Events
Music
First Nations Emerging Music Industry Community Gathering
Music
First Nations Emerging Music Industry Community Gathering
Event Information
Footscray Community Arts is hosting a First Nations Emerging Music Industry Gathering, with talks, food and conversations with music industry professionals and allies. Create new networks and gain insights into festival programming, promotion and branding, artist management, and bookings.
The day will begin with Ceremony led by Footscray Community Arts Elders in Residence Uncle Larry Walsh and N’arweet Dr Carolyn Briggs AM. There will be the opportunity to build knowledge, share resources and create relationships with music industry peers and organisations.
Guests: Sherene Stewart (Yirramboi Festival) Georgia Farry (WAT Artists) Sky Thomas / Soju Gang DJ Kidd Benny
RSVP here
Date & Times
- When
-
Saturday 23 November, 11:00 am-5:00 pm
- Venue
- Cost
Free
Meet the Artists
-
Sherene Stewart
Sherene Stewart is a Taungurung/Filipino woman, director, curator and producer living and working on Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri Woiwurrung Country. Sherene was appointed Co-Lead/Creative Lead for internationally renowned First Nations biennial festival, YIRRAMBOI, in 2022.
Sherene produces multimedia facilitations of First Nations art, successfully platforming the developments, performances, installations, and world premieres of multitudes of First Nations artists. YIRRAMBOI evokes a collective evolutionary resilience, through embodiment and presentation of interconnectivity and curatorial amplifications of diversity. Sherene curates collaborative, anti-hierarchical approaches to the facilitation of artistic involvement. She prefaces equitable and commodious collaboration and inclusion for First Nations artists and communities across a local, national and global scale.
Sherene has co-founded, curated, and produced for council and arts organisations since 2015, with credits inclusive of; YIRRAMBOI (2017-Present), Ouss Entertainment Pty Ltd (2020-Present), BlakHEART Festival (2019), City of Melbourne, Events and Tourism (2015 – 2018) and co-led the delivery of Creative Victoria, First Peoples Road Show (2022), Its A Mob Thing Music and Health Festival (Melbourne, Bairnsdale & Mildura 2022) and Victorian NAIDOC Ball & Pride night (202 -
Georgia Farry
Georgia Farry is a dedicated booking agent at WAT Artists. She represents an impressive roster of talent, including Australian acts like CC:Disco!, DJ PGZ, Soju Gang, Simon TK, Deepa, Katie Pearson, Rino, and Toni Yotzi.. With a strong passion for live music and a keen eye for nurturing diverse talent, Georgia plays a crucial role in shaping her artists’ careers and connecting them with audiences across Australia and beyond. Known for her strategic mindset and commitment to her clients, Georgia continues to be an influential figure in the live music industry, ensuring her artists thrive both on stage and in their creative pursuits.
-
Sky Thomas / Soju Gang
Sky Thomas is a dynamic First Nations DJ, designer, and activist known for her electrifying energy, fierce creativity, and dedication to community representation. Hailing from the Wamba Wamba, Gunai/Kurnai, and Yorta Yorta nations, Soju Gang is deeply committed to celebrating her culture through her music, fashion, and advocacy work.
With a unique style that blends old-school hip-hop, R&B, and trap, she has become a prominent figure in Australia’s music scene, performing at major festivals like Golden Plains and Beyond the Valley. Beyond her DJ career, Soju Gang is a strong advocate for greater representation of First Nations artists and creatives in mainstream spaces. Her clothing designs, rooted in streetwear culture, further reflect her passion for expressing identity and pride in her heritage.
Driven by a desire to create inclusive spaces for Indigenous youth, Soju Gang has also become a vocal activist, using her platform to support initiatives such as the Free Her campaign and addressing systemic issues affecting her community. She is known for fostering connection, celebrating Black joy, and challenging stereotypes through her work. Soju Gang’s mission is to empower young First Nations people to see themselves in creative industries, ensuring their voices are heard and their presence is felt.
-
DJ Kidd Benny
Kidd Benny is a Yorta Yorta & South-Sea Islander DJ representing the East Coast of Australia. Kidd Benny, who is relatively young, has been rocking venues all over Australia and is one of the most exciting party rockers of today. Kidd Benny can rock any venue and gig with any genre, but specialises in all urban anthems which includes R&B, Hip Hop, Island Reggae and much more. Kidd Benny is renowned for his old school turntable trickery and his R&B, Hip Hop, Reggae Club Video Sets. Many big artists in the industry are fast becoming Kidd Benny fans just because he takes smart risks and understands diverse crowds. Kidd Benny has toured and supported many artists and also exclusively performed at after parties which include Justice Crew, Savage, Timomatic, D12, J Boog, Lukie D, Sean Kingston, Pretty Ricky, Spawnbreezie, Sammy J, Fiji, Swiss, Jah Boy, Jagarizzar, DMP, Pieter T, Emmanuel Rodriguez (E-Man) and much more. With his humble attitude and unique talent Kidd Benny is set for massive things in the entertainment industry and Kidd Benny says he will always remember “ no matter how big or small the show, I will always give them my all.”