Yarramalong musician Ruby Shay and Woongarah digital artist Justine Villiers have been named as two of nine finalists for the Indigenous Storytellers Scholarship, an initiative by Façon Magazine and supported by Greater Bank.
Now in its second year, the program empowers Indigenous storytellers from across NSW by providing resources and industry guidance to support their creative aspirations.
The nine category finalists representing the vibrant diversity of Indigenous creativity and mobs from across the state are:
Dharug woman Ruby Shay (Dharug) has been nominated in the field of music and Wiradjuri woman Justine Villiers in the field of digital art.
The finalists will receive mentorship from nine esteemed creatives in their field, who will inspire them with the aim of nurturing and amplifying Indigenous voices across diverse creative industries.
The official Scholarship recipient will receive $10,000 to further his or her creative aspirations, provided by Greater Bank, and will be announced at an event at Murrook Cultural Centre in Port Stephens on July 11, during NAIDOC Week.
Façon Australia’s Founder and Editor-in-Chief Lara Lupish said the group would amplify the voices of Indigenous storytellers and truly cement the importance of cultural representation and authentic narrative.
Greater Bank Chief Distribution Officer Emma Brokate said the talent of the finalists was exceptional.
“We’ve no doubt there’s big things ahead for them, and we can’t wait to see what they achieve with this mentorship,” she said.
For more information about the Indigenous Storytellers Scholarship and its mentorship program, go to www.faconaustralia.com/ and https://www.greater.com.au/ respectively.