3 Jun 2025
NAIDOC WEEK AT CARRIAGEWORKS: HONOURING THE NEXT GENERATION THROUGH ART, DANCE AND COMMUNITY
From an exhibition of works by First Nations youth to powerful dance performances and a free community day of celebration, commemoration and protest, Carriageworks invites all communities to learn about and celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples during NAIDOC Week 2025.
As one of Australia’s leading contemporary cultural hubs, Carriageworks is proud to host a range of First Nations-led events during NAIDOC Week (taking place from 6-13 July 2025), joining events across the country that are recognising and honouring First Nations people through this year’s theme - The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.
This year marks 10 years of Solid Ground, a Carriageworks initiative that provides arts education and employment pathways for First Nations youth. The only program of its kind in Australia, Solid Ground has connected over 1,000 students with Culture and creative practice through in-school mentorship with practicing First Nations artists.
Through the Solid Ground NAIDOC Exhibition (26 June - 13 July), students from Alexandria Park Community School, Erskine Park High School and Chifley College Dunheved will celebrate the 2025 NAIDOC theme by showcasing their artistic responses to Culture, identity and legacy in the Carriageworks Public Space. Mentored by acclaimed creatives - including rapper and host of triple j’s Blak Out Nooky, weaver and visual artist Peta-Joy Williams and singer songwriter Akala Newman – the young artists will share what they have learned in the program, their connection to Culture, and their artistic expression across diverse mediums.
From 10-12 July, Australian Dance Theatre’s (ADT) Marrow will make its Sydney debut. Blending breathtaking movement with smoke, light and a pulsing soundtrack, Marrow plunges audiences into a world where the ancient and contemporary collide. Created by ADT's visionary Artistic Director and Wiradjuri man, Daniel Riley, this powerful dance work is a raw, honest and politically charged response to a nation grappling with its identity and future. Developed in collaboration with ADT’s Company Artists, senior Kaurna/Ngarrindjeri Elder Uncle Moogy Sumner AM, and rising Jaadwa composer James Howard (SAVAGE), Marrow grabs you by the heart and doesn’t let go.
The EORA NAIDOC Inner City Family Fun Day (10 July), organised by the Eora NAIDOC Community Group, will welcome all to a free day of celebration, commemoration and protest. Featuring traditional and contemporary Aboriginal performances, live music, an Elders Space, Jarjum and youth activities, and a free BBQ.
For more information, visit www.carriageworks.com.au
MEDIA CONTACT
For further information or to request media interviews, please contact:
Marissa Giannone
Communications Manager, Carriageworks
marissa.g@carriageworks.com.au 02 8571 9099
IMAGES: Available to download here.
Image credit: Australian Dance Theatre's Marrow. Pictured Karra Nam. Photo by Morgan Sette.
ABOUT CARRIAGEWORKS
Carriageworks is one of Australia’s most significant creative industry hubs, renowned for its dynamic cultural events, performances, and exhibitions. Housed in a historic railway workshop in Sydney on Gadigal Land, Carriageworks offers a vibrant platform for theatre, music, dance, food events, kids programming and more, collaborating with leading local and international artists to foster innovation and creativity in its distinctive industrial setting.
KEY DETAILS:
For more information, visit www.carriageworks.com.au
Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh, NSW
Solid Ground NAIDOC Exhibition
26 June - 13 July 2025
Admission is free
www.carriageworks.com.au/events/naidoc-solid-ground-exhibition/
Marrow
10-12 July 2025
Tickets from $40* + BF
www.carriageworks.com.au/events/marrow-2025/
EORA NAIDOC Inner City Family Fun Day
10 July 2025, 10am-3pm
Admission is free
https://carriageworks.com.au/events/eora-naidoc-inner-city-family-fun-day/