Monash University Performing Arts Centres (MPAC) has announced its 2025 season, with First Nations-led programming at its core.
The program, curated by MPAC's Senior Producer First Nations, Gunditjmara man Tom Molyneux, brings together Indigenous artists across a range of disciplines, including live music, dance, circus, documentary, and visual arts.
"MPAC's 2025 Season brings together a constellation of First Nations artists across a diverse array of artforms and cultural contexts, both from here and abroad," Molyneux said.
"We couldn't be more excited to host them and share their creativity with our audiences."
The program opens with THE WET, a contemporary circus performance from Circa Cairns which explores the culture and landscape of the wet tropics in Far North Queensland.
The show, created by Wakka Wakka artist Harley Mann, is the result of an immersive creative process which saw the ensemble spent two and a half weeks touring the region, observing the impact of the wet season on the environment and their own movement.
"We went on tour, set up camp, and waited for rain," Mann said.
"We watched how rain informed the landscape, observed animal behaviours, and explored how humidity affected our acrobatics."
THE WET follows four key moments: the onset of the wet season, animal movement, periods of confinement, and the release of the final storm.
"People often consider the wet season negative," Mann said.
"But we observed the necessity, the beauty, and the hidden nuances of this season."
THE WET will be performed at MPAC on 21-22 March, with tickets available as part of the MPAC subscription season.
Alongside THE WET, the 2025 program features Marrow, a work by Australian Dance Theatre (ADT) which examines Australian identity through movement, smoke, and sound.
Created by ADT's first First Nations Artistic Director, Daniel Riley, in collaboration with Kaurna/Ngarrindjeri Elder Uncle Moogy Sumner AM, Marrow reflects on the aftermath of the failed Voice referendum, channelling frustration, unease, and hope through dance.
"Marrow, for me, is a continued investigation into our political, blak points of view on history," Mr Riley said, the ABC reports.
"It's an interesting idea for me and continues to be in all the work I make.
"I think art is such a critical tool we have to open dialogue and invite an audience into conversation."
Also featured is Allara, a performance by award-winning Yorta Yorta musician Allara, who brings her double bass and sound samples from Country to the Sundays in the Sound Gallery series.
Her work explores themes of Blak justice and sovereignty, drawing inspiration from her mentorship under Songwomen such as Dr Lou Bennett AM and Deborah Cheetham AO.
Another highlight is Sayes Arares, a multichannel visual and sonic documentary experience from Papua New Guinea.
The work transports audiences to the Middle Sepik region, revealing the ancestral belief system expressed through the mambu (bamboo) flutes.
Developed in collaboration with musicians Gaius Wapi, Pius Wasi, Joachim Mamambi, and David Bridie, alongside video artist Keith Deverell and artists from Changriman Village, Sayes Arares offers a rare glimpse into a deeply rooted cultural tradition.
To encourage greater access for Indigenous audiences, MPAC is offering MobTix, a discounted ticketing initiative for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The initiative is aimed at increasing First Nations engagement in the arts, ensuring that these performances are accessible to all.
The 2025 season is set to expand further, with more First Nations programming to be announced throughout the year.