We are excited to announce participants of Round 1 of the Victorian Independent Producers Initiative (VIPI)‘s Producers Mentorship Program.

This group of independent producers will work together to develop, adapt and explore a diversity of independent producing practices, including: collective and accessible ways of working; exploring the role of the independent producer in supporting artists; engaging across a range of art forms, including contemporary performance, dance and experimental theatre.

Joshua Francis and Nilgün Güven 

Josh is interested in providing sustainable and long-term support for independent artists, especially those in the BIPOC and queer communities they work with. Through the VIPI program Josh will be researching collaborative ways of working and diversifying their income as a producer in the hope of setting up an artist collective or production company. They will be further developing skills surrounding community practice, access and inclusion, project design, strategic planning, and philanthropy.

Josh is a producer and writer that moves across art forms to create new work for social change; their practice is informed by experimentation, immediacy and collaboration.

Nilgün is a Turkish-Australian based artist/producer and culture agent whose experimental and enquiry-based practice is concerned with the intersectionality of human rights, inclusion & access, aesthetic innovation and creative production.

Efren Pamilacan, Marcia Ferguson and Freya Waterson

Under the mentorship of Freya and Marcia, Efren will be working through a series of professional development activities to build on his producing skills, industry networking and understanding of opportunities arising from various corners of the arts sector. These activities include simulated producing scenarios, assisting in the self-organising of marginalised art/culture communities, taking on producing roles for independent artists and arts collectives, and attending national and international performing arts markets in 2022.

Efren is a dance maker and emerging independent producer of Filipino heritage living on the unceded land of the Kulin nation.

Freya is an Independent Producer who supports numerous contemporary independent performance makers to build and maintain sustainable practices. She is also Senior Producer for Chunky Move, leading the company alongside the Artistic and Executive Directors.

Marcia’s broad experience as a producer features artistically producing programs for Back to Back Theatre and Big West Festival, cultural producer for the City of Kingston, creative producer for Born in a Taxi (ongoing) and freelance producer of multidisciplinary artworks.

Natasha Phillips, Naomi Velaphi, Erin Milne

Our mentorship is centred around our mutual interests in contemporary performance, diversifying practice, and exploring what the role of the independent producer can and should be in supporting artists. With shared areas of knowledge, understanding and experience, we will explore a three-way model of learning underpinned by a feminist approach. We’ll use this opportunity to bolster the artists we are connected to and work towards a sustainable producing practice which is rich and diverse, whilst continuing to enquire into the discourses around independent producing.

Naomi’s independent producing practice is driven by cultivating unique artistic relationships across disciplines with an interest in experimental performance practice and a focus on building the capacity of artists of colour working independently.

Natasha works across multiple forms of contemporary, experimental theatre and dance with a growing engagement with the Chinese speaking region which is driven by her desire to strengthen cultural literacy within artistic practices and creative exchanges.

Erin is an accomplished independent producer whose company, Bureau of Works, is committed to fostering distinctive voices and ambitious ideas. Her practice is deeply driven by a passion for contemporary and experimental art that speaks to the here and now.