APAM Gathering at RISING Melbourne

Attending the APAM Gathering in Melbourne in person, you will experience a range of activities including:

SHOWCASE WORKS IN THE FESTIVAL
Curated and presented by RISING, the host festival. Showcase works are ticketed events that are also available to members of the public. Participants at Gatherings will need to purchase tickets to see Showcased works. APAM will ensure a limited number of tickets for all Showcase works are made available to Gathering participants, however capacities are limited so we strongly encourage you to book early.

Read more about these works:

Buŋgul; Gurrumul’s Mothers Buŋgul; Gurrumul’s Grandmother’s Buŋgul; Gurrumul’s Manikay
Presented by RISING, Arts Centre Melbourne and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Consort of the Moon
Genevieve Lacey and Erkki Veltheim

Hide the Dog
Nathan Maynard and Jamie McCaskill; Produced by performing Lines TAS

Jacky
Melbourne Theatre Company

OH DEER!
APHIDS

Sonic Eclipse
Speak Percussion

The Dan Daw Show
Dan Daw Creative Projects

THIS
David Woods

Tiny Infinite Deaths
Amber McCartney

Tracker
Australian Dance Theatre in association with ILBIJERRI Theatre Company

TICKETING FOR SHOWCASE WORKS
Your registration entitles you to a discount booking code to purchase tickets for Showcase works presented by RISING. These must be purchased separately through RISING ticketing.

Once registered for the Gathering, you will be sent an exclusive link to book discounted tickets.

PROFILE
Selected by an international curatorial panel from an expression-of-interest process. Profile sessions offer opportunities for artists, companies and groups to share their repertoire, ideas and ambitions. Profile sessions include:

HERE’S OUR IDEA // for works in development seeking commission or presentation

HERE’S WHAT WE MADE // for productions with a completed premiere

These sessions are presented digitally to ensure maximum accessibility for participants joining us online. Gathering participants attending in real life will also have the opportunity to meet Profile artists in person at an informal networking session and throughout the Gathering.

HERE’S HOW WE WORK // presenters and curators discuss the new ways they are working with artists to present work for audiences and communities. This session is presented as part of the IRL Gathering.

EXCHANGE
Curated by APAM, Exchange includes keynotes, panels, dialogue and networking events. The Exchange program of the APAM Gathering at RISING will be informed by key issues relevant to the international performing arts ecology and the mobility of artists and their work nationally and globally.

LOCAL PLAYERS
Designed to offer participants a window into the contemporary performing arts sector in Melbourne, these events are collaborations between APAM and local organisations.

LATE NIGHT MEETING POINTS
The night owls will have plenty of opportunities to connect over a drink at Late Night Meeting Points, which are free entry and the best place to bump into other Gathering participants and RISING artists.

APAM’s online platform for the Gathering at RISING provides seamless connectivity to fellow participants around the world, and access to the Gathering program live and on demand.

Through our online platform, Swapcard, you will be able to view sessions, network and arrange video meetings directly with fellow participants.

The APAM platform will be live from 5 June so you can start connecting with other participants, check out the program and tailor your event schedule.

In structuring the program, careful consideration has been given to scheduling events across time zones in different international regions and minimising screen fatigue. The program is a daily commitment of between 30-120 minutes for live streamed events across the period 7-9 June.

SHOWCASE WORKS
The Showcase Digital program will feature a curated cohort of artists and companies, illustrating innovative ways of sharing practice. Through the Showcase program you’ll hear directly from the artists and makers as they provide an insight into the works being presented in Melbourne during RISING. Showcase will be scheduled as well as being available on-demand.

PROFILE
Selected by an international curatorial panel from an expression-of-interest process. Profile sessions offer opportunities for artists, companies and groups to share their repertoire, ideas and ambitions. Profile sessions include:

HERE’S OUR IDEA // for works in development seeking commission or presentation

HERE’S WHAT WE MADE // for productions with a completed premiere

These sessions are presented digitally to ensure maximum accessibility for participants joining us online.

EXCHANGE
Curated by APAM, Exchange includes keynotes, panels, dialogue and networking events. The Exchange program of the APAM Gathering at RISING will be informed by key themes relevant to the international performing arts ecology.

There are two categories of registration available for the APAM Gathering at RISING:

1. An In Person registration for attendance at the IRL Gathering being held alongside RISING in Melbourne from 14-18 June 2023. Registration for the In Person program also gives you access to the online Gathering program running on the APAM digital platform from 7-9 June 2023. Once you’ve registered for the Gathering, we’ll email you a link to access discounted tickets to the SHOWCASE works sold by RISING Box Office. Tickets for showcase works in the RISING Program need to be purchased separately to your Gathering registration. The Gathering is programmed around RISING so you can plan your time effectively.
‌

2. A Digital registration for attendance at the online Gathering program running on the APAM digital platform from 7-9 June 2023.

