BighART is Australia’s leading arts and social change organisation. We make art. We build communities. We drive change. We work with communities experiencing high levels of need. Rather than focusing on the problem, our unique non-welfare projects build on community assets, strengthening vulnerable individuals, and creating long term attitudinal shifts.
Our hope is for all communities to flourish.
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HIPBONE STICKING OUT &
MURRU - SONGS OF FREEDOM
Melbourne International Arts Festival
17 / 10 / 2014
Writer/Director: Scott Rankin
Associate Director: Luke Kernaghan
Musical Director: Nate Gilkes
Choreographer: Adelina Larsson
Set Design: Genevieve Dugard
Costume Design: Tess Schofield
Lighting Design: Matt Cox
Sound Design: Jed Silver
AV/Video Design: Benjamin Ducroz
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Performance Ensemble: Shareena Clanton, Sheridan Harbridge, Trevor Jamieson, Maria Lurighi, Lex Marinos, Natalie O’Donnell, Yumi Umiumare, Michael Whalley, Martin Crewes, Dudley Billing, Cho Cleary, David Hewitt with performers from the Roebourne community including Josie Alec, Patrick Churnside and Allery Sandy.
Big hART’s Hipbone Sticking Out: truthful and ambitious theatre
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Hipbone Sticking Out is tremendously ambitious both theatrically and in terms of narrative. The piece manages to be entertaining and witty, as well as brutally truthful and uncompromising in its political aims.
Using their own voices and story-telling practices, the people of Roebourne unveil their stories of Australia, creating an alternative history to the perception of Indigenous life as “past”.
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Diana Bossio, The Conversation
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In the town of Roebourne a young man, John Pat, scuffles with police, hits his head on the footpath and is left in a police lockup. He finds himself travelling through time from the beginning, meeting Greco/Roman Gods, tracing the spice routes, the exploration of the Indian Ocean, the paintings of Vermeer, the pop music of 1800’s, the coming of ghost people to Ngarluma country, slavery, pearling, new law, ancient law, and the mining boom of the present. During the performance John Pat’s family hold the truth of this story in their hands as witnesses. Like all Big hART’s pieces it will make you laugh and cry and touch you with its candid authenticity.
Hipbone Sticking Out is the culmination of over three years of creative collaboration between the community of Roebourne and Big hART.
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MURRU - Songs of Freedom
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Beginning in Roebourne District Prison in 2011, these workshops resulted in MURRU, (John Pat’s nickname) – a series of songs, albums and tours. MURRU Concert opened the 2014 Melbourne Festival in Federation Square to much acclaim, and the music workshops continue to provide a positive bridge between life inside and out for the whole community.
Dance Film
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Performed by: Amber Stevens, Bianca Wally, Jasminda Stevens, Ciara Coppin, Ella Togo, Shiloh Mourambine, Justina Coppin and Rennia Long.
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Music by: Kyle Thompson, Toby Davidson,Hassim Aubrey, Maxie Coppin, Aiden Hughes.
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Directed by: Adelina Larsson
Director of Photography: Claire Leach
Original Composition: Aaron Hopper and Mark Leahy
Choreography: Adelina Larsson
Creative Director: Genavieve Dugard
Edit: Sally Biasiutti and Claire Leach
Art Department: Chynna Campbell, Wah Cheung, Adelina Larsson and Lucy Harrison
Drone Operator: Brett Marshall
Producer: Angela Prior
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Special thanks to: Allery Sandy, Michelle Adams, Violet Samson and Pansy Hicks.
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Supported by: Country Arts WA,Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation, Ngaarda Media,Wirlu-muura Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation, Pilbara Development Commission, Fortescue Metals Group, Government of Western Australia Attorney General, Supported by the Australian Government PMC
Led by senior community women and talented mentors, Project O builds agency, resilience and safety for young women in a positive environment. Our fun, non-welfare, task-focused workshops back Roebourne’s young women to pursue their aspirations, and make a difference in their community. Workshops begin at primary school age, resulting in skills and opportunities in media, performance, radio, movement and literacy. Project O is one of Big hART’s most successful projects to date.
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New Roebourne comprises a suite of workshops, performance pieces, video and music programs delivered simultaneously to build community skills, resilience and pride.
TJAABI
Ngurin Pilbara Cultural Centre Iremugadu Roebourne, WA
17 / 08 / 2016
Director: Scott Rankin
Performance: Patrick Churnside
Music: Aaron Hopper and Mark Leahy
Choreography: Adelina Larsson
Set Design: Genavive Dugard
Stage Manager: Lucy Harrison
Dance: The New Roebourne project community members
Tjaabi is led by Ngarluma singer Patrick Churnside, his family and elders. These workshops introduce young men to a proud strong culture, as they work with Patrick and mentors. The result is a performance piece featuring sound, video, story and movement; capturing the ancient ecology and stewardship of the Pilbara.
A living tradition of the Pilbara region, ‘Tjaabi’ is a public song-form, and this performance is guided by senior Ngarluma man Tim Douglas.
photo: Jeff Busby
Cutaway Barangaroo, Sydney
28 / 07 / 2019
Director: Scott Rankin
Music Director: Mark Leahy
Choreography: Adelina Larsson
Set Design: Genavive Dugard
Performance: Ryder Lawson, Aimee Massie, Nixen Osbourne, Tim Ohl, Liam, Romain, Jacob, Josh, Beth, Pedro, Fabian.
SKATE is pure theatre spectacle – combining skateboarding, percussion and tracking projection in a high-powered performance piece, for broad appeal.
A highly commercial touring performance piece, SKATE is designed to generate exceptionally strong box office.
The skateboarders create percussive music and trigger explosions of projection and light. Skateboarding is the fastest growing sport in the world, and with no language barriers and its combination of dance, music, image and skateboarding, SKATE can play anywhere around the globe.
Timed for maximum exposure coinciding with the Toyko Olympics in 2020, SKATE is a commercial opportunity to assist in building Big hART’s sustainability.
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SKATE – Social Impact Investment
SKATE Project is an impact investment opportunity, designed to generate strong social and financial returns for Big hART and co-investors. Profits from SKATE will help future-proof Big hART and assist the organisation to continue to deliver outcomes in disadvantaged communities.
Co-investors can gain a financial return on their investment to their own portfolio, as well as a measurable social return by helping to sustain Big hART’s projects. Big hART invites forward thinking early adopters to co-invest in this innovative impact investment opportunity.