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Acknowledgement of country
With the deepest respect MAV acknowledges that we live, work and celebrate on unceded Aboriginal land.
We thank all Elders, past and present, for their care, knowledge and generosity, as custodians of the world’s oldest continuing culture. We pledge our support towards truth telling, reparation and decolonisation.
We open our hearts and minds to deep listening, learning, sharing and connecting –in solidarity with First Peoples here in Australia and around the world.
Image: Black Harmony Gathering 2016, photo by James Henry
About Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV)
MAV is a dynamic organisation advocating for multiculturalism and multicultural arts. Initiated as The Festival of All Nations in 1973, MAV is rooted in organising community to celebrate the diversity of cultures, stories, and traditions through creative arts. 50 years on, MAV has become a stalwart of resources, support and agency in the arts sector.
We recognise that we stand on mighty shoulders; the shoulders of MAV’s past leaders, contributors, funders and stakeholders, as well as a long list of exceptional multicultural artists and creatives who have contributed to writing history and 65,000 years of storytelling on these lands.
Who We Are
• We champion culturally diverse artists and communities to create systems of cultural production and participation that uphold equity and self-determination.
• We make art as a visceral response to the forces of bigotry and intolerance, which seek to undermine the hard-fought battle for pluralism.
• We make art to understand who we are as migrants on Indigenous land.
• We make art to draw attention to the work that is still needed to future proof our identity as a society that deeply values its diversity.
Above: Production of “Cosi fan tutte” at Edinburgh Gardens, Fitzroy, photo by Piccolo Spoleto, 1987
Right: thndo, photo by Panashe Mugayapi
We value:
• Diversity. We centre diverse cultural ways of doing, knowing and being, rooted in migrant, diasporic and ancestral traditions, to tell stories that illuminate our humanity and deepen intercultural understanding.
• Equality. We strive for cultural democracy, sharing our knowledge and skills with partners across the arts and cultural sector to build platforms for engagement and visibility.
• Trust. We make art to understand who we are as migrants on Indigenous land.
• Courage. We make art to draw attention to the work that is still needed to future proof our identity as a society that deeply values its diversity.
Goals:
• To champion the development of artists and artform practices that speak to who we are as Australians, embedding pluralism and diversity as a fount of artistic and cultural innovation;
• To build the case for diversity as one of our greatest cultural assets, through the generation of critical and compelling new work; and
• To lead transformation in our sector, contesting the marginality of diverse artistic practices through the application of contemporary lenses and frameworks.
Image: Gracieuse Amah, TAKEBACK 2021, photos by Deshani Berhardt
Our people
OPERATIONAL STAFF 2024
CEO/Creative Director
Lauren Mullings
ARTIST SERVICES MANAGER
Miriam Abud
COMMUNICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Theresa Angela
CREATIVE LEAD
James Emmanuel McKinnon (until September 2024)
Yasbelle Kerkow (from September 2024)
CULTURAL AGENCY BROKERAGE AND YOUTH LEAD
Damon Paraha
MARKETING ASSISTANT
Noah daCosta
PROGRAM MANAGER
Renata Zimbarg (until June 2024)
ADMINISTRATOR
Jose Tortabu (until June 2024)
NEWPRINT CO-ORDINATOR
Oscar Jimenez
FINANCE ASSISTANT
Adriana Garcia
FINANCE MANAGER/ MANAGEMENT
Shadi Habash/Paxinos Habash Arts Tax
REGIONAL COORDINATOR
Ane Fotu
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT/ RELATIONSHIPS MANAGER
Jo B
Neda Rahmani
Maan
BOARD SECRETARY
Michael van Vliet (until July 2024) Sneha Varma
BOARD TREASURER
Sandeep Agrawal BOARD DIRECTORS
BOARD OBSERVER
Emiliano Zucchi
Effie Nkrumah (from June 2024)
Kylie Crane (until November 2024)
Patrizia Fimiani (from July 2024)
Siu Chan
Ursula Lepporoli
Alaa Karrar (until Feb 2025)
Sabina Ahmed PATRONS
Jason Yeap OAM
Hon. Ted Ballieu AO
Image: Labrish 2024, photo by Tiffany Garvie
Chair Report
Linda Catalano, Board Chair
In times of upheaval, uncertainty, and deep social shifts, the role of a purpose-driven organisation like MAV becomes not just relevant but vital. As Chairperson, I continue to witness firsthand the ways in which MAV remains steadfast in its mission: to centre culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in the arts, champion equity, and foster creative expression that reflects the true diversity of contemporary Australia.
This year, MAV’s advocacy efforts have deepened in response to the sociopolitical climate — including the continuing effects of global conflict, climate crisis, rising cost of living, and growing public discourse around migration, identity, and representation. These forces remind us that the work we do is not only artistic – it is political, social, and personal.
MAV exists at the intersection of arts and justice. Our advocacy is grounded in lived experience – in the knowledge that communities who have been historically excluded from mainstream platforms must be given both voice and agency.
In 2024–25, we continued to work toward structural change by:
Championing cultural equity: MAV’s programming and partnerships prioritise equity not just in representation, but in power. We support artists to self-determine, and increasingly, we are advocating for systems that allow CALD artists and communities to be not just participants, but decision-makers.
Advocating for sustainable careers in the arts: Many CALD artists face systemic barriers to sustainability – from lack of access to funding, to biases in programming. MAV has actively contributed to national and local conversations around equitable funding, access to resources, and dismantling gatekeeping structures.
Responding to rising racism and marginalisation: At a time when anti-migrant rhetoric and race-based violence are rising globally, MAV has provided safe cultural spaces, and platforms that counter fear with pride, community, and celebration. Our programs build social cohesion by affirming identity and creating cross-cultural understanding.
Highlighting intersectionality: We continue to centre voices that exist at multiple intersections – including artists of colour with disability, queer artists of colour, and those from newly arrived and refugee backgrounds. Our advocacy affirms that equity must consider the full complexity of identity.
As Chairperson I often ask myself, what does it mean to be a multicultural arts organisation in 2025?
It means standing in solidarity with communities who are disproportionately impacted by political neglect, cultural erasure, and systemic injustice.
It means creating space for grief, for joy, for protest, for healing.
It means building structures that hold – not extract – the stories of community.
This year, the broader arts sector has been marked by funding cuts, institutional change, and exhaustion. Yet in the face of these challenges, MAV’s strength has come from its community – from the artists, elders, youth, activists, and storytellers who continue to shape our society through culture.
As we look to the future, MAV will continue to act as a beacon – not only for multicultural arts, but for a more just and inclusive society.
We are strengthening partnerships with likeminded organisations, continuing to mentor the
next generation of leaders, and advocating for an arts ecology that reflects the full spectrum of Australian life.
In 2025 and beyond, our work will be driven by three core beliefs:
• That art is a powerful tool for advocacy and liberation.
• That cultural diversity is not a ‘theme’ – it is who we are.
• That equity in the arts is not optional – it is essential.
I want to thank the MAV board, our dedicated CEO Lauren, the passionate staff, and most importantly, the artists and communities we serve. Your vision, resilience and creativity continue to inspire and lead us forward.
Image: Siva Afi (Fire Knives, Samoan), BLOCK PARTEE 2025,
Photo by Tiffany Garvie
CEO Report
Lauren Mullings, CEO
I am moved by the depth of connection, care and creativity that has shaped this year at Multicultural Arts Victoria. In a time marked by rapid change and deep social questioning, we stood as a reminder that looking back is not an act of nostalgia—it’s an act of precision. Through our work, we’ve anchored ourselves in history to better understand where we are now, and where we want to go.
In 2024, we consulted with creatives of all ages, backgrounds and genres over 75 hours, in collaboration with Deakin University and CoCulture as part of the RETROSPECTION project; a bold, loving commitment to looking back to move forward. We unearthed stories —some joyful, others painful—that sit at the heart of our multicultural identity. We treasured the experiences of migration, resilience, transition and survival that were shared with us and the incredible art we were introduced to.
