Indigenous-Intercultural dance company joins national performing arts partnership framework

Marrugeku – Australia’s unique Indigenous and Intercultural Dance company – has joined the new National Performing Arts Partnership Framework (NPAPF).

Along with seven other new arts organisations invited to the body, Marrugeku’s inclusion offers the company greater stability of funding and is acknowledgment of its growing presence and reputation in the Australian performing arts landscape, as well recognition for its original, inspiring and ground-breaking work. Marrugeku joins four other WA-based companies within the NPAPF group.

The NPAPF replaces the former Major Performing Arts Framework (MPA) and is the culmination of public consultation that began in 2018. Itrecognisedthat new companies needed to be invited into a national body to more clearly represent the breadth and depth of artistic knowledge and creativity across Australia.

Marrugeku will move from a Four Year funding agreement with the Australia Council and Three Year funding agreement with the State Government of Western Australia’s Department of Local Government, Sports and Cultural Industries, to an eight-year tripartite agreement between the company, Federal Government and WA Government, providing funding security and the ability to continue to offer innovative and challenging theatrical experiences.

Working from its twin bases in the remote town of Broome, Western Australia and the urban centre of Carriageworks in Sydney, Marrugeku is a unique presence in Australia. Dedicated to Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians working together to develop exciting new dance languages, it builds bridges and breaks down walls between urban and remote dance communities, between Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists and between local and global themes.  Its productions tour throughout urban and remote Australia – and throughout the world.

Marrugeku is celebrating 25 years of Trans-Indigenous and Intercultural performance with an extraordinary program of live performances, touring shows, multi-media exhibitions, development projects – and the publication of a magnificent book “Marrugeku: Telling That Story”.

Marrugeku’s new productionJurrungu Ngan-Ga (Straight Talk) had a community preview recently in Broome and premieres in Sydney, Darwin and Melbourne in August, 2021. Marrugeku’s recent presentation of the GudirrGudirrvideo installation as part of The National 2021: New Australian Art, a celebration of contemporary Australian art,was Marrugeku’s debut into the screen/visual arts medium.

Marrugeku’s Chairperson, Debra Pigram, said:

Marrugeku’s invitation to the NPAPF was a proud moment in the history of the company. Marrugeku has developed an extraordinary repertoire of Intercultural, trans-indigenous work, that is carving its touring network globally, from Indigenous communities in the Kimberley, regional Australia, capital cities and around the world. Joining the NPAPF continues this trajectory to be a major participant in the Australian, indeed the global, cultural networklandscape. Marrugeku is honoured to be joining such distinguished company.