CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Our conference is being converted to online sessions from May.
Join our mailing list here to be notified when they go live.
Please note: program is subject to change.
SESSIONS WILL INCLUDE
Songlines + Corrobborees
A very special First Nations panel that will shed light on the many ways that music and art are deeply embedded into the Culture of Aboriginal peoples. An essential conversation that will allow for a deeper understanding of the land we gather on and the knowledge accumulated over 60,000 years.
Beyond Boxticking
Our panellists look beyond the first step of booking First Nations artists and artists of colour for shows and festivals. This conversation will explore the significant cultural, political and historical contexts of booking such artists and further discuss what it takes to provide a safe and genuine experience for both the audience and the PoC artists involved.
Do Global Issues Impact Locally?
One of the most unique aspects of HipHop as both a genre and a culture is the immediacy with which artists respond to their environment. Whether it’s music, spoken word and rap, dance or graffiti, HipHop has consistently been an avenue through which the social and political could be critiqued, and as a result, it continues to appeal to people around the world as both a means of expression, and a gateway to a wider network of support. Globally, disenfranchised communities are turning to music and poetry to express their discontent with the status quo. From revolutions in Chile, Lebanon, Iran and China, to more recent events close to home, such as the Christchurch attack, and the outbreak of the Coronavirus.
This session will delve into the cause and effect of incidents around the world and how they translate into the community and the impact they have on our industry, from running events to artists releasing and touring their work.
Moving From Darkness To Light - When does a habit become an addiction?
Experiencing intense periods of poor mental health or consequences of navigating dark periods without support can often lead us down a rabbit hole of negative thoughts and actions. These periods affect our ability to recognise our potential both as individuals and as productive members of our respective wider communities, and can lead to long-term destructive behavioural patterns.
From harnessing negative thoughts for artistic purposes, or knowing how to safely explore deeply personal experiences without exposing ourselves to more harm, to breaking the cycle of constant negativity, healing from trauma, and being able to recognise small achievements on the road to recovery; this panel will explore the realities of being an artist who struggles with a mental illness and/ or addiction, and look to introduce strategies that could be employed by artists to help manage their mental health and overall wellbeing.
When Artistic Expression & Censorship Collide
In 2020, it’s hard to believe selected artists and musicians whose freedoms to express the stories of a generation is often questioned by greater media or their message misunderstood by fans and critics alike. HipHop is the most popular and most consumed genre and culture in the world, and heavily led by young people and artists embedded within their communities. While some countries around the world face strict censorship regulations, Australia is not typically known as one of them.
However, in recent times we’ve seen the over policing of artists and the music they create, being labelled as a threat to the public, or encouraging political debate and protest, with a fear that provocative words will trigger a reaction and action.
From revolutions to gang wars, from the bedroom to the streets, HipHop plays a major role in being a voice to and for the people. HipHop is resilient, as well as, a way for young people to force and shape a conversation with government and authorities. Join members from Sydney’s creative and Pacific communities talk all things HipHop and unpack targeted incidents of censorship.
Sweet Dreams Are Made Of Streams - The truth behind the numbers.
Presented in partnership with Sounds Australia
Streaming services can help you reach listeners all across the world. But can they help you make actual fans? And when 40,000 songs a day are being uploaded to services like Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube, how do you cut through the noise? How do you go from being just another song on a playlist to an artist selling out shows?
The Re-education Of... - The reality for women in music.
In light of this year’s International Women’s Day theme, I AM GENERATION EQUALITY: Realising Women’s Rights, 4ESydney is proud to facilitate “The Re-education of…” discussing the importance of Women’s Rights in the work place and the importance of creating an infrastructure for safer working environments. Featuring exceptional women whose position in the music industry has often been fraught with challenges unique to the experience of women in a male dominated industry, we unpack their music industry experience in a constantly changing world.