Through our research, led by Dr Gilbert Caluya and published in the report Beyond Tokenism, we heard a sobering, yet hopeful account of how cultural diversity is experienced in the creative industries. We listened as artists spoke candidly about the pressures to perform identity, the exhaustion of working within systems that do not include them, and the framing of diversity as an aesthetic or check-box exercise. We stood with artists as they experienced new and unprecedented attempts to silence their voices, and fought back through dignity, strength and resilience.
While Multicultural Arts Victoria has long been a space for creative expression, this year felt different. We weren’t just holding space, we were transforming it with our imaginations and scripting it with our whole selves; with all our complexity, struggle, and shared joy. Our desire to uplift community through artistic excellence and uncompromising attention to
diverse practices, languages and identities is embodied in Art Souk, developed with Mz Rizk and Arts Centre Melbourne. With artists involved like HALO VOCAL ENSEMBLE, Julie Ann Minaai, Katayoun Javan, Majed Fayad, MO’JU, Ms. Onur Kurt, Te Ara Hononga, thndo and Zainab Hikmet, the Showroom came alive with cultural intelligence as artists performed not for entertainment — but as sovereign storytellers.
Meaningful festivals like La Mama’s Mother Tongue, which we proudly partnered on to celebrate the multiplicity of languages spoken across Naarm, were embraced. So were a new generation of live producers and performers, in the unstoppable force of our live music program, Newprint. Through partnerships with VicHealth and the arts organisations across Future Reset, we witnessed the power of supporting culturally diverse youth to shape the future on their own terms.
Our work alongside BIPOC Deaf and disabled artists through the Creative Artistic Intelligence Development initiative with artists such as Pearl Blackk, Loz Sorono, Natasha Peiris and Ebony Hickey reminded us of the need to continually evolve our understanding of accessibility, expression and leadership. Through the generosity of such artists, Multicultural Arts Victoria’s work this year has embraced new forms of storytelling—across technologies, senses and disciplines.
Finally, the RETROSPECTION archive we’ve lovingly curated is not just a historical record. It’s a living archive—a testament to the fact that artists’ work is never static but moving, resisting, healing and building.
Artists sit at the forefront of social change, and 2024 has only made that clearer. We have been blown away by the tools and practices artists are using to imagine the future, and the
possibilities presented in bringing culture to the forefront of leadership.
As we look forward, I’m reminded that Multicultural Arts Victoria doesn’t just reflect multicultural Australia—we shape what it means. We’re dismantling elitist categories and silos, and replacing them with ecologies of care, collaboration and creativity. We’re building third spaces— places where culturally diverse artists can meet on their own terms, explore new ideas, and lead with confidence. Alongside the stage, we are making space for the creativity that flourishes in our parents’ kitchens, in sound studios, hidden venues and at grassroots gatherings. Our role as a connector between creatives and industry has become more vital than ever.
The fight for cultural equity is not a trend—it’s a responsibility. And the work is ongoing. It means investing in artistled initiatives. Taking risks. Turning theory into action. Finding the courage to make change where we fall short and opening the door to learning and reflection.
Image: Gracieuse Amah and Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, BLOCK PARTEE 2025, Photo by Tiffany Garvie
Strategic Overview
BUILDING ARTIST-LED FUTURES
In 2024, Multicultural Arts Victoria advanced its mission to centre cultural equity, artist leadership and systemic change across the creative sector. Through bold initiatives like Retrospection, Beyond Tokenism, Art Souk, NEWPRINT and Future Reset, we championed the creative agency of culturally diverse artists while deepening partnerships grounded in care, access and community-led design. Our work reflected MAV’s ongoing commitment to dismantling extractive models of diversity and building artistdriven ecologies of practice ensures that culturally diverse communities are not only represented in the arts, but resourced to lead.
500+ artists across 50 cultural groups 77 New Works 29 Events 75,000+ Audience Numbers (digital and in-person)
POLICY
AND SECTOR INFLUENCE
In 2024, MAV strengthened its role as an advocate for systemic change across the creative industries. Through research, sector consultation and artist-led initiatives, we contributed critical insights to shape cultural policy. Our Beyond Tokenism consultations and report, authored by Dr. Gilbert Caluya, directly informed the Victorian Government’s Creative State strategy, bringing forward the lived experiences of culturally diverse artists and the need for structural reform. Building on this work, MAV launched the Culturally Responsive Theatre Reviews initiative with sector partners, shifting critical discourse to centre cultural context, lived experience and community accountability. Through these initiatives, MAV affirms its role as critical cultural infrastructure: not only supporting artists, but advocating for an arts ecology where equity, cultural safety and diverse leadership are embedded at every level.
Image: Subtitle Iran by Katayoun Javan. Photography by Panashe Mugayapi
ARTISTIC INTELLIGENCE SYMPOSIUM
As part of the Alter State 2024 program, the Artistic Intelligence Symposium was presented by the BIPoC Creative Access Collective with support from MAV, Arts Centre Melbourne, and City of Yarra. This groundbreaking event invited BIPoC-identifying D/deaf, D/disabled and neurodiverse creatives to co-design an emergent framework: Creative Access.
Held in an inclusive, multi-sensory environment, the symposium explored how access can be redefined as an artistic and cultural practice. Creative Access is an evolving, crossdisciplinary concept that interweaves creativity, accessibility, wellness, and authenticity— centering the agency and expression of D/ deaf, D/disabled, and neurodiverse BIPoC artists.
Facilitated by the BIPoC Creative Access Collective—led by Pearl Blackk and composed of trailblazing artists including Loz Sorono, Naavikaran, Natasha Peiris, Queen Acknowledgements, and Natarsha Bamblett— the event offered participants tools for embodied exploration. These included D/ deaf dance with live screen projections, audio description, tactile storytelling, associative word stimulation, and sensory play, culminating in responses to the provocation: My place, my secret reality.
A ceremonial Acknowledgement to Country opened the space, grounding the event in cultural and community respect. Production partners included Red Bee Media (captioning), Vitae Veritas (tactile guides), two35 Productions (projection), and independent bicultural Auslan interpreters and support workers. Sparsha Ayurveda provided accessible catering and complementary sensory care packs.
MAV’s support of this initiative reflects our commitment to inclusive, artist-led innovation. By amplifying Creative Access as an artistic discipline, we continue to champion diverse leadership and redefine the future of accessibility in the arts.
NEWPRINT is MAV’s dynamic, futurefocused program delivering locally curated contemporary live music events across Victoria. By supporting the professional development of culturally diverse artists and producers, NEWPRINT bridges the gap between emerging talent and the broader music industry.
The third iteration, NEWPRINT 3 (NP3), launched with an open Expression of Interest process, assessed by a panel of industry professionals Neda Rahmani, Nfa Jones, THANDO, and peer assessor Kily Safari. From this, six producers were selected: Akwal Magek, Haja Kamara, Juan Salebe Rico, Srirachi, Urlik Mageza, and Moses Ndisa (coproducer).
Under MAV’s guidance, NP3 producers developed and delivered self-curated live music events. Professional development support included:
• Event planning with Rosie Kilvert (YIRRAMBOI Festival)
• Contract and copyright workshops via Arts Law
• Marketing and promotion sessions led by MAV’s marketing team
• “The Art of Event Production” seminar with guest speakers Stick Mareebo, Umut Turkeri, and Lucrecia Quintanilla
• The NP3 Launch Event at The Showroom (Arts Centre Melbourne) in December introduced the producers to industry and public audiences, with performances by TEBIR and Srirachi.
Since then, three of the ten planned events have been delivered across Melbourne and Stonnington, with upcoming events in Yarra, Maribyrnong and Wyndham. Participating venues include The Toff in Town, Kindred Bandroom, The Evelyn Hotel, Wyndham Arts Centre, Moser Room, and Wax Music Lounge.
Each producer has received tailored mentorship from Music Program Coordinator Oscar Jimenez, including personalised sessions on budgeting, marketing, contract management, event logistics, and industry networking.
As NP3 continues through to July 2025, the program remains committed to building a more inclusive and vibrant live music sector in Victoria.
