Naya Wa Yugali

“Changing the future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Creative and Cultural Learning in Australia.”

After a 45-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.

Future Naya Wa Yugali site plan. Image by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects.

“Naya Wa Yugali is a bold vision to house a culturally ambitious practice of international training, exchange, collaboration and gathering.”

Our creative home will have a national footprint which is both future focussed and embedded in connection to Country.

The purpose-built facilities will increase culturally supportive and 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.”

In partnership with Federal and State Governments, Corporates, Communities and Country, Naya Wa Yugali will achieve six key objectives:

1. Provide infrastructure to support best practice in national/international First Nations creative learning, deliver change and help meet Closing the Gap targets.

2. Increase national access and success in arts training/skills development and career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

3. Support First Nations arts and tourism sectors with skilled, networked Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and exports at the forefront of creative disciplines.

4. Increase access and programs for community participation, wellbeing and understanding of First Nations creative and cultural practice within an environment intrinsically linked to Country.

5. Extend curriculum-linked outreach, touring, workshops and digital connectivity/streaming.

6. Become a catalyst for global First Nations partnerships research and creative synergies.

The entrance to Naya Wa Yugali. Image by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects.

Be Part Of The Change

We sit at the threshold of an exciting future. One which recognises, embraces and values the creative voice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as a potent catalyst for cultural,
artistic, economic and social transformation. We invite you to be part of the change.

Contact NAISDA Head of Marketing and Development Jan Wells on (02) 4340 3154 or email jan.wells@naisda.com.au