will have a significant benefit, in its current form it will not support a large proportion of the creative workforce.
ExploreWatch Previous Webinars
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the many Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and honour their Elders past and present.
We respect their deep enduring connection to their lands, waterways and surrounding clan groups since time immemorial. We cherish the richness of First Nations Peoples’ artistic and cultural expressions.
We are privileged to gather on this Country and through this website to share knowledge, culture and art now, and with future generations.
First Nations Peoples should be aware that this website may contain images or names of people who have died.
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the many Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and honour their Elders past and present.
We respect their deep enduring connection to their lands, waterways and surrounding clan groups since time immemorial. We cherish the richness of First Nations Peoples’ artistic and cultural expressions.
We are privileged to gather on this Country and through this website to share knowledge, culture and art now, and with future generations.
First Nations Peoples should be aware that this website may contain images or names of people who have died.
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