Creative Pathways
Kobe, photo by Felipe Paz
FUTURE RESET
In partnership with VicHealth, MAV proudly completed the delivery of the Future Reset program, alongside the Future Reset Arts Collective partners: Regional Arts Victoria, Arts Access Victoria, Next Wave, YIRRAMBOI Festival, The Push, Arts Mildura, Footscray Community Arts, and Western Edge. Designed in 2022 and delivered across 2023–2024, Future Reset focused on improving the mental wellbeing and social connectedness of young people through arts and creativity.
MAV’s program, led by Young Creative Lead James McKinnon, centred young artists and communities of colour, trusting in their visions to produce exceptional outcomes. The program responded to heightened inequalities amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic by empowering young people to shape a more equitable and inclusive society through creativity.
Following a year of deep co-design with artists and community stakeholders, MAV’s Future Reset program launched in early 2023. It focused on supporting projects already making an impact at the local level, moving at the speed of trust with community.
Over the two-year delivery period, MAV supported and funded the following initiatives:
Diversity in Motion (Melton – Deng Tebir): Dance workshops, mentorships and a community talent showcase involving 40 performers and 300 attendees at Staughton College, Melton South.
BeFree HipHop Workshops (Point Cook –Damon Paraha): Hip Hop and RnB music workshops engaging 30 young people over two years across Point Cook College and Dohertys Creek College, with sustainable equipment support provided.
Higher Vision Filmmaking Program (Tarneit/ Point Cook – Titan Debirioun): Filmmaking skills workshops supporting 15 emerging AfricanAustralian artists, in partnership with Scanlon Foundation and Foundation House.
MAD Festival (Dandenong – Lara Juab/ Connection Artspace): A youth-led music, arts, and dance festival supporting 15 artists and 4 groups, with 250 attendees across two days.
Cultivate – Tasi Taa (Hampton Park – May Saba Sabet): Music theatre workshops and performances engaging young multicultural families, culminating in a production attended by over 200 community members and a documentary project involving 50 participants.
Tiaal Mi Goa Podcast: Thrive Cast (Ballarat – Centre for Multicultural Youth): Mental health-focused podcast production by 30 young people, with two eight-episode seasons reaching approximately 180 listeners and earning a City of Ballarat Youth Award.
Impact and Outcomes
Future Reset successfully:
• Fostered creative expression, agency, and confidence among diverse young people.
• Enhanced artistic skills, leadership capacity, and professional development pathways.
• Strengthened community connections and promoted cultural pride and belonging.
• Raised awareness around mental health, supporting resilience and empathy in communities.
Through Future Reset, MAV reinforced its commitment to community-led creativity, building conditions for young culturally diverse artists to thrive.
Image from left: Titan Debirioun, Larra Juab Deng Tebir, Tasi Taa and Nomad. Images courtesy the artists.
AUSPICING
Auspicing is a vital service that we provide to our communities, and continues to be popular. Staff provide valuable advice and support to many artists still navigating the grants systems, which don’t always eventuate into auspice requests straight away. We also provide Avenues of Support, information sessions and workshops through our Community Development program that support capacity building in this area.
MAV auspiced 29 grant applications by artists and collectives in 2024. Of these, 6 were successful. Auspiced projects completed in 2024 include:
Verbena Carnaval:
This Carnaval was a series of events focused on Colombian culture, created by Vibrating Planet and El Gran Mono, and funded by the City of Darebin.
It comprised of 3 activities:
1. Screening of Colombian film ‘La Nave’ at Thornbury Cinema on 30 January 2024. Introduction by MC Kaiman Jimenez, and filmmaker Carlos Maria Romero. Colombian artist and first-time filmmaker Carlos Maria Romero (aka Atabey Mamasita), translates the meaning and spirit of Carnaval de Barranquilla during a year in which gatherings were forbidden. Through clandestinely filmed performances with members of many different communities— indigenous, trans, queer, rural, Afro-Colombian and radical outsiders among them—Maria Romero recreates northern Colombia’s largest cultural event as an essayistic performance film, demonstrating how Carnival is a lifeblood to its many diverse participants.
2. A series of three Colombian dance workshops with AfroColombian dancer Wendy Nedd of CHAMPETA AFRO-DANCE at the Darebin Intercultural Centre in Preston in February 2024.
3. Verbena Carnaval festival event held at Preston City Hall on Saturday 2 March 2024. This was a family friendly ticketed event of music, dance, art, and culture, powered by El Gran Mono, the first picó sound system built outside the Caribbean coast of Colombia; with DJ and live music performances interwoven with dance and theatrical elements.
340 attended the program, which included 14 artists and 3 artist groups.
Artist Book Discussion and Workshop:
As part of their exhibition “I Can’t Wait For You to Grow” at Boadle Hall, Incinerator Gallery, artists Phuong Nguyen Le and Adrian Jing Song did a deep dive into their handmade artist books produced for their body of works, focusing on reframing notions of Southeast Asian family identities and queer experiences. They discussed thought processes and decisions behind the books: from conceptualising ideas, producing artworks, finding inspiration from archives, incorporating text and images, editing and sequencing, designing, to options for low-cost printing, paper choices, binding methods, and publishing. This served as a foundation to their further engagement with the participants in the workshop where participants worked on their own artist books. In the workshop, the artists introduced a range of paper choices, instruct binding methods, and assist in participants’ final contents. The
Image: Verbena Carnaval, photo by Gianna Rizzo
aim of the workshop was for participants to produce one (or more) artist books, and apply the medium into their own practices. Audiences were encouraged to bring small artworks (prints, collages, drawings, paintings, embroidery,...) to glue on their final book, or incorporate their works directly onto the pages.
This project was held at the Incinerator Gallery in Aberfeldie, funded by the City of Moonee Valley. 25 people attended the discussion and workshop, including 12 senior citizens, and 6 who identified as culturally diverse. Two-thirds identified as emerging artists.
Wyndham Womens Magazine #8 Launch
Wyndham Womens Magazine is produced by Florence Shinanduku to celebrate multicultural women in Wyndham and is a place to share their stories of overcoming adversity, their triumphs and struggles coming to a new country. It is a magazine that brings people together. Florence encourages connection and in-between magazines she interviews community to talk to the women directly about their stories.
The launch event for magazine 8 was funded by the City of Wyndham. It was held at Music Valley in Point Cook on May 24th 2024. There were guest speakers, including Councillor Susan McIntyre, and Monica Sharma, President of Women of Wyndham; and music and dancing for the 20 attendees.
Food As Resistance
We Eatin’ Good queer arts collective produced a short film, Food As Resistance, with funding from the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria’s HEY grants program; with some additional support from VicHealth’s Future Reset. This project provided space for community to safely explore the intersections of queerness and culture through the universal language of food. The documentary features Rahaf Al Khatib discussing Palestinian food culture, and sharing aspects of this with queer POC, in community-building acts of resistance. 12 emerging young POC artists were engaged to create the film, which was produced in Thornbury.
There Are No Gods In Arcadia
There Are No Gods In Arcadia was a creative development grant from the City of Melbourne to Ysabel Dungca, to develop a script for a new theatre work. This included research, drafting, cultural consultations, sensitivity readings, and editing. This process has now completed and does not require public outcomes.
Our Story
This community-devised theatre project by the Cultivate collective has two-year community funding from the City of Casey, which in 2024 augmented existing funding from MAV’s Future Reset VicHealth funding. For the first year outcome, Cultivate created a video documentary of their processes in research, creative development, production and evaluation. This project outcome provides an ongoing resource for others to learn from, a record of social history in the area, and key skills-building in film and video for the young creatives involved. The participants and project leaders were young people from culturally diverse backgrounds in the Hampton Park area. 8 young creatives made the film and over 40 people across generations were included in it.
Image by Nisha Hunter, Food As Resistance filming
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOPS
To provide skills, knowledge and access to opportunities for our artists, MAV programmed a number of information sessions and workshops throughout 2024, at our HQ in Preston. Beyond the specific topics of the sessions, these were all incredible communitybuilding and artist-networking occasions, where people lingered long after the activity finished, and continued an active engagement with MAV in the weeks, and months (and hopefully years!) afterwards.