Through the framework of Lauryn Hill’s 1998 iconic debut album “The Miseducation of…” and its powerful message of empowerment, vulnerability and the hardship women face, we untangle the importance of realising women’s rights in a track by track discussion on ageism, power struggles, systemic inequality, and how structured solution based support systems can positively impact a work place environment.
To educate is to redirect. To make visible the invisible. Everything Is Everything and what is meant to be will be, after winter, must come spring. Change will come eventually.
HipHop and Activism
This conversation focuses on the many ways HipHop serves as a platform for sonic activism. Just this past year we have seen HipHop artists calling to #ChangeTheDate, calling for #ClimateAction, calling out #WaterTheft... the list goes on. Our panelists discuss the injustices they address through their music and art, and why HipHop could be key to our survival.
Does Art Imitate Life Or Life Imitate Art
At a time where reality TV and sharing your life story is ‘in’ and part of our every day, it is interesting to note that Australian writers and artists are being scrutinised for their works. HipHop has always been an avenue for marginalised youth and people to share their stories and the realities of what’s happening within their communities. True stories are all the rage, but what happens when it’s a story that the wider population doesn’t want to hear? Where do you draw the line between reality and what parts of that reality should be shared? Should there even be a line?
Like most things, it can be a double edge sword. As music and art is used to share our stories, it also has the power to impact and influence others, as it connects and transcends to a level of understanding beyond words, particularly with young people. It speaks to us in a way we can apprehend and relate too.
What is the role and responsibility of the artist on the influence and outcomes of their music?
How do we manage the positive and negative probabilities associated with making and releasing content that can have impact to the artists and also their listeners. This discussion delves into the ideas behind the how and the why artists do what they do, the risks associated and the systematic, racial and underlying issues surrounding the artist.
Implementing HipHop into Formal Education
The integration of HipHop in formal education structures is a valuable tool which engages youth in their learning and allows students the opportunity to develop their social and political awareness through the discussion of contemporary and historical events and through the analysis of structures of power etc. Further, the implementation of HipHop into curriculum promotes cultural relevance to youth of colour, affirmation of urban identities, and deeper learning through connection with something relevant to youth. This panel will discuss the issues that must be considered before implementing HipHop into the curriculum, the ever-relevant issue of cultural appropriation and how to address it, and the successes of implementing HipHop into the classroom. This is an engaging topic that leads to thought provoking conversation from both panellists and the audience.
Age Ain't Nothin' But A Number
One of the most persistent barriers for people who are looking to become involved in the industry is age. When artists are considered “too young”, the messages that they want to put out into the world and the stories that they want to tell are considered unimportant and are not given the weight that they deserve. Conversely, when artists and professionals are over a certain age they become “too old” for the industry and the set of stereotypes associated with that image. This panel will discuss incredible people doing incredible things regardless of age, in turn breaking barriers and shredding perceptions.
Well Worn - Sustainable fashion
Fashion has an incredible history and impact on our culture, especially with the rise of 21st century HipHop. Across cultures and time, clothing has been used to create and preserve histories, as well as to communicate information about ourselves and our roles in our communities. With the rise of fast fashion, our closet doors have become revolving doors, welcoming wide ranges of styles at affordable prices with little consideration given to the wider implications of this practice. From using inexpensive materials which leads to the degradation and subsequent waste of clothing, to exacerbating the exploitative conditions under which individuals are expected to maintain production, the impacts of fast fashion have undeniable effects on the environment and on the rights of the workers. Furthermore, they impact upon local designers whose creative efforts are fairly priced and ethically sourced.
Rather than contribute to the mounting waste produced by fast fashion, let us create meaningful change through the alternative - slow and ethical fashion. It is our responsibility to make conscious decisions about what we buy, where we choose to spend our money and how we can communicate to the world via sustainability. This is especially significant in the wake of the global climate crisis and growing conversations about our environmental impact.
More sessions to be announced...
Our conference is being converted to online sessions from May.
Join our mailing list here to be notified when they go live.