This year for the first time the festival will include a two day seminar on the 8th and 9th March.
Seminar Theme
Our overarching theme for the conference is ‘Each One Teach One’ (EOTO).
The concept behind the saying 'each one teach one' is an "African proverb that originated in America during slavery times. Slaves were denied an education so when one slave learned to read or write, it became his duty to teach someone else". EOTO is all about the power & exchange of knowledge, of culture, of history and sharing experiences which have impacted our lives in order to move forward as one. It doesn’t matter who you are, how old you are or where you are from, we all hold knowledge and experiences which allow us to be both teacher and student. EOTO opens the floor, the conference is structured to be interactive, it is all about open, uncensored dialogue from those young and old. 4EMP is a brave space to have tough conversations in a safe and respectful environment.
Seminar Streams
Conversations are from the perspective of the HipHop and creative arts industry.
Across the two seminar days 4EMP will explore issues and topics around:
• Mental health and well-being
• Race and culture
• Gender and sexuality
DAY ONE: Thursday 8th March 2018
8.30am – 9.30am: Registration and Morning tea
9.30am – 10am: Welcome
10am – 11.30am: Session 1: Abuse of Power
11.30am – 1pm: Session 2: Language and Lyricism
1pm – 2pm: Lunch and performances
2pm - 2:30pm: Canterbury Bankstown International Women's Day Awards
2:45pm-3.15pm: Keynote: MASTA ACE (USA)
3.20pm – 5pm: Session 3: Activism vs Commercialisation of HipHop
5pm – 5.30pm: Wrap up
5.30pm – 8pm: Showcase / Networking
DAY TWO: Friday 9th March 2018
9am – 9.30am: Registration and Morning tea
9.30am – 10am: Recap
10am – 11.30am: Session 4: Smoke and Mirrors of Success
11.30am – 1pm: Session 5: Eyes Wide Open
1pm – 2pm: Lunch/ Performance
2pm – 4pm: Session 6: Gender
4pm – 5.30pm: Session 7: Open Session
5.30pm – 6pm: Wrap up
More details will be released shortly.
DAY ONE - THURSDAY 8TH MARCH
Session 1: Abuse of Power
Entering the new year off the explosive global #MeToo and #TimesUp campaign, and closer to home with the #meNOmore Australian campaign, many have highlighted the levels of sexual abuse and exploitation of power within the entertainment industry. Although this happens in every industry, the entertainment and HipHop scene is heavily male dominated and abuse of power has been a long-standing issue and is very real to many females. In honour of International Women’s Day, this discussion will give focus to the strength and resilience of women in HipHop, looking at the issues and what to do or where to go if facing them.
Conversation will cover:
- Sexual abuse
- Abuse of power and control
- Threats, violence and pressure of speaking out or reporting
- What’s next?
SPEAKERS: MIRRAH | ZEADALA | RACHEL GUNN | KWEEN G | MAXINE JOHNS AKA MS HENNESSEY (Facilitator) |
Session 2: Language and Lyricism
Has the art of lyricism been lost with the recent wave of ‘mumble rap’? What is actually being said behind these songs? How does the misogyny and racism within lyricism effect our day to day lives and how we interact with each other? This discussion will explore some of these burning questions about language and lyricism within the current HipHop movement.
Conversation will cover:
- Sexism, swearing and derogatory terms
- Substance/ content
- Gender and sexuality
- Portrayal of women and LGBTIQ+
- Translation of words to visuals (i.e video clips, movement, graphic design etc)
SPEAKERS: FELIX CROSS | MR CLEAN | L-FRESH The LION |
Session 3: Activism vs Commercialisation of HipHop
The birth of HipHop began in political activism, as a space for self-expression and giving a voice to the voiceless. For the past two decades, there has been a growing shift towards the commercialisation of HipHop with a focus around “money, bitches and hoe’s”, de-valuing the artform and it being spearheaded by old white men. We look at the strong role activism has played in the rise of HipHop. It is not a coincidence that a large portion of HipHop artists are youth and social workers and creatives with a strong passion for community. HipHop can be a mechanism to address structural social issues like colonialism, racism and violence. This panel will explore the journey HipHop is undergoing globally and specifically in Australia and ask the question ‘Is HipHop part of the problem or solution?”.
Conversation will cover:
- Journey of HipHop
- Australian History
- Perceptions generated by Hollywood and the media
- Tall Poppy Syndrome
- Lack of diversity, representation and opportunities
SPEAKERS: MASTA ACE | MAYA JUPITER | ANDREW VILLER |
DAY TWO: FRIDAY 9TH MARCH
Session 4: Smoke and Mirrors of Success
What does being successful in Australia look like? The smoke and mirrors of the industry has created a skewed version of what it takes to be successful and the lifestyle of the ‘rich and famous’. We look at the process and pressures, including drugs and alcohol, that come along with maintaining a stereotyped image of a ‘successful’ artist and address some of the real needs and what it takes to work as a professional and manage the stresses that come along with it.
Conversation will cover:
- What it means/ looks like to be successful
- Image and branding
- Building a team
- $ Making a living $
- Licensing and intellectual freedoms
SPEAKERS: MUNKIMUK | MC TREY | DALE HARRISON | CAROLINE KNIGHT |
Session 5: Eyes Wide Open
With funding from the Pratt Foundation, Entertainment Assist commissioned Victoria University to conduct the largest survey of industry workers undertaken anywhere in the world. The results of that survey of 2900 people, ranging from singers and actors to roadies and riggers, found that:
- Suicide attempts for Australian Entertainment Industry workers are more than double that of the general population.
- The levels of moderate to severe anxiety symptoms are 10 times higher than in the general population.
- The levels of depression symptoms are five times higher than in the general population.
- In the last twelve months, Australian Entertainment Industry Workers experienced suicide ideation 5-7 times more than the general population and 2-3 times more over a lifetime.
- In the last twelve months Road Crew members experienced suicide ideation almost 9 times more than the general population.
As a result, there has been a growing focus on the wellbeing and environment of artists and professional workers in the scene. We look at some of the key concerns around the lifestyle and mental health of our creative communities, and how to stay inspired and maintain passion with a healthy balanced life.
Conversation will cover:
- Sleep deprivation and insomnia
- Low income
- Drugs and alcohol
- Depression, anxiety and mental health
- Food, diet and life on the road
SPEAKERS: LEE MONRO | DOBBY | EMILY NICOL | KIM DILATI |
Session 6: Gender
How do you capture LGBTIQ+ voices? How do we stop it from going underground? How do we create safe spaces, platforms and resources for our artists expression when there is minimal support by faith leaders, local government and community as a whole when they should be providing leadership to create inclusivity for all members?
The recent results of the postal votes reflecting the highest ‘no’ voters in the country, here in Western Sydney (12 of 17 electorates and 73.9% in Bankstown), it leaves our LGBTIQ+ artists, communities and youth who live(d) in Western Sydney largely marginalised as they face more complex challenges due to community back lash and cultural and religious norms.
With the latest rise of LGBTIQ+ artists in HipHop being more open about their sexuality, how is our industry responding? What role does HipHop have to play in giving a voice to the voiceless and challenging societies notions to normalise the conversation and lifestyle of LGBTIQ+ creatives?
Conversation will cover:
- Stereotypes around masculinity and femininity within HipHop
- Support and challenges from within the industry
- Western Sydney: community, cultural and religious resistance
- Where we are at and where to from here
SPEAKERS: FETU TAKU | AKUMA DIVA | ALPHAMAMA | DR. RACHAEL GUNN (Facilitator) |
REGISTER YOUR SPOT BY CLICKING HERE!
Further details around programming will be released shortly.