The One About Money
Artists need money to make art. The One About Money Workshop was an introduction to ways other than grants, to get the resources needed. 30 artists attended.
Steven Richardson from Creative Australia delivers The Artist As Fundraiser workshops to provide artists with knowledge, skills and strategies for raising money to support your practice. He also discussed the Australian Cultural Fund fundraising platform, business partnerships and fundraising strategies.
Neda Rahmani is musician, entrepreneur and community leader, who has built her career from the local to international stage without grants. Her extensive experience as an artist working from community, driven by her values and vision, gave a perspective of an artist’s journey that is personal, long-term and relational.
This was a very popular workshop that included in-depth conversation about the specific and exhausting barriers faced by artists of colour in these endeavours.
City of Melbourne 2025 Arts Grants Information Session – 20 May 2024
MAV hosted three staff from City of Melbourne, Bronwyn, Laura and Will, to present information and answer questions on the application process and aims of their Annual Arts Grants program.
These grants offer up to $20,000 for works that are located within the City of Melbourne, across all art forms. As one of the rare grants where you do not have to be a citizen or permanent resident to apply, we are keen to provide information to our artists and communities to be able to access this opportunity, in an environment where they feel welcome and heard. We also value the opportunity for the funders to engage directly with these artists. We were happy to see that two of the artists who attended this session were successful in their applications to this very competitive grant program.
Youth Affairs Council HEY Grants Information Session – 8 July 2024
The Healthy Equal Youth (HEY) Grants are an annual small grant round of up to $10,000 for LGBTQIA+ projects and initiatives offered by Youth Affairs Council Victoria. These grants have supported great projects auspiced through MAV in previous years, and we encouraged young LGBTIQA+ artists from our communities to come along and find out how it could support your project ideas.
This program not only provides funding for activities, it is supported by ongoing connection with dedicated HEY staff to ensure the maximum sense of welcome and safety possible for the young people involved. Bec from the HEY team came to MAV and discussed the possibilities for the grants in general, and had one-on-one discussions with attendees. Both HEY & MAV are keen to continue to provide direct connections for community to build engagement into the future. Although we had a small attendance of 5 at this event, it included CALD queer artists new to MAV, who remain engaged. MAV also auspiced a successful application to this grant.
Build Your Own EPK – 12 August 2024
This artist development workshop, dedicated to the art of the EPK, was designed and facilitated by MAV Communications staff, Theresa Angela and Noah daCosta. 13 people attended, and created a collaborative, motivating community atmosphere that included in-depth conversations on common issues, seeking shared solutions.
An Electronic Press Kit is a digital package of marketing materials to promote artists, projects, events and so on. It is usually shared with promoters, collaborators or potential stakeholders (funders) to ensure the artist’s brand is communicated clearly and effectively.
This workshop was space to start drafting an EPK for an artist’s personal brand, or a creative project. Artists then booked one-on-one sessions with Noah or Tea to get feedback and guidance, after spending time developing their EPK based on the workshop. Topics included:
Writing your own biography
Writing your own elevator pitch
Brand design
Networking and building your own PR list 13 one-on-ones concluded in October 2024.
Auspicious Arts Grant Writing Workshops –online 8 Feb and in person 14 Oct 2024
Our partnership with Auspicious Arts continued to provide our artists with expert advice on preparing grants throughout 2024. On 8th February 2024, MAV staff member Miriam Abud co-hosted with Patrick Hayes from Auspicious, an information and question session on Zoom. This session was combined with Auspicious’ existing program, in order to provide specific information to culturally diverse artists in the short time available to apply for Creative Victoria’s grant round. 80 people attended the session.
On 14th October 2024, Selene Bateman from Auspicious Arts hosted an in-person grant writing workshop at MAV’s HQ. 20 people attended, including some new to MAV, and some re-engaging for the first time since Covid. There were plenty of questions and discussions from participants, as well as sharing of contact information and workshop resources to support applications. This workshop was not oriented towards any particular grant round, but was designed to enable forward planning and time management for the early new year opportunities that arrive in a hurry. MAV values the service Auspicious provides to artists and the supportive partnership we have together.
CULTURAL AGENCY
In 2024, the Cultural Agency’s Brokerage Program continued to play a vital role in connecting culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) artists with paid, highimpact opportunities across Victoria.
Through strategic collaborations with local councils, educational institutions, and community organisations, the program delivered performances, workshops, and creative engagements that placed CALD artists at the centre of public cultural experiences.
A standout moment this year was our renewed partnership with Melton City Council to broker artists for Djerriwarrh Festival 2024, where we proudly programmed acts such as Tama Tatau, who brought powerful Pacific representation through traditional dance and drumming. The continued relationship with Melton affirms the strength of our model to deliver consistent and culturally rich programming.
We also celebrated a significant step forward in our partnership with SLAM (Student Life & Media) and Melbourne Polytechnic, facilitating a dynamic series of performances and cultural activations across multiple campuses. Artists such as Yara Alkurd and Jacinta Elarmaly were featured during Belonging Fest and other student-led events, drawing overwhelmingly positive feedback from both attendees and Melbourne Polytechnic staff. The SLAM collaboration has proven to be one of the most rewarding partnerships of the year— establishing a precedent for how education institutions can meaningfully engage with and support emerging and established CALD artists through our Brokerage framework.
Additionally, the program brokered Tyra Lewis to perform at Summer in the Glades (December 2024), which marked the beginning of a promising relationship with Gasworks Arts Park. This initial engagement has sparked discussions for future co-branded events and collaborative programming—an exciting development for MAV’s continued growth in new regions.
Across every engagement, the Cultural Agency ensured that artists from migrant backgrounds were represented not only in performance line-ups but in culturally safe spaces that respected their voices, practices, and identities. By doing so, the program continues to deliver on its mission to foster equity in the arts, and to advocate for long-term, systemic inclusion of multicultural voices in public-facing arts programming.
Image: Liona Tatafu and Halo Vocal Ensemble, BLOCK PARTEE 2025, Photo by Tiffany Garvie
Audience Growth
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
LABRISH
Labrish was a community program presented in partnership with The Malthouse Theatre, Pola Practice and the Jamaican Music and Food Festival, for the season run of The Hate Race, a theatrical adaptation of Maxine Beneba Clarke’s best-selling memoir.
Design by the Community Engagement Lead Amarantha Robinson, Labrish was an activation of workshops and musical spoken word events with the intention to elevate community, provide mental health resources and access discounted tickets to the theatrical shows.
During the season run, The Peace Pod was a curated quiet space facilitated by mental health partner Pola Practice to audiences to process the show’s deeply moving themes. This safe space included meditations, reflective activities, soft furnishings, and sensory toys. A Black Arts Noticeboard was also made available for local Black Creatives to promote their upcoming shows, events, products, and services.
Two free in-person workshops were open to 18 to 30-year-old creatives identifying as Black, Indigenous or Person of Colour. The first workshop Telling Your Story was facilitated by Maxine Beneba Clarke who guided participants in how to structure,
edit and expand non-fiction stories about their own lives.
The second workshop Lessgetit: The Craft of Performance was facilitated by co-director Tariro Mavondo, who guided participants on how to be heard effectively in performance spaces, shine as a performer, hold and audience and lead with authenticity to give words breadth and dynamism. Both workshops were at capacity.
In between the Saturday matinee and night shows during the season run, the Malthouse forecourt was activated with a celebration of culture showcasing Jamaican food, music and dance.
A spoken word line-up curated by Shyaire Ganglani included local poets Denise Chapman, Guido Melo, Magan Magan, Thabani Tshuma, Faris Fakhreldin and Cainne. Live readings of excerpts from the anthology Growing Up African in Australia were read by the authors.
MAV commissioned the artwork Dreamscapes by Rukaya Springle to feature as the cover of a doodle pad for workshop participants, and as a colouringin activity for the Peace Pod. MAV also invited local writers Kalida Edwards and Kanika Chopra to review the show from the lens of lived experience and promote the practice of cultural safety in theatre reviews.
