The National Portrait Gallery is delighted to welcome the return of the Andrew Sayers Memorial Lecture. This year’s lecture will be delivered by Stephen Page AO, former Artistic Director of Bangarra Dance Theatre and descendent of the Ngugi/Nunukul people of the Quandamooka Nation and the Munaldjali clan of the Yugambeh Nation from South East Queensland.
Stephen Page is interested in broadening the discussion about how identity is conveyed, drawing on his background in dance theatre and deep understanding of culture and community. Stephen continues to reinvent First Peoples storytelling within Bangarra and through creative collaborations across the national arts landscape.
Drawing on personal and professional experiences Stephen will explore connections between the traditional and the contemporary and the interplay of music, design, choreography and costume to tell rich stories.
Your ticket includes drinks and light refreshments from 6:00pm – 7:00pm. The lecture will commence at 7:00pm sharp and be followed by a Q&A session.
In 1991, Stephen was appointed Artistic Director of Bangarra and choreographed over 27 works for the company. In 2022 Stephen created Wudjang – his last work as Artistic Director – an epic scale of song and dance, and a gift to his Father’s Yugambeh Country. He directed the Indigenous sections for the 2000 Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies, and choreographed for the 2018 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony. Stephen has been involved in various film projects including directing his first full-length film SPEAR (2015). Some of his awards include an Honorary Doctorate of Creative Arts (UTS, 2015), NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement (2016), and an Order of Australia (AO) (2017).
Supported by the Sid and Fiona Myer Family Foundation
