b l a c k b i r d s
interdisciplinary intercultural accessible
Their visual art and video works have been shown nationally and internationally at Bondi Festival, Footscray Community Arts Centre, and the Transoceanic Visual Exchange, aMBUSH Gallery and Cement Fondu.
They have performed their theatrical works at Griffin Theatre, Community Reading Room, Next Wave Festival, Pan Afrikan Poets Cafe, Festival Fatale, The Old Fitz, Mangere Arts Centre, Yirramboi Festival, Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre and PACT.
In 2016 they created Brown Skin Girl, a theatrical work written by Ayeesha Ash, Emily Havea and Angela Sullen and produced by Emele Ugavule. Hard hitting, quick and filled with the pop culture references, the show was a quick success and went on to sell out three seasons over 4 years. Brown Skin Girl was optioned by Roadshow Rough Diamond and is in development as a television show, Seen.
In 2018, their work Exhale was nominated for a Green Room Award (Best Sound Design & Composition) and in 2020 they won the FBi Radio SMAC Award for RECLAIM, a co-production with Sela Vai and her company HUMXN.
Black Birds was founded in 2015 by Ayeesha Ash and Emele Ugavule. It was created as a response to the lack of representation, and misrepresentation, of Women of Colour in the Australian arts industries. Black Birds creates works in a variety of mediums, for a variety of spaces; prioritising the voice, experience & creativity of its collaborators and community.
Brown Skin Girl (Griffin Theatre, 2018) Image by Emele Ugavule
Our Visions Begin With Our Desires (Cement Fondu, 2020)
Our Visions Begin With Our Desires (Cement Fondu, 2020) Still
Hine e Hine (MCA Zine Fair, 2016)
Soul Food (aMBUSH Gallery, 2016)
Black Birds (Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, 2016) Image by Joshua Bentley
Pehe (Bondi Feast, 2017) Image by Emele Ugavule
Exhale (Arts House, Next Wave Festival, 2018) Image by Bryony Jackson
Abantu (Flow Studios, 2018) Image by Gianna C. Hayes