Debby Maziarz: Creative Community Fellows scholarship recipient
Biographies
Debby is a creative entrepreneur and community arts and cultural development leader. In 1996 Debby founded the Westside Circus, Melbourne’s leading social enterprise for young people participating in circus arts. In 2010 Debby launched her own independent arts practice, Debby Maziarz Productions (DMP) specialising in arts entrepreneurship. DMP conducts research, fundraisers, delivers capacity building training for artists, brokers conversations between sectors and designs artistic disruptions that take the form of public art projects and social art experiments.
Through research and testing, Debby is interested in exploring creative ways to address important social issues by pooling ideas, energy and resources. Debby was a recipient of an Australia Council Community Arts and Cultural Development Fellowship (2016–2017), and explored global non-monetary networks that connect businesses through the exchange of products and services. Over 2016 and 2017, Debby spent time in Victoria’ s western suburbs, NSW, USA, England and Mexico to learn the systems, processes and methodologies that underpin bartering and exchange initiatives.
Debby is committed to challenging the mindset and practices of independent artists seeking to resource their work and sustain a career in the arts. Her ideas represent an alternative to the current funding arrangements for the arts sector and present a challenge to the funders and funded alike.
