With French, Beninese and Togolese heritage Gracieuse Amah is the Founder of Kwabo Events and Kwabo Festival, Creative Director, Producer in participatory and cross art form performances, French Intellectual Property Lawyer, Community dancer and choreographer. Placing community, representation and education at the centre of her artistry, Gracieuse uses arts to promote social justice, cultural dialogue and holistic wellbeing.

Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii with Japanese heritage, Julie Ann Minaai has over a decade of global experience across dance, theatre, opera, film, and live performance. A graduate of London Contemporary Dance School (MA), she was recognised as an Artist of Exceptional Promise by Arts Council England and has toured internationally across the UK, US, Asia, and South America. Since moving to Australia in 2021, she has worked with leading artists and organisations including Meryl Tankard AO, Form Dance Projects, MAV, and L2R Dance. In 2023, she received a City of Melbourne Arts Grant and held residencies at the Bowery Theatre and Immigration Museum. She also teaches at VCA, Chunky Move, and Lucy Guerin Inc.

Tariro Mavondo is a multifaceted artist known for her somatic poetry and leadership in the arts, advocating for cultural equity and unity. She has facilitated creative workshops and led arts organizations, aiming to foster post-humanist thinking. Tariro’s accolades include an ARIA nomination and an APRA AMCOS award. She has performed at numerous poetry festivals and been published in notable anthologies. After a year of global exploration, she returned to co-direct theatrical productions in Australia.

Thabani Tshuma is a multi-award-winning Zimbabwean writer and performance poet. His work can be found in publications such as Dichotomi magazine, Cordite Poetry Review, CUBBY ART, and ABC ArtWorks’ SLAMMED segment. Thabani is co-curator of Thin Red Lines and his debut collection, ‘The Gospel of Unmade Creation’, released in 2023 through Recent Work Press.

Liona Tatafu is the Founder & Choir Director for Halo Vocal Ensemble & Halo Vocal Academy Session Singer Vocal Mentor based in Melbourne. HALO Vocal Ensemble features a diverse line up of artists from different communities across Melbourne to perform collaboratively & simultaneously on one stage. The ensemble put a modern spin on the definition of choir, bringing a new sound to the masses. The transcendent performances of HALO Vocal Ensemble bring together the favourite voices of the city in a collaborative and collective space. With each ethereal harmony, the combined energy, and talent create a memorable experience for audiences.

Nighty Okot is a Melbourne based Wedding and Portrait photographer, who works closely with her community to capture meaningful moments, as well as mentoring other photographers. Some projects that Nighty’s worked on include:

• The Next Step 2025 – Youth leadership using Photographic Art (Co-facilitator)
• Black Wealth Connect – Women’s Summit 2024
• Equatoria Day 2024
• Ma’di Conference 2024
• Bridging Voices Through Food – Vic Health
• Artist to Artist – South Sudanese Minds