BEMAC Discussions: Music and Activism (Live and Streamed)

Join us on Monday September 25th for BEMAC Discussion; a free panel discussion tackling the important topic of Music and Activism: how can we use art in sites of injustice to make social and political change. This discussion aims to explore the role that music and musicians play as a catalyst for social and political transformation, delving into the ways in which artists and musicians can amplify the voices of marginalised communities, shed light on injustices, and drive meaningful conversations about pressing political and social issues.

BEMAC Discussions is a series of free monthly panel discussions tackling key topics relevant to creators and artists from diverse artistic practices, backgrounds, and cultures. These discussions will be held at House of Vincent in Woolloongabba on the last Monday of each month and will be followed by our BEMAC Discover open mic and performance evening from 7:30pm to 9:30pm.

Joining us for this conversation will be:

Fred Leone: Fred Leone is one of the Butchulla Songmen with Aboriginal, Tongan and South-Sea Islander roots. He comes from the Garrwa and Butchulla tribes. Fred’s role as a Songman sees him as one of the custodians of the traditional songs of the Butchulla tribe and one of a handful of keepers and custodians of their language. Fred is active in his role as a Songman, ensuring that contemporary Butchulla stories are embedded into the collective memory of the tribes oral histories and ceremonies going forward.

Jaguar Jonze: Emerging as one of Australian music’s most important cultural voices in recent years, Jaguar Jonze (Deena Lynch) has blazed new trails when it comes to her visionary blend of art and pop as featured on her debut album, BUNNY MODE. Her success stems from hard work and the pure creative vision of her music and video releases, which, along with her top three position on EUROVISION Australia Decides, cemented her position in the cultural landscape. As the public artist voice of the Australian #metoo movement, Jaguar Jonze has appeared on The Project, triple j’s Hack, The Guardian, SMH, The Age. Jaguar Jonze is an artist who refuses to be silenced and has used her voice and personal experience with iconic tenacity to advocate for dramatic systemic change in the music industry. Combining art, music, voice performance and her own multicultural experience, Jaguar Jonze shows are a love letter to music, the untold story of what has carried her to this moment, and her rallying cry for change. 

Alethea Beetson: Alethea Beetson is a Kabi Kabi/Gubbi Gubbi + Wiradjuri storyteller + dreamer who has worked extensively with Indigenous communities across multiple art forms to inspire new works responding to societal issues, cultural heritage and colonisation.  She has worked as a First Nations Music Curator and Producer across Brisbane Festival, BIGSOUND, Horizon Festival, Yonder, Festival 2018, BSAF and Jungle Love; and is currently working with Spotify as their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Program Lead. Her doctoral research explored the function of insurgence and resurgence in the creative development and production of Indigenous performance + how this intersects with programming First Nations music. Alethea founded both Digi Youth Arts (DYA) is an Indigenous led youth arts organisation sharing the stories of our young people. 

Phil Monsour: Phil's music is a loud cry against apathy and a compelling call to solidarity. His powerful songs tell the inspiring human stories buried in mainstream headlines. In December 2020 Phil released his second album with Palestinian performance poet Rafeef Ziadah. Three Generations is a compelling, personal remembrance of Palestine, war and exile and generations of women who survived it all. 2020 also saw the release of Popproperly 97 to 99 a thumbing collection of studio recordings that captured the band in its prime.  The video Stand with Us was also released to support the struggle for refugee rights. 2017 marked the released of the One Song One Union Project. Twelve union and solidarity songs, with a song dedicated to each participating union. A new song Voices Rising was added as a bonus track to the album and the video was released in June.

Jamal Nabulsi (Moderator): Jamal Nabulsi is a diaspora Palestinian writer and researcher, living as a settler on Jagera and Turrbal land. He is a Sessional Academic at the School of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Queensland, as well as a Fellow of the Palestinian American Research Center and the Palestinian Museum. His doctoral thesis titled “Affective Resistance: Feeling through everyday Palestinian struggle”—which explores Palestinian hip-hop music and graffiti—was awarded the prize for best doctoral thesis on emotions in politics and international relations by the British International Studies Association.

Please note that House of Vincent is not wheelchair accessible. We apologise to anyone with accessibility issues for the inconvenience. However, in order to provide access to those who are not able to physically attend the sessions, BEMAC Discussions will be live streamed on BEMAC’s Facebook page facebook.com/BEMACpresents 

Proudly Presented by BEMAC, in partnership with QMusic and BIPOC Arts Australia.

Free entry. Please register.
Nibbles and chai provided. BYO.