About YIRRAMBOI

Sherene Stewart is a proud Taungurung and Filipino director, curator and artist living and working on Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country and is the Co-Lead/Artistic Lead of YIRRAMBOI Festival. Since 2015, Sherene has co-founded, curated and produced major initiatives Internationally and across Australia’s arts and cultural sector. Her practice is grounded in First Nations sovereignty, cultural authority and creative excellence, with a focus on creating ambitious platforms for artists to experiment, lead and tell stories on their own terms. As Artistic Lead of YIRRAMBOI, Sherene has driven the festival through a period of significant artistic, organisational and international growth, expanding its networks and creating opportunities for First Nations artists to connect, exchange and collaborate across borders. Her international work has included developing cultural exchanges, presentations and relationships with Indigenous artists and communities, building meaningful pathways for First Nations artists to engage in global cultural conversations. Sherene’s leadership is centred on long-term strategic vision, growing YIRRAMBOI not simply as a festival, but as an evolving platform that creates space for bold First Nations expression, supports artists to lead on their own terms, and builds pathways for the generations of creative voices yet to come.

Emily Wells is a proud Kamilaroi producer and playwright currently working with YIRRAMBOI Festival. Emily is passionate about using performance to drive social change, and supporting artists to thrive in the creative process. As a Producer, Emily has produced small to large scale performances, gatherings and creative developments with emerging to established First Nations creatives across Australia. Since being awarded the Emerging Female Arts Leader at the Matilda Awards 2020, Emily has worked closely with leading independents and companies such as ILBIJERRI Theatre Company, Karul Projects, Digi Youth Arts, Queensland Theatre, La Boite Theatre Company, and Walt Disney World. As a Playwright, Emily’s debut play Face to Face premiered at Metro Arts (Brisbane) as part of Playlab Theatre’s 2022 Season. Emily was selected for Playlab Theatre’s year-long script development programs Alpha Processing and the inaugural Sparks program, delivered in partnership with QPAC and Moogahlin Performing Arts.

MAINEY is a proud Blak creative and proud Guncle, part-time chaos coordinator who firmly believes every problem can be solved with a good yarn, a laugh and maybe an iced almond chai latte. Known for serving culture, community and just a little bit of drama (the fun kind), Mainey loves creating spaces where mob can shine, artists can thrive and everyone feels like they've been invited to the family gathering. Equal parts organiser and instigator, he’s usually somewhere between making impossible things happen and asking, "Who's bringing the feed?" When he’s not producing events or championing Blak excellence, you'll find Mainey spoiling his dog like the only child they never had, romanticising everyday life, collecting half-finished creative ideas, and making friends with strangers in the supermarket queue. Proudly Blak and unapologetically that Guncle, Mainey believes culture is meant to be lived out loud. Their philosophy? Back your mob, laugh often, take up space, and never trust anyone who says they're "not really hungry" before a feed. Deadly. FAB. Community comes first. That's Mainey.

Rosie Kalina is a proud Wemba Wemba and Gunditjmara Queer woman, and is Access Advisor for YIRRAMBOI Festival. Rosie’s background is in visual arts and curating, community arts work and producing. Rosie has engaged in multiple First Nations youth-led projects, such as co-curating ‘Blak to the future’ series at Footscray Community Arts (2018, 2019, 2020) and was lead director of ‘Young Onez First Nations Youth Summit’ presented by YIRRAMBOI at Narrm Ngarrgu (2024). Rosie has most recently exhibited her artworks as part of ‘a bit thing’ Art Installation at Arts House (2026). As part of her role as YIRRAMBOI’s Access Advisor, Rosie engages closely with d/Deaf and Disabled First Nations Artists and Community; she is determined to create more accessible experiences for Festival audiences and artists. Rosie aims to ensure First Nations autonomy and truth telling be at the forefront of every project she is part of, with the guidance of her elders and community.

Sage Nokomis Wright is an Anishinaabekwe producer who thrives when creating platforms that centre First Nations storytelling and exchange on both local and international stages. Her work has fostered long-term partnerships across borders, supporting collaborations that connect artists globally. With a history of navigating complex cultural and institutional spaces, she is committed to nurturing experimental practice, supporting the conditions for bold ideas to emerge, evolve and endure. Sage has produced, managed, and curated international artistic exchanges across leading festivals including Festival TransAmériques (2018), OFFTA (2018), Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2019), Edinburgh International Festival (2019), Edinburgh International Book Festival (2019), International Indigenous Music Summit (2019), and Slut Island Festival. Sage is a Why Not Theatre ThisGen Fellow (2021), is the former Co-Chair of International Relationships / Board Member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT, 2021-2023), and has served on the board of DARKSPARK, an internationally recognized not-for-profit organization and culturally diverse network of recording artists, educators, music producers and filmmakers who harness pop culture as an effective catalyst for social change. Alongside her producing work, Sage has collaborated extensively with experimental artists and musicians as a director, developing short films and music videos that sit at the intersection of performance, visual art, and contemporary music.

NJ Wijohn is a Māori producer, performer and creative practitioner who walks in the path of her tīpuna and the whakapapa she carries through Ngāi Tūhoe, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Tahu and Ngāti Whaoa. Across two decades in the performing arts, her performance whakapapa has traversed contemporary dance, Māori contemporary dance, live art and experimental performance, alongside producing, business, hauora and human development. She co-founded Body Island, helped establish ConTact C.A.R.E Central, and has built a body of work grounded in relationships, discipline, instinct and trust. Now based in naarm, in her resident role as Kaiwhatu Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa with YIRRAMBOI, her mahi engages Māori and Pasifika arts and cultural networks across Aotearoa, building relationships and pathways that connect artists, organisations, funders and opportunities across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Alongside this mahi, she is developing Attune, an evolving practice that brings together her experience of people, performance, business and the body. Her work is guided by the aroha of her whānau and the mātauranga of her tīpuna, grounded in whakapapa, mana, tika and pono, and a commitment to ako, whakawhanaungatanga and creating opportunities with others.

Nathan Mudge is a producer and creative working across First Nations and Pacific arts and contemporary culture. From Aotearoa by way of Turtle Island, now narrm, he has produced for Kia Mau Festival (Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington), Talking Stick Festival (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh and səlilwətaɬ territories), the International Indigenous Music Summit (T’karonto), and now YIRRAMBOI. He leads Toi Factory, a creative hub indigenising how “industry” produces art, and is a creator of children’s TV series Mr Hugo’s Little Library. He makes cool things with mates, and space for others to play.

Strategy specialist, background in partnerships and youth culture marketing. Part time DJ and producer where I explore sci-fi infused techno and dub. DVD watcher, physical media fan all round. Whatever the work, I'm building platforms to support the freshest ideas, and getting more people through the door to see them.