BANGARRA AND LONDON-BASED ARTISTRY YOUTH DANCE EMBARK ON CULTURAL EXCHANGE
Bangarra Dance Theatre
Key Facts:- Bangarra Dance Theatre and London-based Artistry Youth Dance (AYD) have announced a cultural exchange program, with young dancers from both organisations meeting in Australia in August 2026 and a reciprocal visit to the UK planned for 2027.
- AYD supports young people of African and Caribbean heritage in the UK, whilst Bangarra's Youth and Education Programs provide a platform for young First Nations Australians to connect with Story, movement, Culture and Country.
- Ten young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from NSW and Queensland will join AYD participants for a week of cultural dance workshops at Bangarra's Studios.
- The participants will create two new collaborative dance works exploring identity, heritage and cultural expression.
9th July, 2026: Bangarra Dance Theatre is thrilled to announce an exciting new cultural exchange between London-based company, Artistry Youth Dance (AYD) and Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Youth and Education Program. The exchange is to take place in Australia in August 2026, with a reciprocal visit to the United Kingdom planned in 2027.
Launched in 2013, Artistry Youth Dance (AYD) supports young people of African and Caribbean heritage based in the United Kingdom. Through a world-class training programme, it leads the way in creating opportunities for young Black dancers, working to nurture a richer and more culturally diverse dance community in the UK.
The exchange will bring together young Black dancers from the UK and young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from Australia. AYD participants will learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and culture, while sharing their own cultural heritage. The participants from the two companies will explore similarities in identity and expression and create two brand new collaborative dance works. The aim is to empower young artists, strengthen artistic talents, foster cultural understanding, and create lasting international collaboration in the youth dance sector.
Bangarra has chosen 10 young people (3 male and 7 female) from a range of Country and Mob in New South Wales and Queensland. The young people, selected from Bangarra’s Youth and Education Programs, have been chosen for their commitment and dedication. The Bangarra and AYD students will spend a week at Bangarra’s Studios in Walsh Bay where they will experience cultural dance workshops led by cultural leader Matthew Doyle, a descendant of the Muruwari people from northwest New South Wales. Over the week they will create a combined piece of choreography exploring who they are, where they come from and what this means in the world today.
Over the company’s 37-year history, Bangarra has grown its Youth and Education programs into a strong platform for young First Nations people to connect to Story, movement, Culture and Country - building pride, strength and confidence through cultural expression and creativity.
Director of Youth and Education Programs, Sidney Saltner, says, “We have long admired Artistry Youth Dance’s commitment to empowering young people of African and Caribbean heritage through dance and creative practice. This program is driven by our shared passion and commitment to expand access and opportunities for youth and their communities through meaningful exchange and collaboration.”
Founder and Artistic Director, Artistry Youth Dance, Kamara Gray says, "We are proud to have received support for this cultural exchange with Bangarra’s Youth and Education Program. It is an honour to collaborate with an organisation so integral to Australia’s cultural heritage and to create this opportunity for young people from both organisations to work together, and develop their skills as the next generation of cultural artists."
Artistry Youth Dance has been supported for this project by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.
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Contact details:
Images available for download here.
For further information and interview requests:
KABUKU PUBLIC RELATIONS
Natasha Vickery: 0424 193 553 | [email protected]
Marygrace Lardizabal: 0479 081 960 | [email protected]
