A free series of expert-led discussions providing artists, creative practitioners and arts workers with practical guidance on meeting good practice standards.
Join this session with Diversity Arts Australia CEO Lena Nahlous and consultant Sonia Mehrmand. Explore how to address cultural and linguistic diversity and JEDI (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion) considerations in project and business planning.
You’ll also hear from Julieanne Campbell, executive director of Griffin Theatre about how the organisation has worked to embed its Equity Action Plan.
A reference guide for how to address cultural diversity and inclusion developed in partnership with Diversity Arts Australia is provided for participants.
Registration is essential. A Zoom link will be emailed to you before the webinar.
Presented by the City of Sydney in partnership with Diversity Arts Australia.
City of Sydney aim to produce inclusive and accessible events. If you have any particular access or communication needs, please contact Teik Kim Pok, cultural projects coordinator on 0436 607 274 or tpok@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
Speakers
Lena Nahlous CEO
Lena Nahlous is an experienced CEO, producer, curator, artistic director and facilitator with a long-term commitment to racial equity in the arts, screen and creative sectors. She is currently the CEO of Diversity Arts Australia and host of The Colour Cycle podcast.
She has extensive experience in designing and delivering training and education programs in a variety of tertiary, secondary, community and arts settings. Lena has over 20 years-experience in arts, cultural and media organisations where she has developed artist brokerage and training programs focusing on creatives from culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds and young people.
Lena’s recent achievements include receiving a Churchill Fellowship in 2023 and the NSW Premier’s Arts and Culture Medal, dedicated to Carla Zampatti, in 2024. She was honoured with the Western Sydney Woman Leader of Change Award in 2020.
In her former role as Executive Director of Arts and Cultural Exchange, she established initiatives like the Arab Film Festival, Switch digital media centre and Artfiles, an artist employment and engagement program. Lena’s recent projects include: the Shifting the Balance leadership report; the Creative Equity Toolkit; the Fair Play capacity building program, and I am Not a Virus Australia.
Sonia Mehrmand Consultant
Sonia Mehrmand is an impact storyteller and creative producer. She has produced and documented many projects including StoryCorps’ One Small Step project in the Central Valley California, Australia’s first-ever Screen Diversity Showcase, Diversity Arts Australia’s StoryCasters media training hub, and much more. She is passionate about producing high quality projects that engage audiences from a variety of backgrounds, building strong and strategic partnerships, and advocating for racial equity. She is also currently a consultant with Diversity Arts Australia.
Julieanne Campbell Executive Director of Griffin Theatre
Julieanne Campbell has considerable leadership experience in the not-for-profit sector with an emphasis on strategy, business performance, marketing, fundraising and stakeholder management. Julieanne was general manager for Performance Space, Parramasala and Urban Theatre Projects and has managed partnership and philanthropy for Sydney Dance Company, Belvoir Theatre and Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation. She is currently the executive director at Griffin Theatre Company.