This was something I’ve been searching for and needing desperately over the past year. Begging for more!
Navera Ari, emerging performing artist
Image: Labrish 2024, photo by Tiffany Garvie
Art Souk (Diasporas) 2024: A Story of Culture, Connection, and Celebration
Over two vibrant days, Art Souk transformed Arts Centre Melbourne into a living celebration of culture, connection and collective memory. Curated by Lebanese-Australian DJ and cultural producer MzRizk, the program showcased 37 local artists and collectives from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities across multiple artforms.
Held across The Showroom, Amcor Lounge and State Theatre Lounge, Art Souk featured dance, sculpture, digital art, sound installation, live podcasting, and more. Cultural practices such as Shamisen, Qanun, Arabic drumming and Mau Rākau were presented alongside performances in Ndebele, Te reo Māori, Farsi, Turkish and various Arabic dialects.
For many artists, it was their first time performing or exhibiting at Arts Centre Melbourne. “I felt like I was simultaneously in the Arts Centre and in my aunty’s living room,” said Kate Robinson, Iranian-Australian artist and co-creator of Being Biracial. “Those moments are so difficult to create.”
The Showroom became a testing ground for inclusive programming, supported by MAV and ACM staff who worked to ensure artists were welcomed, resourced, and celebrated. “Often you hear a lot of buzzwords in our industry about diversity and anti-racism,” said artist Marhaba Charbouli. “These words ring hollow if funding remains unevenly spread and BIPOC creatives aren’t given autonomy to just do the creative work.”
At the core of Art Souk was MzRizk’s curatorial vision—centering care, reclaiming non-Western traditions, and resisting tokenism through both open EOI and targeted artist invitations.
Art Souk also marked the final chapter of MAV’s DIASPORAS program, a bold multi-year initiative in self-determined creative leadership, developed in response to the isolation of the pandemic years. As MAV transitions to its Powered By program (2025–2028), Art Souk’s legacy continues to shape our commitment to artist-led practice and cultural agency.
Often you hear a lot of buzzwords in our industry about diversity and antiracism, these words ring hollow if funding remains unevenly spread and BIPOC creatives aren’t given autonomy to just do the creative work.”
Marhaba Charbouli Artist
Image: KOKORO by Julie Ann Minaai and Noriko Tadano, Art Souk (Diasporas) 2024, photo by Panashe Mugayapi
MAV proudly curated MAV: Kaleidoscope, a large-scale public art installation for the Metro Tunnel Creative Program. Displayed on the hoardings at Anzac Station for 155 days, the project celebrated the stories and multi-genre practices of five culturally diverse artists: Jenny Zhe Chang, Elif Sezen, Priyanka Jain, Stacey Edwards, and TextaQueen.
The exhibition invited audiences to reflect on “Light” as a concept—explored through existentialist humour and poetic expression— while engaging with themes of identity, transformation, nature, and belonging.
At its centre, Shama (The Flame) by TextaQueen offered a vivid image of rebirth and “moth-erhood” through a glowing candle cradled in the belly of a moth-figure from the Bollywouldn’t series.
Other featured works included:
The Forest on my Flesh – I by Priyanka Jain, exploring microbial connections between body and earth.
Twilight Black Cockatoos by Stacey Edwards, a meditation on symbolic release and personal change.
Light with Hope Harmonious by Jenny Zhe Chang (photographed by Ruben Fino), extending visual solace for those seeking better futures.
Presence #1 by Elif Sezen, an abstract meditation on healing and integration.
The project invited audiences to move beyond constructed systems into a contemplative space that embraced nature, community, and the cosmos.
Delivered in collaboration with West Space, MAV: Kaleidoscope underscores MAV’s commitment to elevating culturally diverse voices in the public realm.
Image: Presence #1 2023 by Elif Sezen as part of Metro Tunnel Creative Program Previous page: Dreamscapes by Rukaya Springle 2022
Artist Leadership
RETROSPECTION
Retrospection: Looking Back to Move Forward
Retrospection is MAV’s evolving program of reflection, research, and creative provocation, developed to mark our 50-year anniversary. More than a milestone, it asks: How do we honour legacy while making space for what’s next?
MAV led the process with care and cultural safety, co-designing the methodology with Leah Avene (Co-Culture) and a team of artistfacilitators, ensuring trust, accountability, and the centrality of lived experience.
Beyond Tokenism is a critical step in MAV’s advocacy—amplifying artist leadership and advancing systemic change.
Through artist-led research, community consultation, critical dialogue, and creative commissions, Retrospection invites artists and communities to examine the past, engage the present, and imagine bold futures. It began in mid-2024 with statewide consultations that brought culturally and linguistically diverse artists into honest, intergenerational dialogue. In October, MAV sat down with founder Mike Zafiropoulos AM for an on-camera interview exploring the organisation’s beginnings—the first in a series of documented reflections continuing into 2025.
Unbound by institutional timelines, Retrospection is grounded in cultural care, co-creation, and deep listening—ensuring the future is shaped by the leadership and truths of the communities we serve.
Beyond Tokenism: Strategic Conversations with Culturally Diverse Artists and Creatives
As part of Retrospection, MAV facilitated statewide consultations in mid-2024, inviting CALD artists into critical conversations about their experiences in the sector. Insights from these roundtables informed Beyond Tokenism, a research report authored by Dr. Gilbert Caluya that contributed directly to Creative Victoria’s next Creative State strategy.
The report surfaces long-held concerns, from structural barriers and the emotional toll of “diversity work,” to the limits of deficitbased funding models. It calls for sustained investment in culturally diverse leadership and community-led cultural production.
Culturally Responsive Theatre Reviews: Shifting the Critical Lens
Launched in response to Beyond Tokenism, MAV’s Culturally Responsive Theatre Reviews initiative challenges dominant reviewing practices and centres culturally grounded critique in live performance.
Partnering with Malthouse Theatre, La Mama, APHIDS, and Amarantha Robinson, MAV supported four performances in 2024 and commissioned 11 CALD writers to respond through lived and cultural perspectives. Writers included Angelica Ignacio, Helena Pantsis, MeiLeng Hooi, Jodi Kashani, Parth Rahatekar, and others—each offering reflections shaped by shared experience.
This initiative is guided by MAV’s Culturally Responsive Reviewing Guide, co-developed with our board of creative practitioners. The guide supports writers to:
Centre cultural context and ownership
Address power, positionality, and language
Recognise diverse audience reception
Honour self-determination and access
By supporting CALD writers to lead critical discourse, MAV affirms reviews as tools for cultural accountability and sector transformation—reclaiming space for artists as thought leaders.
Image: Retrospection Visual ID by Melissa Tidah Him
TREASURER’S REPORT
For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
Mul$cultural Arts Victoria Inc. (MAV) is pleased to report a strong financial performance for 2024, marking a significant turnaround from the previous year. The organisa$on delivered a surplus of $154,041, compared to a deficit of $13,806 in 2023, reflec$ng effec$ve cost management, strategic planning, new developments and opera$onal efficiencies.
Financial Performance
In 2024, MAV recorded total revenue of $1,278,651, primarily sourced from grants and subsidies. This result was achieved through a deliberate focus on strategic, high-impact projects and con$nued fiscal discipline. The surplus was underpinned by savings in several opera$onal areas, including:
● Administra$on and Produc$on wages (a combined saving of approximately $100,000),
● Superannua$on, Rent, Cleaning, IT, and Training/Development costs.
These efficiencies enabled MAV to maintain its programming and advocacy while preparing for an$cipated reduc$ons in Crea$ve Australia funding.
Cash Flow and Financial Posi3on
MAV’s cash flow remains robust. As of 31 December 2024, MAV con$nues to demonstrate strong financial health and liquidity. Prudent financial stewardship has preserved the integrity of our core programs and underpinned our ongoing ability to support culturally diverse ar$sts and communi$es.
Projects
and Ac3vi3es
Throughout 2024, MAV con$nued its mission to promote cultural diversity in the arts. Our support for ar$sts and communi$es from diverse backgrounds was delivered through live events, arts program management, advocacy, and capacity building.