All registration fees are per person. Registrations are strictly non-transferable.

TICKET PRICES (shown in AUD, inclusive of booking fees, per person)

+ Large Australian Organisations (turnover more than $500,000) and all International Organisations and Companies $1,065. All registration fees are per person. Registrations are strictly non-transferable.

+ Small to Medium Australian and New Zealand companies $825 (Australian and New Zealand Companies with less than $500k annual turnover). All registration fees are per person. Registrations are strictly non-transferable.

+ Individual Independent Artists and Producers $515 (including freelancers and sole traders)

+ Digital Only Access $287

The Gathering will be balanced to ensure an even mix and range of participants, across independent artists, organisations of different sizes, local and international participants, and diverse disciplines. There are limited registrations in each category — register early to avoid missing out!

ABOUT HUMANITIX
APAM uses Humanitix for our ticketing. Humanitix is a not-for-profit ticketing platform that gives events impact, directing 100% of profits from booking fees toward education projects.

BLAK LOUNGE
BLAK Lounge is a designated First Nations-only space that will be open daily at the Gathering. During the duration of the Gathering the lounge will host a series of curated and informal industry conversations and cultural activities with guest industry co-hosts to guide and hold the space alongside the First Nations Lead Associate Producer, Mayella Koroi.

The lounge will be free of charge and a valuable networking resource inclusive of all identifying International Indigenous and First Peoples who are seeking a culturally safe platform for professional development, mentoring and community support. It is an opportunity for participants to build and sustain networking relationships pre and post APAM gatherings.

FIRST NATIONS INDUSTRY PROGRAM
Open to First Nations producers and self producing artists, this program brings together a network to share knowledge, expertise and build connections nationally and internationally.

The program will cover topics including multi-artform markets, key hubs for artistic exchange, and First Nations to First Nations networks. Participants will also have the opportunity to hone their market development plans in preparation for the APAM Gathering.

Designed specifically for all levels of skill and expertise and scheduled at times suitable for delegates within Australian, New Zealand and Canadian time zones, the program will be delivered digitally live via Zoom and on our APAM gathering platform Swapcard.

ELIGIBILITY
The First Nations Industry Program is open to First Nations and Indigenous-identifying producers and self-producing artists. Successful participants will be selected from Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Pacific Islands and Turtle Island/Canada will receive a complimentary registration to attend the APAM Gathering at RISING Festival and can choose to register in person or digitally.

EOIs open – Fri 14 April
EOIs close – Mon 1 May
Notifications – Fri 5 May

Please contact Mayella Koroi with any queries, on mayella@apam.org.au

FIRST TIMERS PROGRAM
Navigating a marketplace takes experience, especially as we all learn how best to engage internationally in the digital realm, and adjust to the rapid changes in our sector over the last year. In 2023, APAM is continuing its long-running First Timers program for first time attendees to provide guidance, support and tools to enhance your experience of the APAM Gathering at RISING.

Through this program First Timers experience deeper engagement in the Gathering and an expanded network, as well as confidence and strategic approaches towards national and international engagement.

The program will include guest speakers on effective digital and in person engagement, market intelligence, and long-term thinking in the current environment, as well as practical workshopping in small groups. First Timers will be part of the Digital Gathering program, so you can be part of it wherever you are located. There will also be an additional session in Melbourne for those attending in person.

ELIGIBLITY
First Timers is open to Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and international participants who have an active artistic practice as an Artist/Maker, Producer or Presenter in your own country and have not attended APAM before. A delegate pass must be purchased online by 17 May 2023 in addition to the completion of the EOI form.

EOIs open – Fri 14 April
EOIs close – Wed 17 May
Notifications – Wed 24 May

If you have any queries about First Timers, please email hello@apam.org.au.

The First Nations Industry Program and First Timers are supported by Creative New Zealand, the Consulate General of Canada in Sydney, and Canadian Heritage.

ACCESSIBILITY – IN PERSON
We are committed to ensuring our event is as accessible as possible for all our participants.

All APAM Gathering venues are accessible, and all venues in which SHOWCASE works (presented by RISING) are accessible.

For venue specific information, please head to the Venues Tab to see detailed information for each venue.

Auslan interpreting will be provided for some APAM Gathering events.

We encourage you to call or email us if you have any questions about accessibility or would like to discuss your requirements with us. You can reach us by phone on +61 (0)3 9947 1020 and by email on hello@apam.org.au

ACCESSIBILITY – DIGITAL
APAM On-demand content will have captions and some events will be Auslan interpreted. Please check back for full program details in mid April.

For accessibility on Swapcard during the Digital APAM Gathering, we are using a piece of software that layers seamlessly over the event website and all you have to do is choose your ‘accessibility profile’ when you log into the event. The software additionally runs with most screen readers without having to download or integrate other software.

The software was developed side by side with users with disabilities, and is continuously developed in this manner. For each type of disability, the software offers a different set of tools that enables users to modify the site for themselves in the best way possible.

