Screen Australia’s First Nations Department and Meta Australia have announced the return of the First Nations Creators Program for Instagram.
For the second year in a row the First Nations Creators Program will continue to foster First Nations talent, amplify their voices online and help create long term career prospects in social media and digital content creation.
The immersive program, to be held at Meta’s Sydney Office, will provide in-person training, practical workshops, mentoring, career connections, equipment and content funding, for up to 10 emerging digital Creators. The program will culminate in a special event to celebrate and bring together the broader First Nations Creator community.
First Nations artist and storyteller, participant in the 2021 program, and designer for 2022 program artwork, Melissa Smith-Haimona said being asked to produce the artwork for the First Nations Program was an honour.
“Especially knowing the talented mob from last year’s program. It was amazing to be able to follow that through, have the incredible friends I made from participating in 2021, and see it all come full circle,” Smith-Haimona says.
“I truly recommend creators give it a go!”
Screen Australia’s Head of First Nations Angela Bates says the team are excited to partner with Instagram Australia once again.
“The program will give Creators the opportunity to hone their skills and showcase their distinctive voice as storytellers, as well as develop their careers and share their stories with Instagram’s global audience.”
To participate in this year’s program, creators must be over 18 years of age and identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Creators must have an Instagram account as well as experience in social media or digital video content creation and be available to attend the program in Sydney between 17 and 19 October 2022.
Creators who successfully complete the program will receive production funding of $5,000 and equipment to help them create a Reels project series for their Instagram account.
Each applicant must submit a short one minute video about themselves. The content should include their social accounts, some detail on the type of content they create, as well as sharing their inspirations and goals, and some First Nations Creators they admire and follow.
First Nations Creators can apply for the program here. Applications close at 5pm AEST Thursday 25 August.
Artwork: Melissa Smith-Haimona
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