“Naya Wa Yugali will change the future of Indigenous Creative Learning in Australia.”
After a 40-year period of growth, we have reached a pivotal point in our development.
We are changing the future of Indigenous Creative Learning in Australia by building a major Cultural Learning Centre for International Indigenous Creative Study which will be called Naya Wa Yugali meaning ‘We dance’ in Darkinjung language.
Situated adjacent to our current campus, the new Centre will expand NAISDA’s ecology of dance, culture and performing arts, driving higher levels of national tertiary arts training education for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people each year. By increasing our curriculum of accredited courses across creative industry-aligned disciplines NAISDA will graduate a networked cohort of qualified artists and leaders at the forefront of the creative sector.
The Centre will also provide all-of-career training and retraining for our industry, along with a full program of open courses, classes, concerts, performances, arts exchange forums, school programs, outreach and engagement opportunities for our regional, national and international communities.
“Naya Wa Yugali restores ancient knowledge grounds for our future generations and narratives.”
Our creative home will have a national footprint which is both future focussed and embedded in connection to Country. Designed by renowned architects Tonkin Zulaikha Greer, Naya Wa Yugali will be centered on a Bungul sand arena for Cultural dancing.
The purpose-built facilities will increase secure and culturally appropriate onsite accommodation, teaching and studio spaces for an expanded student cohort and provide a home for NAISDA’s Collection of Indigenous Performance Arts. Open learning programs, performances, showcases and visiting residencies will deliver Indigenous art sector development, drive artistic excellence and innovation and celebrate the richness of our country’s first cultures for all Australians.
“A unifying Songline of land, dance, story, culture, knowledge and peoples.”
This next chapter in our story will:
- Be informed by Indigenous learning and Knowings
- Have Culture at its the core
- Provide tailored, whole-of-person learning support
- Work in mutual cohesion with Cultural communities, Elders and Cultural Tutors
- Build on 43 years of training knowledge and 60,000 of Cultural Knowledge
- Provide a national, restorative meeting and gathering place
- Deliver proven success in education results and career pathways
- Recognise dance, song, ceremony, land and language as creative expressions of our full self and national identity
- Be a Centre of National Excellence
- Proudly acknowledge NAISDA’s role in affirming Australia’s unique international image across global stages, storytelling and performances
Naya Wa Yugali will be an international gathering place where we will come together to meet, share, exchange ideas and collaborate. We seek support from the government, corporate, philanthropic, cultural, creative and education partners.
We invite you to become part of our ongoing pledge towards a new model of Indigenous Creative Learning by donating here.