We’re delighted to announce Vicki Van Hout as our First Nations Resident for 2025.
This Residency will support Vicki with dedicated studio time at Carriageworks in Sydney and LGI’s home in North Melbourne, WXYZ Studios, production support and a fee.
Vicki Van Hout is a Wiradjuri woman born on the south coast of NSW and an Indigenous independent artist with over 20 years’ experience. A graduate of NAISDA and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York, Vicki has performed with leading Indigenous dance companies including Bangarra Dance Theatre and the Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre. She was also a founding member of Fresh Dancers alongside Marilyn Miller, performing works such as Dear Carrie for One Extra Dance and Quinkin for the Adelaide Fringe Festival.
Her acclaimed work Briwyant was the first ever national tour by an independent Indigenous choreographer and was nominated for an Australian Dance Award for Best Achievement in Independent Dance. Her most recent solo work, plenty serious TALK TALK, received two Green Room Awards in 2020 (Best Performer and Best Production).
Vicki was awarded the NSW Dance Fellowship for established and mid-career artists in 2014—the first Indigenous artist to receive the honour—and the 2019 Australia Council Dance Award. She has undertaken residencies both in Australia and internationally (Austria, Singapore), and is currently completing a PhD while writing for FORM Dance Projects.
The Residency was created in 2021 through a multi-year partnership between BlakDance, the national industry and producing organisation for First Nation contemporary dance based on Turrbal and Yuggera Country in Meanjin (Brisbane, Queensland) and Lucy Guerin Inc, the critically acclaimed contemporary dance company located on the lands of the Kulin Nation in Naarm (Melbourne, Victoria). Carriageworks, Australia’s largest multi-art centre based on Gadigal Country (Sydney, NSW) joined the partnership in 2022 to further support the program and expand its reach.
This partnership reflects the organisations’ shared goal to support Senior First Nations artists at various career stages and redress the historical lack of support in non-Indigenous organisations for First Nations dance artists. This opportunity is designed to both celebrate and support by providing a space for the development of new work or ongoing research into their artistic practice. The program is an important part of LGI’s efforts to improve representation, opportunities, and career pathways for First Nations artists in contemporary dance.
Previous Residents include Nathan Leslie, Jacob Boehme, Peta Strachan, and Rachael Wallis. The program will continue to develop with artistic self-determination at its core.
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Acknowledgments
This program is made possible by WXYZ Studios.
Lucy Guerin Inc is supported by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body; by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria; and by the City of Melbourne.
BlakDance is assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.
Carriageworks is supported by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body; and by the NSW Government through Create NSW.
