About The Colour Cycle Podcast
The Colour Cycle podcast shares knowledge, experience and insight from artists and creative workers from across Australia and around the world. The podcast shares critical conversations about racial equity in the arts and screen sectors. We’re also sharing leading practices, and spotlighting great work and creators. Here are some previous seasons of the podcast: https://diversityarts.org.au/the-colour-cycle-podcast-archive/
The Colour Cycle is a project of Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS) Australia’s national voice for cultural diversity and racial equity in the arts, cultural and creative industries. Our work is underpinned by a human-rights ethic, social justice principles, and the belief that a truly diverse spectrum of creative expression and participation is fundamental to a democratic, inclusive and sustainable creative sector, and society.
The Colour Cycle Season 8: Breaking Ground
This podcast was produced on the unceded Burramattagal lands of the Darug nation.
Get ready for Season 8 of The Colour Cycle Podcast, Breaking Ground — a special International Women’s Day series by Diversity Arts Australia unpacking artivism, radical care, creative survival, gatekeeping and collective action. Explore how marginalised artists navigate inequitable systems with resilience and candour — find The Colour Cycle Podcast on all good listening platforms: Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more!
Breaking Ground by Diversity Arts Australia was proudly funded by NSW Government’s – Women NSW, Creative Australia, and Create NSW. Venue Partner: Arts and Cultural Exchange. Event partners: The Dream Collective, Parramatta Artist Studios, Hachette Australia.
Season 8 - List of episodes
Ep 1: Welcome to Breaking Ground - International Women’s Day
Breaking Ground: Women in the Arts and Creativity is a special podcast series by Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS), recorded on Burramattagal land of the Darug Nation to mark International Women’s Day 2025.
Settle in for compelling conversations about whether we can separate the professional from the personal, why we don’t ask for help, what to do about gatekeepers, and why joy can be an antidote to setbacks confronting marginalised peoples.
For more on Breaking Ground:
Breaking Ground Media Release
Breaking Ground YouTube highlights
Credits:
Guests: Peta Strachan, Lena Nahlous, Katrina, May
Interviewers: Maybelline San Juan, Nadyat El Gawley
Music: Gringo Flamenco by Montana Skies (Free Music Archive), CC-BY- 4.0 International
The name of this series was inspired by UK-based Speaking Volumes
Podcast Producer; Editing & mixing: Nadyat El Gawley
Colour Cycle Executive Producer and Host: Lena Nahlous, DARTS CEO
Digital Engagement & Comms Manager: Glaiza Perez
Symposium Project Producers: Simone Amelia Jordan, Lena Nahlous, Kevin Bathman
Breaking Ground by Diversity Arts Australia was proudly funded by NSW Government’s – Women NSW, Creative Australia, and Create NSW. Venue Partner: Arts and Cultural Exchange. Event partners: The Dream Collective, Parramatta Artist Studios, Hachette Australia.
Ep 2: Artivism: Separating the Personal and Professional
Breaking Ground: Women in the Arts and Creativity is a special podcast series by Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS), recorded on Burramattagal land of the Darug Nation to mark International Women’s Day 2025.
This episode looks at the challenges of using the arts to create change — whether under repressive or democratic regimes. And how can First Nations artists and artists of colour survive the demands of a creative life when there are inequitable structures?
For more on Artivism:
YouTube: Artivism, separating the personal and professional
Show notes/ Credits:
Guests: Roanna Gonsalves, Moones Mansoubi, Lusi Austen, Suzie Wrong, Rataj Abdullah, Ruth Nahlous
Interviewers: Maybelline San Juan, Nadyat El Gawley
Music: L’Etoile danse ( Pt1) by Meydan (Free Music Archive) licensed under Attribution 4.0 International
The name of this series was inspired by UK-based Speaking Volumes
Podcast Producer; Editing & mixing: Nadyat El Gawley
Colour Cycle Executive Producer and Host: Lena Nahlous, DARTS CEO
Digital Engagement & Comms Manager: Glaiza Perez
Symposium Project Producers: Simone Amelia Jordan, Lena Nahlous, Kevin Bathman
Breaking Ground by Diversity Arts Australia was proudly funded by NSW Government’s – Women NSW, Creative Australia, and Create NSW. Venue Partner: Arts and Cultural Exchange. Event partners: The Dream Collective, Parramatta Artist Studios, Hachette Australia.
