Guildhouse reVision Speaker Series: Level - Level

Guildhouse reVision Speaker Series

Level – Level; the roles and contributions of non-First Nations peoples in First Nations industries, lives, and culture.  

Curated by Coby Edgar

Session 1: Looking Back
Tuesday 21 June at 7pm ACST
Featuring Dr Ali Gumillya Baker, Stephen Gilchrist, Will Stubbs. 

Session 2: Looking Forward
*Rescheduled date and time*
Monday 4 July at 7pm ACST
Featuring Dallas Gold, Elverina Johnson, James Tylor.

With an uprise in colonist cancel culture, the roles of non-First Nations peoples are more frequently and publicly being questioned, called out, interrogated and sometimes, they are asked to step aside to make way for First Nations peoples. Intentions are key. Relationships and power dynamics are put under microscopes. Respect is earned. How do we do it right, together, without taking up space but making space? What does true, fair collaboration look like? Seeing eye to eye is integral. Level- level.

Why talk about this now? We shouldn’t be afraid to talk about how to work better together.   

Institutions, galleries, architects and independent spaces and peoples are constantly reaching out to First Nations peoples to work with them, or for them. The projects are usually one offs, short term contracts that don’t promote meaningful collaborations over time. The non-First Nations panelists have worked successfully with communities and artists over decades. The First Nations panelists have seen a multitude of successful collaborations and failures. There is learning to be found from their experiences. They have tripped, fallen, stepped aside but most importantly, learnt, stepped up to the plate and contributed immensely to the fabric of First Nations arts and communities. 

Guildhouse, is a place that creatives go to for advice, for guidance, for knowledge. It is Guildhouse’s predominately non-First Nations artists, members and community who can benefit from the advice on the subject. In turn, First Nations people can benefit from the collective being more knowledgeable on the subject. 

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Coby Ann Edgar is a Larrakia, Jingili, Anglo, Filipino, queer, cis-woman from Darwin. She is currently the curator of Strategic Projects, First Nations at the Powerhouse Museum. With over 10 years’ experience working in government positions across education, galleries, and museums she is invested in how First Nations and non-First Nations people work together across industries, especially the arts sector.

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For more information about the program and the speakers, please visit our website.