Get up to speed on Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property at these free workshops for musicians and presenters

The Australian Music Centre (AMC) is hosting two Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property in Music workshops in Perth this October to guide music creators and presenters through the 2023 First Nations Cultural Policy for Represented Artists.

The free events will take place at Ellington Jazz Club on Tuesday, October 1 and Perth Concert Hall on Wednesday, October 2.

The workshops will benefit music creators and presenters in Western Australia who incorporate Indigenous content into their work. Attendees will learn about the policy’s requirements for acknowledging and attributing Indigenous cultural intellectual property, languages, and knowledge, as well as how to include these elements appropriately into their work.

The policy, implemented in June last year, outlines the requirements for documenting and archiving musical works that use First Nations cultural intellectual property. This includes obtaining permissions from representative authorities where possible, providing written acknowledgements of sources, and including cultural sensitivity statements. The policy also ensures correct terminology is used and that these works are documented within the AMC collection.

The initiative is the first of its kind in Australia’s art music sector and marks a global leadership position in the recognition and protection of Indigenous contributions. The policy was developed over 18 months with input from First Nations composers, performers, and industry experts.

“This cultural policy is the outcome of many months of rigorous engagement and consultation with our First Nations communities,” said AMC CEO Catherine Hardy. “We are proud to take this crucial step to recognise and safeguard our First Peoples’ deep enduring contributions to art music and provide clear guidance for our composers and creators.”

The upcoming workshops will provide practical insights into the policy and help participants learn how to include Indigenous cultural content in their work respectfully, providing an opportunity for music creators in WA to engage with the policy and enhance their understanding of ICIP in Australian music.

The AMC’s ICIP in Music: WA Sessions will run at the Ellington Jazz Club on Tuesday, October 1, and at the Perth Concert Hall on Wednesday, October 2, 2024. For more info and to register for your free ticket, head to events.humanitix.com

Photo by Connor Malanos