Breaking Ground. Photo credit: Isabella Moore
Ep 3: Things My Aunty Didn’t Teach Me: lessons in sustaining a creative career
Breaking Ground: Women in the Arts and Creativity is a special podcast series by Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS), recorded on Burramattagal land of the Darug Nation to mark International Women’s Day 2025.
From tackling censorship today to truth-telling, join the panel’s iconic aunties as they take you through strategies to navigate your creative yearning and career—all with a lot of good humour and candour.
For more on Things My Aunty Didn’t Teach Me:
YouTube: Lessons in sustaining a creative career
Credits:
Guests: Professor Anita Heiss, Oumi Karenga -Hewitt and Dr Paula Abood, Anushri Sood
Music: L’Etoile danse ( Pt1) by Meydan, (Free Music Archive) licensed under Attribution 4.0 International
Music: Relaxing Latin guitar by Greg Kirkelie (Free Music Archive) licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International
The name of this series was inspired by UK-based Speaking Volumes
Podcast Producer; Editing & mixing: Nadyat El Gawley
Colour Cycle Executive Producer and Host: Lena Nahlous, DARTS CEO
Digital Engagement & Comms Manager: Glaiza Perez
Symposium Project Producers: Simone Amelia Jordan, Lena Nahlous, Kevin Bathman
Breaking Ground by Diversity Arts Australia was proudly funded by NSW Government’s – Women NSW, Creative Australia, and Create NSW. Venue Partner: Arts and Cultural Exchange. Event partners: The Dream Collective, Parramatta Artist Studios, Hachette Australia.
Ep 4: Radical care and resilience
Breaking Ground: Women in the Arts and Creativity is a special podcast series by Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS), recorded on Burramattagal land of the Darug Nation to mark International Women’s Day 2025.
How do we take care of ourselves? Why do so many of us struggle to ask for help, and what might we mean by the idea of resilience? Is it the same as resistance and speaking to power?
For more on radical care and resilience:
YouTube: Radical care
Show notes/Credits:
Guests: Nancy Diaz (moderator), Rhanna Collins, Fatma Mohammed, Alexia Derbas
Music: Gringo Flamenco by Montana Skies (Free Music Archive), CC-BY- 4.0 International
Interviewers: Maybelline San Juan, Nadyat El Gawley
The name of this series was inspired by UK-based Speaking Volumes
Podcast Producer; Editing & mixing: Nadyat El Gawley
Colour Cycle Executive Producer and Host: Lena Nahlous, DARTS CEO
Digital Engagement & Comms Manager: Glaiza Perez
Symposium Project Producers: Simone Amelia Jordan, Lena Nahlous, Kevin Bathman
Breaking Ground by Diversity Arts Australia was proudly funded by NSW Government’s – Women NSW, Creative Australia, and Create NSW. Venue Partner: Arts and Cultural Exchange. Event partners: The Dream Collective, Parramatta Artist Studios, Hachette Australia.
Breaking Ground. Photo credit: Isabella Moore
Ep 5: Collective Action
Breaking Ground: Women in the Arts and Creativity is a special podcast series by Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS), recorded on Burramattagal land of the Darug Nation to mark International Women’s Day 2025.
Catch this final part of the day, where you’ll hear some concluding remarks and a range of voices on what people took away from the Breaking Ground gathering for International Women’s Day.
Show notes/credits:
Guests: Emerald Brunt, Anushri Sood, Fatma Mohammed, Anne, Belinda Jombwe, Lena Nahlous, Helen Huggins, Tahmoor, Ruth Nahlous
Music: Relaxing Latin guitar by Greg Kirkelie (Free Music Archive), Attribution-Non Commercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International
Interviewers: Maybelline San Juan, Nadyat El Gawley
The name of this series was inspired by UK-based Speaking Volumes
Podcast Producer; Editing & mixing: Nadyat El Gawley
Colour Cycle Executive Producer and Host: Lena Nahlous, DARTS CEO
Digital Engagement & Comms Manager: Glaiza Perez
Symposium Project Producers: Simone Amelia Jordan, Lena Nahlous, Kevin Bathman
Breaking Ground by Diversity Arts Australia was proudly funded by NSW Government’s – Women NSW, Creative Australia, and Create NSW. Venue Partner: Arts and Cultural Exchange. Event partners: The Dream Collective, Parramatta Artist Studios, Hachette Australia.