Cultural programs

Manduway Dutton is a Gumbaynggirr and Barkindji singer, songwriter and musician based in Coffs Harbour. He has been performing for more than 10 years across various bands and has found empowerment through writing and performing music influenced by his heritage, language and homeland. His most memorable performances include playing at Giiyong Festival in 2025 and opening for Gumbaynggirr rock band Jumbal Dreamin’ in 2023. 

Allira is an emerging indie folk singer-songwriter from the Northern Rivers and Clarence Valley region. A proud Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung woman, she blends heartfelt storytelling with roots-inspired sounds, drawing on the beauty of the natural world, lived experience and her personal journey. 

 Her warm, story-driven songwriting explores love, peace, unity and human connection with emotional honesty. Through intimate and soulful indie folk, Allira invites listeners to slow down, reflect and connect, creating space for stories, spirit and shared experience. 

Angel is an 18- year-old Jamaican and Wurrudguri singer-songwriter living on Bundjalung country. Since picking up the guitar at age 12, she has been writing and performing for years, shaping her own blend of soul, R&B, and indie pop. From creating and headlining her own concert in Murwillumbah, to performing at ‘Groovin’ the Moo’, she’s been sharing her original songs across the Northern Rivers. Following the release of her debut single ‘”Would yu?’”, Angel has also released an EP (‘I GOT YOU’) with her brother, $TA. She is now working towards making a new single. 

Marc Daley is a singer-songwriter whose music blends heartfelt storytelling, soulful melodies and a distinctive sound. Through honest lyrics and expressive vocals, he creates songs inspired by life, love, personal experience and the emotions that have shaped him. 

 Marc continues to develop his artistic identity, bringing authenticity and emotion to the music he writes and performs. His forthcoming debut album marks a new chapter in his practice, showcasing his musical journey, creative vision and evolution as a singer-songwriter and musician. 

Soultone is a high-voltage rock ’n’ roll and blues band made up of Luke, Kaylan and Bella. Each member brings their own style and energy to the band to create an electrifying live experience.  

Djagali Gorogo Rawson, also known by their stage name Lvesck (pronounced “Lovesick”), is a 25-year-old Bundjalung, gumbaynggirr and Dhanggati independent recording artist from Grafton. They perform original alternative acoustic music, combining guitar and vocals to create their distinctive sound.

Biren Cultural Group are a collective of First Nations creatives who live, work, and maintain deep cultural connections to the Bundjalung Nation. A dance troupe and community of knowledge holders dedicated to sharing culture through art, storytelling, and performance their work celebrates and preserves First Nations traditions, fostering understanding, connection, and cultural exchange with diverse audiences.

Each member of Biren (Saltwater in Minyangbal/Nganduwal language) Cultural Group brings a unique connection to Country, reflected in a diverse range of works including woven pieces, carved artefacts, paintings, body oils, and wearable art.

Garimaa Ngahri is a proud Aboriginal dance group sharing the strength, spirit and beauty of First Nations culture through traditional Bundjalung dance, song and storytelling.

Rooted in Bundjalung Country, our dances honour our Ancestors, our Elders, our connection to Country, and the traditions passed down through generations. Through every performance, we share our stories, celebrate our identity and keep our culture strong and alive.

Garimaa Ngahri also proudly represents and respects other Aboriginal tribes and Nations, coming together through dance to celebrate the diversity, strength and unity of our First Peoples.

For over 15 years, we have been keeping culture strong, sharing our stories and proudly representing Bundjalung and other Aboriginal Nations through dance.

Giingan Yiiliwiyay Girrwaa is a Gumbayngirr Dance group that has been dancing together for over five years. The group performs traditional dance songs and new songs, with all dances set in Gumbaynggirr language. Their performances have taken them to places all over, including Aotearoa. 

The Kinship Doobai Dancers are a contemporary dance troupe of Aboriginal women and girls from Tweed to Mullumbimby. The troupe moves across Bundjalung Country in the Tweed Shire and Byron Shire, with dancers from many mobs including Bundjalung, Wiradjuri, Wakka Wakka, Gamilaroi and South Sea Islander.

Troupe members have been presenting culture together for over a decade but formed this dance troupe three years ago. It grew out of the Kinship festival and the Kids Caring for Country program.  The troupe focusses on strengthening connections with each other and offers cultural dance to share safely with children in community. The group formed to empower Aboriginal women and girls to develop a strong sense of cultural identity and lead in healing alongside continuing cultural practices. 
 

Nini Nahri-Gali means “all female dance” in Bundjalung. Nini Nahri-Gali is an all-female dance troupe, with most members belonging to the proud Bundjalung Nation, while others have made this beautiful place their home. They are a family, connected by culture, kinship and a shared love of dance. The group spans generations, from a Nan dancing alongside her two granddaughters to the many other women who share this special bond. The dancers are all related, connected by family ties and the joy they find in dancing together. 

For them, dancing is more than just movement. It brings out their happiness, frees their souls and allows their hearts to express what words cannot. Every step, every rhythm and every smile tells a story of who they are and the connection they share. When they dance, they celebrate family, their culture, their strength and their togetherness. They laugh, feel free, and create beautiful memories that bring them closer with every dance. They dance with love, they dance with pride, and they dance with their hearts and souls.  
 

Amber Morris is a Gumbaynggirr artist born and raised in Grafton and now living in a community in Nymboida NSW. She creates her art out on Country, foraging and collecting from the local area for materials, making jewellery and other geometric art. She focuses on animal bone and echidna quills, gumnut, crystal and leather jewellery, statement macrame pieces using mainly hand fossicked high-quality crystals and large 'geometric spheres’ – eye catching 3D art pieces.  Amber’s connection to her work runs deeper and is an extension of herself in art form and of country flowing through her and her creations.   