Projects in development included:
● Powered By… mul$-arts pla`orm in partnership with City of Melbourne and Arts Centre Melbourne
● BIPOC AI Intelligence - bespoke pla`orm for culturally diverse ar$sts who iden$fy as D/deaf and/or disabled.
● Newprint - live events program in partnership with Victorian Government
● Wokeshop - online pla`orm in partnership with RMIT University
● Culturally Responsive Reviews - MAV produced performance review network
Block Partee - Vichealth sponsored open house mul$-arts fes$val
These ini$a$ves aim to develop new revenue streams, partnerships, and opera$onal efficiencies while enhancing skills and training opportuni$es within the sector.
Due to a strategic focus on quality over quan$ty and a pivot toward long-term sustainability, project-related grant income and expenses were lower compared to 2023. This aligns with MAV’s strategy to streamline efforts ahead of an$cipated funding changes.
Corporate Governance
The MAV Board has con$nued to uphold strong and representa$ve governance prac$ces, suppor$ng the organisa$on through a year of strategic realignment, financial recovery and consulta$on. Their oversight has been cri$cal in ensuring MAV’s ongoing resilience and alignment with its mission.
the
Changes in State of
The independent audit, conducted by Collins & Co Audit Pty Ltd., confirmed that MAV's financial report presents a true and fair view of the organisa$on’s financial posi$on and performance in accordance with Australian Accoun$ng Standards.
Conclusion
MAV enters 2025 with renewed confidence, sound financial founda$ons, and a clear strategy for sustainable growth and cultural impact. I extend my sincere thanks to the members, staff, volunteers, funders, allies and community partners who contributed to this successful year.
STATEMENT BY THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
In the opinion of the Commigee, the financial report:
1. Presents a true and fair view of the financial posi$on of Mul$cultural Arts Victoria Inc. as at 31 December 2024 and its performance for the year ended on that date in accordance with Australian Accoun$ng Standards.
No significant changes in the Association's state of affairs occurred during the financial year.
No matter has evolved since
(a) the Association's operations in
that has significantly affected, or may
2. At the date of this statement, there are reasonable grounds to believe that Mul$cultural Arts Victoria Inc. will be able to pay its debts as and when they fall due.
(b) the results of those operations in future financial years, or (c) the Association's state of affairs in future financial years.
Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Members of the Board.
This statement is made in accordance with a resolu$on of the Commigee and is signed for and on behalf of the Commigee.
activity
year was:
MulticulturalArtsVictoriaInc.(MAV)operatesinAustraliaasanon-profitorganisationpromotingculturaldiversityinthearts.Theorganisation representsartistsandcommunitiesfromculturallyandlinguisticallydiversebackgrounds.MAV’smainpurposesaretoproduceandpromote anoutstandinghighqualityculturallydiverseartisticprogram;toprovidevitalconnections,supportstructuresandpathwaysthatenable culturallydiverseartistsandcommunitiestocreateexceptionalart;andtoplayacriticaladvocacyroleinprovidingaforum,throughthearts, to ensure acceptance and understanding of cultural diversity.
MAVisamembershipbasedorganisationrepresentingindividuals,groupsandcommunitiesacrossallartforms;music,dance,theatre,film andTV,visualartsandnewmedia.MainservicesprovidingbytheorganisationincludeEventProductionandManagement;Funding SubmissionandManagementservices;BrokeringCulturalArtistsandEvents;MarketingandPromotingculturallydiverseartistsandevents; Advocating for cultural diversity; Touring and Cultural Exchanges.
ARTS VICTORIA INC. STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2024
A.B.N 99 060 260 414
MULTICULTURAL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
Note 1. Statement of Significant Accounting Policies
ThisfinancialreportincludesthefinancialstatementsandnotesoftheMulticulturalArtsVictoriaInc.,anincorporated association, which is incorporated in Victoria under the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012.
Basis of preparation
MulticulturalArtsVictoriaInc.appliesAASB1060GeneralPurposeFinancialStatements-SimplifiedDisclosuresforForProfit and Not-for-Profit Tier 2 Entities (AASB 1060).
ThefinancialstatementsaregeneralpurposefinancialstatementsthathavebeenpreparedinaccordancewithAASB1060 GeneralPurposeFinancialStatements-SimplifiedDisclosuresforFor-ProfitandNot-for-ProfitTier2Entities(AASB1060) oftheAustralianAccountingStandardsBoard,theAustralianCharitiesandNotforProfitsCommissionAct2012andthe AssociationsIncorporationReformAct2012(Victoria).TheAssociationisanot-for-profitAssociationforfinancialreporting purposes under Australian Accounting Standards.
AustralianAccountingStandardssetoutaccountingpoliciesthattheAASBhasconcludedwouldresultinfinancial statementscontainingrelevantandreliableinformationabouttransactions,eventsandconditions.Materialaccounting policiesadoptedinthepreparationofthefinancialstatementsarepresentedbelowandhavebeenconsistentlyapplied unless stated otherwise.
Thefinancialstatements,exceptforthecashflowinformation,havebeenpreparedonanaccrualsbasisandarebasedon historicalcosts,modified,whereapplicable,bythemeasurementatfairvalueofselectednon-currentassets,financial assets and financial liabilities. The amounts presented in the financial statements have been rounded to the nearest dollar.
Accounting Policies
a. Income Tax
TheAssociationisexemptfrompayingincometaxbyvirtueofSections50-50&50-52ofthe IncomeTax Assessment Act 1997.
b. Property, Plant and Equipment
Eachclassofproperty,plantandequipmentiscarriedatcostorfairvalueasindicatedless,whereapplicable,any accumulated depreciation and any impairment losses.
Plant and Equipment
Plantandequipmentaremeasuredonthecostbasisandarethereforecarriedatcostlessaccumulated depreciationandanyaccumulatedimpairmentlosses.Intheeventthecarryingamountofplantandequipmentis greaterthanitsestimatedrecoverableamount,thecarryingamountiswrittendownimmediatelytoitsestimated recoverableamountandimpairmentlossesrecognisedeitherinprofitorlossorasarevaluationdecreaseifthe impairmentlossesrelatetoarevaluedasset.Aformalassessmentofrecoverableamountismadewhen impairment indicators are present.
Subsequentcostsareincludedintheasset'scarryingamountorrecognisedasaseparateasset,asappropriate, onlywhenitisprobablethatfutureeconomicbenefitsassociatedwiththeitemwillflowtotheassociationandthe costoftheitemcanbemeasuredreliably.Allotherrepairsandmaintenancearechargedtotheincomestatement during the financial period in which they are incurred.
Gainsandlossesondisposalsaredeterminedbycomparingproceedswiththecarryingamount.Thesegainsand losses are included in the income statement.
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
Note 1. Statement of Significant Accounting Policies (continued)
b. Property, Plant and Equipment (continued)
Depreciation
Thedepreciableamountofallfixedassets,includingbuildingsandcapitalisedleaseassets,isdepreciatedonthe diminishingvaluemethodovertheasset'susefullifecommencingfromthetimetheassetisheldreadyforuse. Leaseholdimprovementsaredepreciatedovertheshorterofeithertheunexpiredperiodoftheleaseorthe estimated useful lives of the improvements.
The asset's residual values and useful lives are reviewed and adjusted, if appropriate, at each balance date.
Gainsandlossesondisposalsaredeterminedbycomparingproceedswiththecarryingamount.Thesegainsand losses are included in the comprehensive income statement.
Leasepaymentsforoperatingleases,wheresubstantiallyalltherisksandbenefitsremainwiththelessor,are recognised as expenses on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
Forleasesthathavesignificantlybelow-markettermsandconditionsprincipallytoenabletheAssociationtofurther itsobjectives(commonlyknownaspeppercorn/concessionaryleases),theAssociationhasadoptedthetemporary relief under AASB 2018-820 and measures the right-of-use assets at cost on initial recognition.
