Artistic and Cultural Advisory Group

Elyas Alavi is a visual artist and poet based in Adelaide. Alavi was born in Afghanistan, moved to Iran as a child following the intensification of war in his homeland and in late 2007 he moved to Australia as refugee at risk.

Alavi graduated from a Masters by Research (Visual Arts) at the University of South Australia in 2015 and has exhibited nationally and internationally including IFA Gallery (Kabul), Niyavaran Gallery (Tehran), Jugglers Art Space (Brisbane), The Walker Street Gallery (Melbourne) and CACSA Project Space and Fontanelle Gallery (Adelaide).

Alavi also is also an internationally renowned poet. He published three poetry books in Iran and Afghanistan. His first book I’m A Daydreamer Wolf was published in 2008 in Tehran, followed by Some Wounds in 2012 in Kabul and Hodood in 2015 in Tehran.

He regularly runs art and poetry workshops in community centres and schools in Adelaide. He visits many issues in his works, but mainly memory, displacement, exile, social justice, gender issues, separation and the human nature.

Dominic Guerrera is a Ngarrindjeri, Kaurna and Italian person and his primary work has been as an Aboriginal Health Worker and Educator for 16 years, with a focus on sexual health. Dominic’s art explores themes of Aboriginality, Queerness, decolonising and storytelling within the mediums of poetry, essays, podcasting and photography.

The ASH Podcast, hosted by Dominic and Sasha Smith, has performed live for Melbourne Writers’ Festival and Feast Festival, and featured in The Adelaide Review and Frankie Magazine.

Writings by Dominic include poetry, essays and fiction. He has been published in IndigenousX, Cordite Review and Non-Compliant Magazine and performed his poetry as a featured artist for Draw Your Swords and Kin’s POC Pride.

Dominic was a lead researcher and writer of the Aboriginal Gender Study, a research project lead by Aboriginal Health Council of SA and Lowitja Institute.

Dedicated to community movements, Dominic has also been involved in numerous community initiatives and community events including Wish You Were Queer collective, SXC Times, Aboriginal Standpoint and The SA Aboriginal Writers’ Group.

Noriko Tadano is an award-winning, virtuoso master of the Japanese shamisen (a 3-string, banjo-like instrument) and a traditional Japanese vocalist, who has performed all over the world.

She has been playing shamisen since she was 6 years old and performs both as a soloist, as well as in collaborations. Noriko’s ability and drive to cross over between traditional and modern Japanese music has recently seen her perform with renowned world musicians as well as traditional Japanese artists.

Her achievements include the ‘Head Judge’s Special Award’ at the National Japanese Shamisen Competition held in Hirosaki – Japan, a solo performance at the Sydney Opera House and a number of dynamic shows at the international WOMADelaide world music festival with George Kamikawa.

Perpetually curious, composer/trumpeter/sound artist Peter Knight’s practice exists in the spaces between categories, between genres, and between cultures.

In recent years Peter has emerged as a significant international force in contemporary music, initiating commissions, collaborations, and performances with a diverse range of artists including recently, Anthony Braxton (USA), as a soloist with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Nicole Lizée (Canada), Amir ElSaffar (USA), Daniel Wilfred (Arnhem Land), Senyawa (Indonesia), Baliphonics (Sri Lanka), Hyelim Kim (Korea/UK), Paul Grabowsky (Australia) and Alvin Lucier (USA). He has performed his music at some of the most significant festivals and venues in the world including recently: London Jazz Festival, Pierre Boulez Saal (Berlin), JazzFest Berlin, Soundstreams (Toronto), and National Forum of Music (Wroclaw, Poland).

Peter has released 17 albums of his music on various labels including in 2022 a new solo album, Shadow Phase, on the iconic Room40 label. Peter has also been Artistic Director of Australia’s leading contemporary music ensemble, the Australian Art Orchestra, for the last ten years.  

In addition, Peter regularly composes for film, sound installations, and contemporary theatre, most notably with acclaimed performer/director, Tamara Saulwick (Chamber Made). 

Peter has won numerous awards, nominations, and fellowships including the Albert H. Maggs Composition Prize (2017), several AMC Art Music Awards, Bell Jazz Awards, Green Room Theatre Awards, and an Australia Council Music Fellowship (2013). He holds a doctorate from Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and was named its Alumnus of the Year in 2013.

Joel Ma is an artist, musician and producer who lives in Melbourne, Victoria. Best known for his work as rapper-producer Joelistics, he is also a multi instrumentalist and songwriter known for his work in alt-rap group TZU as well as in the experimental instrumental group Peril Symphony.

With a keen sense for collaboration, Joel’s production and co-writing for other artists has been a focus since 2015 most notably with the internationally acclaimed Haiku Hands and Mojo Juju on the celebrated track Native Tongue which was nominated for an Aria award, an Age award and won the Triple J best film clip award (2018). He has also written for and collaborated with noted artists such as Madonna, Missy Higgins, Tim Rogers, Emma Donovan, Ecca Vandal, Hermitude, Birdz, Wil Wagner, Omar Musa, Haytch, N’fa Jones, L-Fresh the Lion and Parvyn Singh.

Joel Ma is a published writer, lyricist, curator, studio operator, and Arts advocate.

Zhao Liang began learning the guzheng (Chinese harp) at the age of six in Singapore. Arriving in Adelaide in 2002, Zhao established the School of Chinese Music & Arts in Gouger St in 2005. Zhao is an exciting and highly accomplished performer, with a heart for the community and touch of an artist.

Her work includes a number of stimulating and ground-breaking projects, such as the Multicultural Storytimes program for audiences under 5 years of age, which has been widely performed across local councils and libraries. In 2014, Zhao initiated An Oriental Flair, an 8-piece ensemble of eastern harps and western strings. She is also a founding member of Moonta Street, a group presenting a contemporary world music sound blending Chinese and European traditional music.

In 2019, Zhao founded San Ureshi: a unique oriental trio with David Dai (erhu) and Satomi Ohnishi (percussion). This ensemble performs original compositions breaking boundaries yet embracing tradition, and in 2019 and 2020 responded to exhibitions at the Art Gallery of South Australia. Zhao also performs in the Radial Quartet, an experimental group with Jarrad Payne (drums and electronics), Dylan Marshall (guitar), and Bonnie Aue (double bass).

Yusuf Ali Hayat is committed to social justice. He has worked in leadership roles for several international non-government organisations across social housing, social support and Emergency Relief. He is currently a PhD candidate at the University of South Australia with a research focus on migrant narratives, transcultural aesthetics and intersubjectivity in art. As an artist, Yusuf’s work integrates photography, video, painting and architectural approaches to sculptural form. He recently undertook artist residencies at the British School at Rome and Nexus Arts, Adelaide. He has exhibited in Australia and overseas.