Brimbank Youth Arts Creative Producer Lab 2025
Participants
Fiker Gebrehana is an Ethiopian born, Naarm based emerging filmmaker and producer. She has learnt from and assisted incredible Australian directors including Grace Dlabik (Raise Your Voice, ACMI 2022), Amiel Courtin Wilson (Man on Earth, MIFF 2022) and Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore (Kaiit’s Miss Shiney, Thelma Plum’s Better in Blak, Angus and Julia Stone’s Losing You). A Swinburne graduate and current RMIT Live Production student, she is always looking to improve.
Gwendolyn Sathiaseelan is a multidisciplinary artist, with a focus on screenwriting, creative producing, and community cultural development. In 2024, she won the award for Most Enterprising Student at the RMIT Screenwriting Awards for her ability to build authentic connections with others. An active member at Western Edge and Brimbank Youth Arts, her goal is to share pathways for youth storytelling in the local community.
Izabella Day is an emerging theatre maker, creative producer, artist and WAAPA graduate who is committed to storytelling, uplifting female voices and collaborative artistic practices. She is the co-founder of Vixen Theatre Company which has chiefly produced the successful feminist, verbatim theatre work titled ‘FEMOID.’ ‘FEMOID’ garnered her great directorial praise for its innovative performance style and raw storytelling at both The Blue Room Theatre and LA MAMA Theatre.
Jasmin Kaur is an emerging, passionate, and community-driven creative producer with experience in youth-led arts programs and event coordination. Born in India and raised in Australia, she brings a unique cross-cultural perspective to her work. Actively involved in Brimbank Youth Arts, volunteering, and completing a Diploma of Nursing, she creates arts experiences that foster care, collaboration, and empower young people to explore creativity and leadership.
Mabruka is an emerging creative producer, performer, and storyteller whose work explores and challenges various issues and experiences faced in the African diaspora. As a recipient of the ActNow MakeSpace residency, she is committed to paving the way for future artists of African heritage.
Minh Mai is a creative producer, visual artist and scenic designer, with a background in accounting and animation. They have a special interest in live theatre and stop motion film. They thrive in collaborative environments, and work with professionalism and standards that go above and beyond.
Sharleen Cu is a multimedia artist and producer. Her works play with the art of self-portraiture to explore her identity as a Chinese-Filipino living in Australia. She was Melbourne Polytechnic’s Overall VET student of the year in 2021 for her visual arts studies and she is currently working as a freelance artist.
Yan Ru Lee is a Malaysian writer, filmmaker, and emerging producer with work spanning publications, galleries, and theatre. She recently co-wrote a children’s educational short with award-winning radio producer and founder of the School Broadcasting Network, Viarnne Mischon. With a background in creative communications and community care, she creates innovative stories that confront social issues and inspire reflection.
Lead Mentor - Candy Bowers
Candy Bowers is an award-winning writer, actor, director, theatre-maker and producer. She was the first performance curator of African heritage to present at the Extra Festival for the 2024 Triennial at NGV International; featuring over 40 singers, dancers, spoken word artists and musicians. Born of South African political refugees at Dandenong Hospital in Victoria's South East, Candy was accepted into the Bachelor of Dramatic Arts – Acting course at the NIDA and went on to create the production house Black Honey Company (2008-18).
Candy has written and performed original works that have toured across the country including: Sweet Mama, One The Bear, Sista She, and Hot Brown Honey Burlesque. She is a published author featured in a dozen compilations including, Growing Up African in Australia! (Black Inc Books), She's Having A Laugh (Affirm Press) and Goddess: Fierce Women on Film (ACMI/ Thames and Hudson). Catch Candy on the small screen in Safe Home (SBS), Crazy Fun Park (ABC), Swift Street (SBS) and Fisk 2 (ABC/ Netflix).
Candy's awards and accolades include: Best Cabaret/ Variety Show TakeBack2021! (Green Room Awards), Best Ensemble Award & Best Actress nomination Lilith the Jungle Girl (Green Room Awards), Geoffrey Milne Contribution to Independent Theatre Award (Green Room Awards), Australian Writers Guild, Theatre for Young Audiences nomination One The Bear (AWGIES), Philip Parsons Young Playwright Award nomination, Best Performance Award Who's That Chik? and Director’s Choice Award Inna Thigh: The Sista She Story Melbourne Fringe Festival.
