Kutcha Edwards: 2021 Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Arts Fellowship

Kutcha Edwards has been combining activism and songwriting since 1991, when he joined Koori group Watbalimba.

Kutcha’s first solo album Cooinda was released in 2002. It was produced by Paul Kelly and Paul Hester.

In 2007, he released his album Hope, co-produced with Richard Pleasance. Inspired, Kutcha wrote, produced and performed his first theatre based show, Songlines of a Mutti Mutti Man, which enjoyed full houses at the George Fairfax Studio at the Victorian Arts Centre and also had a sell-out run at Arts House, North Melbourne in 2008. Kutcha also later toured a one-man version of the show, titled yuyukatha.

Kutcha’s latest venture is a web series titled Kutcha’s Carpool Koorioke. With cameo appearances by Uncle Jack Charles and several Aboriginal music stars as guest passengers, Kutcha takes the artists and audience on a tour of Aboriginal Fitzroy.

‘Circling Time’ is the name of both Kutcha’s latest album and a new music theatre show, both due to be launched this year. Each album he makes is an extension of his Songline, and this Fellowship comes at a key moment in Kutcha’s life as an Aboriginal Songman.

With this fellowship, Kutcha will further explore, research and enhance a deeply held connection to his ancestry. It will extend his knowledge of Aboriginal culture, lore and protocol.

Learn more about the First Nations Arts Awards 2021 recipients .