From the Bundjalung Nation to NYC - Creative Development

Mitch King is organizing this fundraiser.

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My name is Mitch King, I'm a performing artist, creative producer, and a proud Yaegl & Widjabul Wia-bul man from the Bundjalung nation on the east coast of Australia. My main disciplines are music, theatre, and dance - I love telling stories through sound, movement and film.

Most of my work is related to living on country and what it's like to live in the regional area of Northern Rivers, New South Wales - combining cultural and contemporary practices to push my own creative boundaries in order to make space for First Nations communities’ voices and artistry. I want to make it more accessible for the mob from jarjums (kids) to elders to feel like they can come to a performance to see and hear their own stories given life and meaning on the big stage.

I have been given an incredible opportunity to do a month-long theatre development in the “Big Apple”, New York City. This residency will take place at a transdisciplinary live/work space called the “Mothership” which is a presentation arena for international artists, located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York City.

While at the Mothership NY I will get the chance to work with a good friend of mine and an amazing artist in his own right, Dave Houston, who has studied and performed theatre for over 20 years. Dave has been mentoring me in acting and directing over the last few years. During our residency at the Mothership NY, we will create a new work called “AWkward” which explores the moments of human interaction that are strained, inappropriate, and at times embarrassing and uncomfortable between individuals and their diverse environments.

This will be my first time going overseas, so to have the opportunity to do this through my passion, not as a tourist, but as an artist among other like minded creatives is invigorating and so exciting.

Your generous donations of any amount will help with day to day expenses, including food, accommodation, travel, venue hire to run workshops and perform our work.

I'm looking forward to connecting with a range of artists and cultural practitioners, to inspire, inform, innovate and expand my own creative practice. I am keen to attend classes, workshops, interact and network with other artists, producers, choreographers and directors with whom we can share our work in one of the largest art capitals of the world, and then bring it back home to share within our communities in the Northern Rivers. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and to support me in making the most of this incredible opportunity.

This video is from a previous work called "Flow" which is a

tale of searching and finding identity in music, urban culture and nature. An ancient story acknowledging how and why water flows through this region and its cultural significance.

This video is from a work that Dave (my mentor) and I are currently developing called "Strong Mob". This work is about the beautiful times but also the trauma's that we take on within First Nations Communities in Northern Rivers NSW Australia.

These are images from the second development of Strong Mob at Crabbes Creek Hall NSW Australia. We developed a third of the work and then presented it at Kulch Day which was am event to raise money for cultural community centre within Northern Rivers NSW.

Uncle Col and I doing one of the scenes from the show

The Strong Mob team

Dave and I hard at work lol

Presented some of the work at Kulcha Day. The image is a little blurry but I wanted share atmosphere of the day and how great it was to share our work together.