WORKSHOP: Enjoy a jewellery-making session with Gumbaynggirr artist Amber Morris. Learn the art of beading and create an adornment you can cherish forever. In this workshop, you will work with an array of high-quality beads, foraged gumnuts and seeds, gold and silver alloys, and durable attachments made to last. Amber will help you design a pattern to your liking and guide you in creating the perfect piece, just for you.

John Skinner is a proud Gumbaynggirr man from Grafton, with maternal connections to the Dainghutti/Thungutti communities of Kempsey. He is also a devoted family man, sharing life with his wife, Anne, and their three children, Lexie, Caitlyn and Ryan.

John began his working life with the Clarence Valley Council, completing a Certificate IV in Horticulture (Arborist) and developing skills in rope-knotting and splicing. A few years ago, John learned to weave with the local women’s group in the Clarence Valley and discovered a love of creating with raffia. John began combining raffia-weaving with rope-splicing techniques to create distinctive woven pieces.

WORKSHOP: Join Uncle John Skinner in this hands-on workshop exploring basic weaving, rope-splicing, and knot-tying techniques.

Participants will learn to weave using raffia while yarning about the cultural significance of weaving practices. The workshop also introduces the fundamentals of rope work, including basic splicing and knot tying. Through practical demonstrations and guided activities, participants will gain an understanding of how these skills have been used for both cultural and everyday purposes, creating meaningful connections between traditional knowledge and practical application.

Mitch King is a performing artist, creative producer, and a proud Yaegl and Widjabul Wia-bul man from the Bundjalung nation on the east coast of Australia. His main disciplines are music, theatre, and dance—he loves telling stories through sound, movement, and film. Mitch’s work relates to living on Country and what it's like to live in the regional area of Northern Rivers, NSW. He combines cultural and contemporary practices to push his own creative boundaries in order to make space for First Nations communities’ voices and artistry. 
 
 Workshop Name: Flow Movement Workshop 
 
About: Flow is a fun and energetic workshop that connects jarjums and youth to explore their own movements and how they connect to Country and culture through playful, lively games and storytelling.  
 

Image credit: Kate Holmes/NORPA

The Jarjum Space at Art on Bundjalung is a dedicated creative area for children and families to explore, learn and have fun. Throughout the day, jarjums can enjoy face painting with Tywanna and get hands-on with a clay animal-making workshop facilitated by Taya, where they can shape and create their own unique animals.  

There will also be a relaxed creative corner with paper and pencils generously provided by The Koori Mail, offering plenty of opportunities for drawing, colouring and imaginative play. The Jarjum space is a welcoming place for young people to connect, create and celebrate culture through art and creativity.

The Women of the Rivers collection is created by Kylie Caldwell, Jasmin Stanford and Val Smith -three Bundjalung women artists, designers and weavers. Inspired by waterways, weaving and native plants, their designs honour women’s knowledge and the life-giving spirit of Country. 

A celebration of strength, story and style, the collection features three signature looks from each designer. Each garment is thoughtfully crafted with quality materials and cultural and contemporary adornments, honouring tradition while embracing modernity. The collection made its debut at Country to Couture earlier this year and was developed with mentorship and strategic support from Arts Northern Rivers, a regional arts development organisation supporting the Northern Rivers region. 

This collection is proudly brought to the runway by models from Mahmi Guyamgan Bahna Consultancy, a First Nations fashion and youth empowerment organisation creating opportunities for emerging Indigenous models and designers.

The Returning Indigenous Corporation is an Indigenous women-led not-for-profit organisation. Its mission is to bring all people back into right relationship with self, community and Country, creating healing for ourselves and for the planet. Based on Bundjalung Country, The Returning’s primary purpose is to provide opportunities and support for Indigenous women, Elders and their families to connect with Country, be recognised and remunerated for their cultural knowledge, and improve their health and wellbeing. The Returning offers over ten programs across the region, including the Bundjalung Bushfood nursery, Mother and Elder care, Jarjum and youth support, artist residencies, family connection camps and women's gatherings.  
 
Supported by The Returning Indigenous Corporation, the Elders Space is a dedicated place for Elders to gather, connect, rest and enjoy Art on Bundjalung in comfort. The Returning will facilitate a special weaving workshop exclusively for Elders, providing an opportunity to share stories, knowledge and creativity in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Tea, coffee and light refreshments will also be available throughout the day. 

About the Facilitator:  Brooke Cuy is a proud Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung woman living and working on Country to revitalise language and culture. Brooke is passionate about sharing knowledge and strengthening connections through First Nations-led initiatives. Her work centres on building skills, supporting community and keeping language and culture strong for future generations. 

  Workshop: Join proud Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung woman Brooke Cuy for a fun, interactive and culturally-grounded introduction to Gumbaynggirr language at Art on Bundjalung, Corcoran Park, Grafton.  
 Come along, learn together and connect through language and culture. 

Artist and Cultural man Gilbert Laurie belong to the Yaegl and Wiyebal tribes of the Bundjalung nation. He is a proud cultural custodian, dedicated to protecting and care-taking culture for future generations. He is committed to working in partnership with the broader community, sharing his traditional knowledge and respect for Country. Gilbert conducts Welcome to Country and smoking ceremonies and teaches Bundjalung language in schools.

Join Uncle Gilbert to learn Bundjalung language, including names of animals, parts of the body and significant places on Country. Listen to the stories from the Bundjalung Nation, share a yarn with Uncle Gilbert, and deepen your connection to language, culture and community.

Image credit: Kate Holmes