The First Nations Writers’ Residency
Meet our 2021 First Nations Residents
Kiara Milera, Kyron Weetra, Alexis West and Louise Wellington-Dyer first came together as part of the Decameron 2.0 project in partnership between ActNow Theatre and State Theatre Company of South Australia. Louise joined the ActNow team to support Alexis in the delivery of the First Nations Pathway Program in 2020. All having had various engagements with ActNow, this residency aims to build on the strength of this cohort on the back of these major projects in a way where they could support each other and share the journey to enrich each other’s journeys. The residency model will allow for a deep dive of supported research and development in individual areas of interest, fuelling outcomes determined and devised by First Nations voices.
Who are the First Nations Writers’ Residency team?
Alexis West has had a long-term relationship with ActNow, including as artistic leader of the Pathway program and collaborator on numerous projects over the past few years. As part of her Associate Directorship of STCSA, Alexis was one of the five core writers of Decameron 2.0, creating a monologue each week over the 10 weeks. Her work was some of the most diverse of all the writers, creating a range of politically charged, sometimes personal, sometimes comic, sometimes poetic moments which were incredibly well-received. In this project, ActNow is continuing to work with Alexis in the best ways to support her practice, sometimes through the “removable scaffolding” of auspicing support and producing advice, sometimes through direct employment and collaboration. It is important for Alexis to be in this group not as a mentor but as a peer, to not overburden her own artistic practice with a sense of needing to “lead” others. But at the same time, Alexis' involvement brings a seniority, wealth of experience and national networks to the collaboration group which pushes it beyond just support of emerging artists. During this residency, Alexis will work on Journey Somewhere.
Kiara Milera first engaged with the company as a participant in the inaugural Pathway Program in 2016, and has been employed by ActNow since. She has performed in Responding to Racism and Generation of Change, where she developed networks with several other ActNow regulars to form ‘Supers Project’ currently in development with State Theatre Company of South Australia. Kiara was one of two alternating emerging writers in Decameron 2.0, creating 5 monologues across the 10 weeks. Her work exemplified contemporary Aboriginal voices on stage, creating characters with precise cultural specificity and broad personal appeal. She has an incredible skill for linguistics and speech patterns, from domestic conversations on the phone to modern re-telling of Dreamtime stories on Zoom. As an accomplished film director as well, Kiara will use the time on this project to develop scripts for a documentary series.
Kyron Weetra has been employed by ActNow on Like Me, Like You and Responding to Racism for several years, before coming on board as the second of two alternating emerging First Nations writers on Decameron 2.0, creating 5 monologues across 10 weeks. Kyron is a truly multidisciplinary artist, developing his skills as an actor, writer, musician and creator. His work is notable for its quirky style, irreverent humour, imaginative leaps and reflection of quintessential Australian male characters. Having been disconnected from his Aboriginal heritage and culture, while developing his artistic career he has also been developing his personal connection to culture. As part of this project, Kyron will engage in a language reclamation project.
Louise Wellington came on board with ActNow in 2020 as Emerging Producer of the Arts Pathway program. In her first arts-focused role, Louise has excelled in the range of tasks, from coordination of the First Nations stream in Decameron 2.0, producing the largest Pathway program to date engaging significantly in regional areas and contributing as a guest writer to Decameron and one of 5 select practitioners to engage in facilitator training for forum theatre performances. ActNow has been determined to maintain employment of Louise beyond her initial 6-month contract, and this is critical for the company's long term engagement with first nations practitioners. Louise will coordinate this project and take part in conversations and activities as required, and work outside of the writers’ meetings to further develop each project towards it’s intended outcomes.