Initial Recognition and Measurement
Financialassetsandfinancialliabilitiesarerecognisedwhentheassociationbecomesapartytothecontractual provisionstotheinstrument.Forfinancialassets,thisisequivalenttothedatethattheassociationcommitsitselfto either purchase or sale of the asset (i.e. trade date accounting is adopted).
Financialinstrumentsareinitiallymeasuredatfairvalueplustransactionscosts,exceptwheretheinstrumentis classified'atfairvaluethroughprofitorloss',inwhichcasetransactioncostsareexpensedtoprofitorloss immediately.
Classification and Subsequent Measurement
Financeinstrumentsaresubsequentlymeasuredateitheroffairvalue,amortisedcostusingtheeffectiveinterest ratemethod,orcost.Whereavailable,quotedpricesinanactivemarketareusedtodeterminefairvalue.Inother circumstances, valuation techniques are adopted.
Amortisedcostiscalculatedas(i)theamountatwhichthefinancialassetorfinancialliabilityismeasuredatinitial recognition(ii)lessprincipalrepayments(iii)plusorminusthecumulativeamortisationofthedifference,ifany, betweentheamountinitiallyrecognisedandthematurityamountcalculatedusingtheeffectiveinterestmethod; and (iv) less any reduction for impairment.
Theeffectiveinterestmethod isusedtoallocateinterestincomeorinterestexpenseovertherelevantperiodand isequivalenttotheratethatexactlydiscountsestimatedfuturecashpaymentsorreceipts(includingfees, transactioncostsandotherpremiumsordiscounts)throughtheexpectedlife(orwhenthiscannotbereliably predicted,thecontractualterm)ofthefinancialinstrumenttothenetcarryingamountofthefinancialassetor financialliability.Revisionstoexpectedfuturenetcashflowswillnecessitateanadjustmenttothecarryingvalue with a consequential recognition of an income or expense in profit or loss.
Fairvalue isdeterminedbasedoncurrentbidpricesforallquotedinvestments.Valuationtechniquesareapplied todeterminethefairvalueforallunlistedsecurities,includingrecentarm'slengthtransactions,referencetosimilar instruments and option pricing models.
MULTICULTURAL ARTS VICTORIA
c. Leases
d. Financial Instruments
Note 1. Statement of Significant Accounting Policies (continued)
d. Financial Instruments (continued)
(i) Financial assets at fair
Financialassetsareclassifiedat"fairvaluethroughprofitorloss"whentheyareheldfortradingforthepurposeof short-termprofittaking,orwheretheyarederivativesnotheldforhedgingpurposes,orwhentheyaredesignated assuchtoavoidanaccountingmismatchortoenableperformanceevaluationwhereagroupoffinancialassetsis managedbykeymanagementpersonnelonafairvaluebasisinaccordancewithadocumentedriskmanagement orinvestmentstrategy.Suchassetsaresubsequentlymeasuredatfairvaluewithchangesincarryingvaluebeing included in profit or loss.
(ii) Loans and receivables
Loansandreceivablesarenon-derivativefinancialassetswithfixedordeterminablepaymentsthatarenotquoted inanactivemarketandaresubsequentlymeasuredatamortisedcost.Gainsorlossesarerecognisedinprofitor loss through the amortisation process and when the financial asset is derecognised.
(iii) Held-to-maturity investments
Held-to-maturityinvestmentsarenon-derivativefinancialassetsthathavefixedmaturitiesandfixedor determinablepayments,anditistheassociation'sintentiontoholdtheseinvestmentstomaturity.Theyare subsequentlymeasuredatamortisedcost.Gainsorlossesarerecognisedinprofitorlossthroughtheamortisation process and when the financial asset is derecognised.
(iv) Available-for-sale Financial assets
Available-for-saleinvestmentsarenon-derivativefinancialassetsthatareeithernotcapableofbeingclassified intoothercategoriesoffinancialassetsduetotheirnatureortheyaredesignatedassuchbymanagement.They compriseinvestmentsintheequityofotherentitieswherethereisneitherafixedmaturitynorfixedordeterminable payments.
Theyaresubsequentlymeasuredatfairvaluewithanyremeasurementsotherthanimpairmentlossesandforeign exchangegainsandlossesrecognisedinothercomprehensiveincome.Whenthefinancialassetisderecognised, thecumulativegainorlosspertainingtothatassetpreviouslyrecognisedinothercomprehensiveincomeis reclassified into profit or loss.
Available-for-salefinancialassetsareclassifiedasnon-currentassetswhentheyareexpectedtobesoldwithin12 monthsaftertheendofthereportingperiod.Allotheravailable-for-salefinancialassetsareclassifiedascurrent assets.
Financial liabilities
Non-derivativefinancialliabilitiesaresubsequentlymeasuredatamortisedcost.Gainsorlossesarerecognisedin profit or loss through the amortisation process and when the financial liability is derecognised.
Impairment
Attheendofeachreportingperiod,theassociationassesseswhetherthereisobjectiveevidencethatafinancial assethasbeenimpaired.Afinancialassetoragroupoffinancialassetsisdeemedtobeimpairedif,andonlyif, thereisobjectiveevidencethatimpairmentasaresultofoneormoreevents(a"lossevent")hasoccurred,which has an impact on the estimated future cash flows of the financial asset(s).
MULTICULTURAL ARTS VICTORIA
Note 1. Statement of Significant Accounting Policies (continued)
Inthecaseofavailable-for-salefinancialassets,asignificantorprolongeddeclineinthemarketvalueofthe instrumentisconsideredtoconstitutealossevent.Impairmentlossesarerecognisedinprofitorlossimmediately. Also,anycumulativedeclineinfairvaluepreviouslyrecognisedinothercomprehensiveincomeisreclassifiedto profit or loss at this point.
Inthecaseoffinancialassetscarriedatamortisedcost,losseventsmayinclude:indicationsthatthedebtorsora groupofdebtorsareexperiencingsignificantfinancialdifficulty,defaultordelinquencyininterestorprincipal payments;indicationsthattheywillenterbankruptcyorotherfinancialreorganisation;andchangesinarrearsor economic conditions that correlate with defaults.
Financialassetsarederecognisedwherethecontractualrightstoreceiptofcashflowsexpiresortheassetis transferredtoanotherpartywherebytheassociationnolongerhasanysignificantcontinuinginvolvementinthe risksandbenefitsassociatedwiththeasset.Financialliabilitiesarederecognisedwheretherelatedobligationsare eitherdischarged,cancelledorexpired.Thedifferencebetweenthecarryingvalueofthefinancialliability,whichis extinguishedortransferredtoanotherpartyandthefairvalueofconsiderationpaid,includingthetransferofnoncash assets or liabilities assumed, is recognised in profit or loss.
Attheendofeachreportingperiod,theassociationassesseswhetherthereisanyindicationthatanassetmaybe impaired.Ifsuchanindicationexists,animpairmenttestiscarriedoutontheassetbycomparingtherecoverable amountoftheasset,beingthehigheroftheasset'sfairvaluelesscoststosellandvalueinuse,totheasset's carryingamount.Anyexcessoftheasset'scarryingamountoveritsrecoverableamountisrecognised immediatelyinprofitorloss,unlesstheassetiscarriedatarevaluedamountinaccordancewithanotherStandard (e.g.inaccordancewiththerevaluationmodelinAASB116).Anyimpairmentlossofarevaluedassetistreatedas a revaluation decrease in accordance with that other Standard.
Whereitisnotpossibletoestimatetherecoverableamountofanindividualasset,theassociationestimatesthe recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs.
Provisionismadefortheassociation’sliabilityforemployeebenefitsarisingfromservicesrenderedbyemployees tobalancedate.Employeebenefitsexpectedtobesettledwithinoneyeartogetherwithbenefitsarisingfrom wagesandsalaries,annualleaveandsickleavewhichwillbesettledafteroneyear,havebeenmeasuredatthe amountsexpectedtobepaidwhentheliabilityissettledplusrelatedon-costs.Otheremployeebenefitspayable laterthanoneyearhavebeenmeasuredatthepresentvalueoftheestimatedfuturecashoutflowstobemadefor those benefits.
