Mia Stanford was raised in the Northern Territory from Kungarakan and Gurindji people. With a degree in Indigenous Studies, Professional Writing and honours in Arts Management, she has years of experience working in cultural arts and with community.

As a performer, writer and stand-up comedian, Mia has appeared on the Aboriginal Comedy All Stars, NITV and SBS, written for TV series and ILBIJERRI Theatre and performed at festivals. She has worked in strategic planning on advisory committees and with philanthropic partnerships. A theme that remains constant in Mia’s practice is the draw towards creating ways to nurture connection to country and strengthen identity through storytelling.

‘I spend so much of my life supporting and creating safe spaces, which has been a burning passion of mine. I realised throughout my ECL journey that I didn’t have a space for my own. As a mother with a family to care for, I struggle to maintain my practice. The program made me realised how crucial it is to have a space to work from and really honour it.’

IMAGE:
1 – Mia Stanford. Image by Snehargho Ghosh.