Victoria’s premier LGBTQIA+ cultural festival, Midsumma has announced the 11 participants that have been selected for 2018-2019 Midsumma Futures program.
For 30 years Midsumma has been fertile ground for queer culture-makers, forging careers for some of Australia’s most respected cultural and artistic voices. Midsumma Futures is a nine-month development and mentoring program for early-career artists and culture-makers.
The 2018-2019 Midsumma Futures Participants are: Tom Backhaus, Nadia Bailey, Georgia Banks, Mark Brown II (aka Nefertiti LaNegra), Daisy Catterall, Meri Leeworthy, George Munro, Samuel Russo, Hannah Samuel, Romy Seven Fox and Gene Smith.
Over the next months they will be matched with a professional artist mentor and attend three professional development workshops led by artists and industry representatives to advance their vocation, deepen their practice, gain exposure and lead the future of queer culture.
“Supporting early-career queer voices is at the heart of this program,” says Midsumma CEO, Karen Bryant. “It is about enabling true independence and a platform from which participants can take their practice forward, for themselves but ultimately for the benefit of our broader communities”
For more information and to read about each of the participants, visit: www.midsumma.org.au for details.
Image: Tom Backhaus, Nadia Bailey, Georgia Banks, Mark Brown II (aka Nefertiti LaNegra), Daisy Catterall, Meri Leeworthy, George Munro, Samuel Russo, Hannah Samuel, Romy Seven Fox and Gene Smith (supplied)