Program Outline

Key Principles

• Self-determined participation
• Respect for cultural knowledge and protocols
• Flexible, responsive facilitation
• Creative practice as research and connection
• Community-centred dialogue and exchange

Intended Outcomes

• Strengthened networks among First Nations artists, curators, and arts workers
• Contribution to First Nations-led research and knowledge
• Insights into curatorial practices and representation in SA
• Shared creative experiences fostering collaboration and connection

Workshop Facilitators:

Kat Bell

Kat Bell is a Gudjal and Girramay visual artist, curator, and PhD research candidate based in the Riverland, South Australia. Her interdisciplinary practice integrates traditional and digital artforms, with a focus on Indigenous storytelling and authentic representation. Bell’s research critically examines the role of new media technologies in Indigenous curatorial frameworks, addressing systemic gaps in digital and moving image art opportunities for Indigenous artists, particularly in Australia.

As a PhD candidate, Bell investigates the potential of new media to support the representation and sustainability of Indigenous narratives. Her research explores how digital platforms can preserve and evolve cultural storytelling traditions while interrogating the historical misinterpretation and misrepresentation of Indigenous stories within colonial and institutional spaces. She advocates for curatorial models that centre Indigenous agency, cultural authenticity, and ethical engagement.

Bell’s curatorial approach is grounded in Indigenous-led methodologies that prioritise relational knowledge systems, audience participation, and immersive engagement. She is committed to redefining how Indigenous artists and their narratives are positioned within contemporary art spaces, fostering opportunities for Indigenous artists to access and utilise digital technologies in ways that ensure their stories are seen, heard, and experienced with cultural integrity.

Beyond her research, Bell’s artistic and curatorial practice is deeply rooted in visual storytelling, informed by her Indigenous and German/Irish heritage, as well as her lived experiences in South America. Her work examines the intersection of folklore, mythology, and Indigenous cosmology, contextualising these narratives through evolving digital and interactive mediums. She contributes to ongoing discussions on the ethical representation of Indigenous arts, advocating for systemic change in curatorial practices to ensure artist-driven engagement in art spaces, such as galleries, libraries, art centres and museums (GLAM).

Day 1 of the program links directly with her PhD research.

Sonya Rankine

Sonya Rankine is a multidisciplinary artist and the founder of Lakun Mara, grounded in the cultural strength of her Ngarrindjeri, Ngadjuri, Narungga and Wirangu heritage. Her practice is anchored in the traditional weaving techniques of her Ancestors and driven by a commitment to cultural maintenance, survival and revival. Sonya’s work spans large-scale installations, contemporary weaving, jewellery design and cross-disciplinary collaborations that honour cultural knowledge, Country and community.

As a singer and songwriter, Sonya is committed to First Nations language revival and maintenance, particularly Ngarrindjeri, Narungga and Ngadjuri. She actively incorporates language into her music, storytelling and community engagement, strengthening identity and supporting intergenerational learning. This commitment to language is woven through her artistic, cultural and educational work.

An award-winning artist, Sonya has been commissioned by major galleries, festivals, government agencies and community organisations. She is also a cultural educator, mentor and facilitator, creating learning spaces that foster connection, healing and cultural pride. Through Lakun Mara, Sonya continues to expand her practice while remaining deeply rooted in ancestral knowledge, ensuring weaving, language and song remain strong and continue to thrive for future generations.