BULMBA-JA

About

Bulmba-ja is a theatre, gallery and creative development space managed by Arts Queensland. Pronounced “BULL'M-ba-jar”, the name has a shared meaning of house or place in Yidinji and Yirrganydji languages.

Bulmba-ja plays a vital role in the Cairns arts scene, showcasing the unique stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Visitors can engage with the work of Bulmba-ja tenants JUTE Theatre Company, NorthSite Contemporary Arts, Miriki Performing Arts, The Pryce Centre for Culture and Arts and Minjil.

Elisa Jane Carmichael, Carrying Fish Trap 1–2, 2018/2019, Ghost net, synthetic fibre, raffia, yarn, wool, cane, wire, fish scales, photo: Marc Pricop

NorthSite Contemporary Arts | long water: fibre stories - Curated by Freja Carmichael

(EXHIBITION)

3 September - 23 October 2021 Like a confluence—where bodies of water meet—long water: fibre stories travels across place to bring together fibre practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women from different generations, experiences and ancestries. The featured artists include community Elders, leaders, and younger artists, working in collaboration with collective and family memory or with their kin, community, or art centre to nurture, preserve, and share culture through fibre-based forms. These artists all carry a spirited attachment to water. Image: Elisa Jane Carmichael, Carrying Fish Trap 1–2, 2018/2019, Ghost net, synthetic fibre, raffia, yarn, wool, cane, wire, fish scales, photo: Marc Pricop

Lenore Howard, Dissolution of the Elements 12 (detail), 2020, mixed media, 57 x 76 cm, photo: Michael Marzik

NorthSite Contemporary Arts | Lenore Howard - Beyond the Sight of Land

(EXHIBITION)

11 September - 23 October 2021 Beyond the Sight of Land is a major exhibition by senior Cairns-based artist Lenore Howard. This new and extensive body of work extends beyond the familiar form and journeys into unknown territory utilizing multiple processes that traverse the mind map of the artist. Howard explores dichotomies and dualities by challenging the form’s architecture and surface, landing on compositions laden with tension and balanced resolve. Image Credit: Lenore Howard, Dissolution of the Elements 12 (detail), 2020, mixed media, 57 x 76 cm, photo: Michael Marzik

JUTE | La Bella Figura

(THEATRE)

15 October — 23 October 2021 La Bella Figura (meaning, the beautiful image) is a new musical dramedy by second-generation, Italian-Aussies Frank Dangelico and Roz Pappalardo, and local playwright Kathryn Ash. Get ready to jump into the world of ‘la bella figura’ weaving its often-hilarious magic into the lives and careers of the children of Italian migrants.

OTHELLO adapted by Jimi Bani and Jason Klarwein

CIAF | Othello

(THEATRE)

(New dates) 11 - 13 November 2021 Othello, William Shakespeare’s classic tale of jealousy, betrayal and revenge is thrillingly re-imagined by Jimi Bani and Jason Klarwein for its premiere 2021 season. This tri-lingual (Kala Lagaw Ya, Yumpla Tok and English) production is set between Cairns and the Torres Strait, illuminating the vital role of the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion during World War II. More than 800 Torres Strait Islanders signed up to protect the northern tip of Australia, including Jimi Bani’s great grandfather, the late Ephraim Bani Snr and his grandfather, the late Solomon Gela.

Ngamumu Team L-R Johanna Maza, Merindi Schrieber, Lia Pa'apa'a, Nikki Doll

JUTE | Actors Studio - 2021

(WORKSHOP)

10 Feb - 8 December 2021 If you are excited about the idea of developing your acting, stage craft and ensemble work, then JUTE Actors Studio will provide you with the development of your creative capacity and deepen your understanding of acting as a professional practice.