Contributionsaremadebytheassociationtoanemployeesuperannuationfundandarechargedasexpenses when incurred. Whenthetermsoffinancialassetsthatwouldotherwisehavebeenpastdueorimpairedhavebeenrenegotiated, theassociationrecognisestheimpairmentforsuchfinancialassetsbytakingintoaccounttheoriginaltermsasif the terms have not been renegotiated so that the loss events that have occurred are duly considered.
Cashandcashequivalentsincludecashonhand,depositsheldat-callwithbanks,othershort-termhighlyliquid investmentswithoriginalmaturitiesofthreemonthsorless,andbankoverdrafts.Bankoverdraftsareshownwithin borrowings in current liabilities in the statement of financial position.
d. Financial Instruments (continued)
Derecognition
e. Impairment of Assets
f. Employee Entitlements
g. Cash and Cash Equivalents
1. Statement of Significant Accounting Policies (continued)
The incorporated association recognises revenue as follows:
Revenueisrecognisedatanamountthatreflectstheconsiderationtowhichtheincorporatedassociationis expectedtobeentitledinexchangefortransferringgoodsorservicestoacustomer.Foreachcontractwitha customer,theincorporatedassociation:identifiesthecontractwithacustomer;identifiestheperformance obligationsinthecontract;determinesthetransactionpricewhichtakesintoaccountestimatesofvariable considerationandthetimevalueofmoney;allocatesthetransactionpricetotheseparateperformanceobligations onthebasisoftherelativestand-alonesellingpriceofeachdistinctgoodorservicetobedelivered;and recognisesrevenuewhenoraseachperformanceobligationissatisfiedinamannerthatdepictsthetransferto the customer of the goods or services promised.
Grantrevenueisrecognisedinprofitorlosswhentheincorporatedassociationsatisfiestheperformance obligations stated within the funding agreements.
Ifconditionsareattachedtothegrantwhichmustbesatisfiedbeforetheincorporatedassociationiseligibleto retainthecontribution,thegrantwillberecognisedinthestatementoffinancialpositionasaliabilityuntilthose conditions are satisfied.
Events, fundraising and raffles are recognised when received or receivable.
Interestrevenueisrecognisedasinterestaccruesusingtheeffectiveinterestmethod.Thisisamethodof calculatingtheamortisedcostofafinancialassetandallocatingtheinterestincomeovertherelevantperiodusing theeffectiveinterestrate,whichistheratethatexactlydiscountsestimatedfuturecashreceiptsthroughthe expected life of the financial asset to the net carrying amount of the financial asset.
Donationincomeisrecognisedwhentheassociationobtainscontroloverthefundswhichisgenerallyatthetime of receipt.
Theincorporatedassociationhaselectednottorecognisevolunteerservicesaseitherrevenueorotherformof contributionreceived.Assuch,anyrelatedconsumptionorcapitalisationofsuchresourcesreceivedisalsonot recognised.
All revenue is stated net of the amount of goods and services tax (GST).
i. Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of the amount of GST, except where the amount of GST incurred is not recoverable from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
ReceivablesandpayablesarestatedinclusiveoftheamountofGSTreceivableorpayable.Thenetamountof GSTrecoverablefrom,orpayableto,theATOisincludedwithotherreceivablesorpayablesinthestatementof financial position.
j. Comparative Figures
WhenrequiredbyAccountingStandards,comparativefigureshavebeenadjustedtoconformtochangesin presentation for the current financial year.
k. Trade and Other Payables
Tradeandotherpayablesrepresenttheliabilitiesforgoodsandservicesreceivedbytheassociationduringthe reportingperiodthatremainunpaidattheendofthereportingperiod.Thebalanceisrecognisedasacurrent liability with the amounts normally paid within 30 days of recognition of the liability.
l. Provisions
ProvisionsarerecognisedwhentheAssociationhasalegalorconstructiveobligation,asaresultofpastevents, for which it is probable that an outflow of economic benefits will result and that outflow can be reliably measured.
Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation at the end of the reporting period.
m. Critical Accounting Estimates and Judgements
(i) Impairment
Thepreparationofthefinancialstatementsrequiresmanagementtomakejudgements,estimatesand assumptionsthataffectthereportedamountsinthefinancialstatements.Managementcontinuallyevaluatesits judgements and estimates in relation to assets, liabilities, contingent liabilities, revenue and expenses.
Managementbasesitsjudgements,estimatesandassumptionsonhistoricalexperienceandonothervarious factors,includingexpectationsoffutureevents,managementbelievestobereasonableunderthecircumstances. Theresultingaccountingjudgementsandestimateswillseldomequaltherelatedactualresults.Thejudgements, estimatesandassumptionsthathaveasignificantriskofcausingamaterialadjustmenttothecarryingamountsof assets and liabilities (refer to the respective notes) within the next financial year are discussed below.
(ii) Employee benefits provision
AsdiscussedinNote1(j),theliabilityforemployeebenefitsexpectedtobesettledmorethan12monthsfromthe reportingdatearerecognisedandmeasuredatthepresentvalueoftheestimatedfuturecashflowstobemadein respectofallemployeesatthereportingdate.Indeterminingthepresentvalueoftheliability,estimatesofattrition rates and pay increases through promotion and inflation have been taken into account.
Amortisedcostassetcomprisesshort-termdepositswithfixedinterest rates between 1.00% and 1.25%.
The Board of Management do not receive remuneration for their services on the Board. There were no related party transactions during the year. Note 15. Contingent Liabilities
The incorporated association had no contingent liabilities as at 31 December 2024 and 31 December 2023
Note 16. Association Details The registered office and principal place of business of the association is:
BY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
In the opinion of the Board, the financial report as set out on pages 2 to 16:
PresentsatrueandfairviewofthefinancialpositionofMulticulturalArtsVictoriaInc.asat31December2024 and its performance for the year ended on that date in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards.
Atthedateofthisstatement,therearereasonablegroundstobelievethatMulticulturalArtsVictoriaInc.willbe able to pay its debts as and when they fall due.
This statement is made in accordance with a resolution of the Board and is signed for and on behalf of the Board by:
REPORT TO THE MEMBERS
Opinion
I have audited the accompanying financial report of Multicultural Arts Victoria Inc. (the association), which comprises the statement of financial position as at 31 December 2024, and the statement of comprehensive income, statement of changes in equity and statement of cash flows for the year ended on that date, notes comprising a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information and the statement by members of the Board.
In my opinion, the financial report of the Association is in accordance with the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission Act 2012 and the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012, including:
i. giving a true and fair view of the association’s financial position as at 31 December 2024 and of its performance and cash flows for the year ended on 31 December 2024; and
ii. complying with Australian Accounting Standards as per Note 1, the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission Act 2012 and the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012
Basis of Opinion
I conducted my audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. My responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report section of my report. I am independent of the association in accordance with the auditor independence requirements of the ACNC Act 2012 and the ethical requirements of the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board’s APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code) that are relevant to my audit of the financial report in Australia. I have also fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the Code.
I confirm that the independence declaration required by the ACNC Act 2012, which has been given to the directors of the association would be on the same terms if given to the directors as at the time of this auditor’s report.
I believe that the audit evidence I have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for my opinion.
Responsibilities of Management and Those Charged with Governance for the Financial Report
Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial report in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial report that is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial report, management is responsible for assessing the Association’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Entity or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the Association’s financial reporting process.
Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report
My objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial report as a whole is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the financial report.
As part of an audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards, I exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. I also:
• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial report, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for my opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the registered entity’s internal control.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the responsible entities.
• Conclude on the appropriateness of the responsible entities use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the registered entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. If conclude that a material uncertainty exists, I am required to draw attention in my auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial report or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify my opinion. My conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of my auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the registered entity to cease to continue as a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial report, including the disclosures, and whether the financial report represents the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
I communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal controls that identify during my audit.
Frederik Ryk Ludolf Eksteen CA
ASIC Auditor Registration Number 421448
Collins & Co Audit Pty Ltd 127 Paisley Street
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Thanks & Acknowledgements
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