Matthew Ngamurarri Heffernan is a Pintupi-Luritja creative-technologist, ANU PhD candidate, and writer from Central Australia. He is a champion of sharing Indigenous voices through technology and has worked extensively to share and conserve the knowledge of Indigenous peoples. 

Matthew was the software developer for Kaytetyemoji, and the Android iteration of Indigemoji, Australia’s first brand of Indigenous emojis designed by young Indigenous children and guided by Elders on country. 

Matthew is also recently a co-writer alongside multi-disciplinary Cantonese artist Roshelle Fong on the Melbourne Theatre Company’s commissioned and produced show “The Robot Dog”. The Robot Dog will be part of the 2025 Melbourne Theatre Company’s program and presented in association with Asia-Topa. 

Shona Erskine is registered Psychologist, coach, facilitator and dancer. Shona is dedicated to understanding the complexity inherent in creativity and innovation, and the challenges of expertise and elite performance. She coaches senior leaders in the skills of creative leadership, and leads workshops on the neuroscience of creative practice, spanning corporate, not-for-profit and creative sectors. Shona delivers psychology for performing and visual artists, as well as production and crew, through professional companies, universities, and in private practice. She has developed curriculum in areas of performance and wellbeing for performing artists, teachers, and directors using best practice models. Shona has a contemporary dance background spanning 20 years as a professional performer.

Shona Erskine and Katt Osborne share a deep commitment to the sustainability of healthy systems and communities. Their Boorloo/Perth-based systems thinking consultancy AFOCAL was created out of a shared interest in how the arts and sciences can provide complementary ideas and processes that enable a new way of imagining and creating better futures for our social systems. Katt and Shona are human-focused facilitators who thrive on the opportunity to provide bespoke processes that are methodical, creative, and optimistic.   

Jules Gabor (she/her) is a 20-year-old Filipino creative, producer, emerging teaching artist and award-winning youth leader based in Larrakia Country, Darwin/Garramilla. Passionate about storytelling and the power of young people’s lived experiences, Jules works with young people across the Darwin region, creating space for their voices, creativity and perspectives to be seen, heard and taken seriously. She is currently Producer Support for Roller Coaster, a Darwin Festival show by Everybody Now! and working on her own independent producing and art practice.  

Alizé Ali-Scrogings (she/her) is a 16-year-old actor and musician based in Darwin. Passionate about filmmaking and advocating for better systems for those in marginalized communities, Alizé does this through her work as a Corrugated Iron Youth Arts Champion, teaching artist and performer in Company C, Corrugated Iron’s leading performance troupe. As Singer and Bassist of all-girls band Jacob’s Ladder, Alizé’s work as a performer challenges the dominant gender roles in today’s society.  

Martin Fatmaja Hoggart is a creative producer, musician and arts worker. Starting out as a performer and theatre-maker, his intrepid spirit has led him to roles across a number of major cultural institutions, including the National Museum of Australia, Australian Centre for the Moving Image and currently the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. He is also the Music Programmer at Nongkrong Fest. Passionate about multicultural storytelling and community connection, Martin is dedicated to platforming Indonesian-Australian voices through music, performance and contemporary cultural programming.  

Yasmin Bidadari Middleton is a dancer, teacher, and current President of Nongkrong Arts Inc, a diaspora-led collective dedicated to creating meaningful cultural exchange through the arts. Her work spans community workshops, performances, and the production of small to large-scale events and artistic presentations that celebrate diverse voices and strengthen community connection. Grounded in her artistic practice in dance, Yasmin approaches collaboration through deep listening, care, and connection, which continues to shape the way she works alongside artists and communities across the diaspora. Through her leadership at Nongkrong Arts Inc, she advocates for accessible, community-driven arts practice that reflects the richness and complexity of diaspora experiences across Australia. 

Ayebatonye Abrakasa is a DJ, artist, writer and curator of Nigerian heritage born and raised on Gadigal Land, currently residing on Larrakia Country.  

Art, music and community are the threads that connect all the facets of her work, it was noticing limited access to the arts for communities of colour that led to the formation of DIY arts platform Irregular Fit, a collective for independent Bla(c)k, Indigenous and POC musicians, performers and audiences. The ethos that guides the arts platform is contributing to opportunities for equity and access in the arts and music ecologies through workshops, research, and community led projects.  

As an artist and curator, Ayebatonye has exhibited essays, sound works, and video projects at various art institutions across so-called Australia including the Sydney Opera House, Art Gallery of New South Wales and Museum of Contemporary Art. She regularly shares her insights on issues both within and beyond Australia's arts community, offering thoughtful social commentary through her online platforms , speaking engagements, and newsletter/event series Musical Alchemy. 

To view Ayebatonye’’s artistry now, it’s clear to see where her passions lay. In the marriage of such eclectic and bold sounds through her DJ sets; the way she balances humour with nuance and reality through writing; and the way she platforms both the queer and BIPOC communities in Australia, Ayebatonye views art in all its forms as being universal and accessible to all. 

Ayebatonye was part of the Creative Australia Future Leaders 2020-2021 cohort and former Head of Audience and Participation for Rising Festival.

Anna Powell has extensive experience building coalitions and networks within communities, nationally and internationally, to bridge divides, address the root drivers of social cohesion and support a more active democracy. She has been CEO of Collaboration for Impact since 2022. Previously, she held leadership roles in international development and philanthropy, driving systems change across diverse contexts. Her work focuses on mobilising people, institutions and ideas to create lasting social impact.