The interface also offers bundled accessibility combinations in the form of Accessibility Profiles. Once you designate the profile that most resembles your needs, you can activate various features simultaneously. The different profiles available are: Epilepsy Safe Profile, Vision Impaired Profile, Cognitive Disability Profile, ADHD Friendly Profile, Blind Users Profile (Screen-readers), Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired).

We encourage you to call or email us if you have any questions about accessibility or would like to discuss your requirements with us. You can reach us by phone on +61 (0)3 9947 1020 and by email on hello@apam.org.au

APAM is committed to the continual improvement of reducing our environmental impacts. Measures APAM has taken to make our events more sustainable include:

+ Offering 100% plant-based food for catered events

+ Limiting printed collateral and using recycled or biodegradable products whenever possible

+ Offsetting partial carbon emissions produced by selected events

In 2023, APAM takes our sustainability efforts further by aiming at making our Gathering at RISING a carbon-neutral event. We partner with Carbon Neutral which helps us measure the Gathering’s carbon emissions consistent with the international standard for carbon offsetting – the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol. By changing the way we operate and working collaboratively with our venues and vendors, we are working to reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible. Based on the pre-event assessment, the net event carbon footprint is estimated at 571 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. We will offset the entire emissions by supporting a renewable solar energy project in India certified by Verified Carbon Standard.

In this initiative, we will also measure and offset the emissions made by our delegates who attend our events in person and/or virtually. As an APAM Gathering participant, you will play an important role in making the Gathering carbon neutral collectively and keeping our planet cool. Here are some practical tips on how you can contribute:

+ Provide your travel and accommodation information in our survey

+ Utilise our event platform Swapcard to share contact details, communicate and organise meetings with other delegates

+ Choose greener flights and travel sustainable accommodation, and consider carbon offset your flights

+ Use public transport/carpool, or take active transport by walking/riding to get to our events

+ Dispose recyclable/food waste in recycling/organic waste bins provided

+ Travel light and consider what are necessary to bring to our events:
Do’s: BYO water bottle/cup and tote/carry bag; umbrella/raincoat
Don’ts: Single-use plastics; printed collateral

APAM’s curatorial panel have selected the works featured in Profile sessions within the APAM Gathering at RISING. The panel have also contributed to and advised on other Gathering programs and events, including determining priorities for international visitor invitations.

The APAM curatorial panel for the Gathering at RISING is:

+ Caroline Bowditch (Australia)
+ Kyu Choi (South Korea)
+ Wesley Enoch (Australia)
+ Eva Grace Mullaley (Australia)
+ Joyce Rosario (Canada)
+ Tama Waipara (Aotearoa/New Zealand)
+ Hannah Fox and Gideon Obarzanek (Australia)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are Gatherings?
The next APAM Gathering will be in June 2023 alongside RISING in Melbourne. In delivering Gatherings, APAM works alongside existing festivals so that showcase works are authentically experienced by participating delegates: in full length, with full production values and with real audiences. In addition to full length showcasing, APAM Gatherings include profile opportunities for Australian and New Zealand artists and companies, visits and events hosted by local organisations that profile the place and artistic practices of the Gathering location and an exchange program of discussions, a summit and hosted networking. The objective of Gatherings is to enable industry participants to form deep, collaborative and reciprocal relationships with national and international colleagues.

If my organisation purchases a digital registration, am I able to share it with my colleagues?
No, all tickets are issued to a single ticket holder and each participant will need their own profile and email. Registrations are strictly non-transferable.

I’ll be attending the Gathering at RISING in person and I’m looking forward to seeing festival shows. How do I arrange my tickets?
Your APAM In Person registration entitles you to discounted tickets for works presented in the SHOWCASE program as part of RISING. These tickets must be purchased separately through RISING ticketing.

I’ll be attending the Gathering in person and I’m keen to meet and network with international participants who won’t be travelling to Melbourne. How does that work?
In Person registrations includes full access to the digital Gathering program, so you will be able to participate in all conversations and activities taking place online and network with all participants.

When will I get the full list of participants?
All registered participants will have access to the full list of participants in early June. This list will then be live, updating automatically as additional Participants register. You will have access to the APAM Digital Platform from 5 June.

I’ve purchased an IRL registration but I’m no longer able to attend. What do I do?
APAM offers a partial refund of 50% on the In Person ticket price for Gathering at RISING if a request is received before 24 May 2023. There are no refunds for Gathering at RISING for cancellations received on or after 24 May 2023, including non-arrivals. All cancellation requests must be sent in writing to hello@apam.org.au.

There are no refunds on Digital tickets.

Unless required by law you will not be entitled to a refund if you or a member of your booking party attends our event despite you testing positive or exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, or in the event that you are unwell prior to the event.

I have another question that’s not included here.
Contact the APAM Office by emailing hello@apam.org.au with any questions – we’re here to help!