Many Hands Build New Futures

Project Outcomes

When a young First Nations artist steps into a circus space, they carry stories, culture, and a lineage of performance older than any stage. But for too long, those doors have been closed. Training has been expensive. Pathways culturally unsafe. The industry slow to change.

Making Tracks tackles these barriers head on. It begins with people — with opportunities that don’t just train artists, but unlock potential, build networks, and shift how the whole sector sees itself.

The impact reaches beyond the individual. More Blak artists in circus means new stories on stage, stronger cultural practice in rehearsal rooms, and an artform that reflects the depth and truth of the country it is performed on. It means mainstream organisations learning from Indigenous leadership, audiences experiencing bolder, more truthful work, and the industry itself becoming more sustainable, connected, and relevant.

In its third year, the results speak for themselves. Graduates are creating their own projects and performing with leading organisations including Bangarra, Ilbijerri, Legs on the Wall, and Circa. As more artists enter, visibility grows within communities, pathways become self-sustaining, and the need for heavy subsidisation decreases as organic succession takes root.

Following a failed referendum, projects that showcase the excellence and importance of First Nations storytelling are needed more than ever. Making Tracks is not just training; it is nation-building through culture — strengthening careers, reshaping the sector, and signalling a future where Australian circus is bolder, braver, and more truthful.