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Overview
Young people ages 18-25 are invited to apply for the Brimbank Youth Arts (BYA) Creative Producer Lab where a group of up to 8 participants will undergo a 10-week mentorship program with creative industry professionals to design and deliver RESONATE – an arts showcase event for Creative Brimbank’s BE BOLD festival at The Bowery and St Albans Community Centre in October 2025.
Why?
The BYA Creative Producer Lab supports:
- Artistic and professional development for young and emerging artists;
- Creative career pathways for new and existing Brimbank Youth Arts community;
- Meaningful community engagement;
- Practical experience for young artists to develop and deliver an arts event, extend their networks and gain on-the-job experience.
Who is the program for?
- Young people interested in the arts, aged 18-25; Young emerging artists; Brimbank Youth Arts network & surrounding community.
The Program
Up to 8 participants will be selected to undertake ten weeks of workshops delivered online and in-person, facilitated by Brimbank Youth Arts and mentor Candy Bowers along with industry guest speakers.
Through discussions, activities and hands-on experience participants will explore creative producing in a community context to design and deliver RESONATE - a creative event at Creative Brimbank’s BE BOLD festival in October 2025.
Topics to be covered include community engagement, cultural safety, financial and legal planning for events, working with artists, risk assessment management, grant writing and marketing. The program will also allow participants to attend the BYA’s ECHO: Young Creatives Forum event for YOUTH FEST in September at The Bowery theatre.
Participants will be offered Myki cards to cover public transport, an honorarium to attend workshop, plus in the final weeks of the program, they will be paid a $500 fee each for contributing to event planning leading up to the RESONATE event.
The program blends online and in-person workshops. Each session will run for 3 hours including a 30-minute break. Resources, handouts, templates and links will be provided.
In-person workshops to be held at St Albans Community Centre. Catering provided.
Brimbank Youth Arts will aim to provide a safe and inclusive space for all involved. Please find information about STACC access information here: https://creativebrimbank.com.a...
Timeline
7 July 2025: Applications Open
17 July: ONLINE Information Session with Brimbank Youth Arts - Completed
24 July: ONLINE Information Session with Brimbank Youth Arts
3 August 2025: Applications Close
6 August 2025: Notify participants
16 August 2025: Workshops begin for 10 weeks (plus a 1 week break)
27 September 2025: ECHO: Young Creatives Forum youth arts event for Youth Fest at The Bowery & St Albans Community Centre
18 October 2025: BE BOLD: EVENT DELIVERY at The Bowery & St Albans Community Centre
28 October 2025: Evaluation & Pathways session/ End Program
Workshops are likely to be held on Tuesday afternoons and a few Saturdays. Days to be confirmed so please apply even if you may have a schedule clash.
Eligibility
The program is designed for artists, individuals interested in the arts, creative practitioners and emerging producers aged 18-25, for entry-level skills development.
No prior creative producing experience is necessary, but applicants must demonstrate some interest in the arts or engagement in the arts (eg. volunteering, attending arts events or independent arts practice) and articulate how the program would benefit their creative career aspirations or current creative practice.
Participants do not have to be a Brimbank residents but should have an association with Brimbank and/or an interest in working in the arts in the West.
Application
To apply, complete this online application form below.
Closing date: Sunday 3 August 2025, 11.59pm AEDT.
Selection Criteria
The panel will consider:
- Articulated interest and passion for the arts – 40%:
- An expression of interest in the arts and passion to pursue a career in the arts. Although no prior arts experience is necessary to complete the program, an articulated desire to learn will be considered
- Submission of one page CV
- Strength of proposed event idea
2. Impact on the applicant - 60%:
- How the program will strengthen the applicant's professional development and/or arts practice
- The social and artistic impact on the applicant
Questions?
If you have any questions please contact Brimbank Youth Arts: AmieB@brimbank.vic.gov.au