Wanim Tour Digital Program

Wanim Tour 11—21 September 2026

Stephen Pigram, Bart Marr, Mary Rapp, Carl Dewhurst, Talya Valenti and local collaborators

A celebration of music, culture and connection across the Kimberley

Acknowledgement of Country Tura acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and create.

We pay our respects to Elders past and present. With solidarity and friendship we say thank you.

Welcome After a short pause, Tura is delighted to see our Kimberley intercultural touring program back on the road with Wanim.

For 25 years, Tura has worked alongside artists, communities and cultural leaders in the region, learning the importance of taking time, listening deeply and creating the space for artists and communities to shape new work.

Wanim brings together so much of what has been central to that journey: strong relationships, cultural exchange, intergenerational connection and a belief in the power of music to bring people together.

The tour has grown through the communities it visits and the artists and cultural leaders who have generously shared their knowledge, creativity and time.

For Tura, those relationships are every bit as important as the performances themselves.

Our endless thanks to the artists, cultural leaders, community partners, schools, local collaborators and everyone who has welcomed Wanim into their community.

We look forward to meeting you on the journey.

Tos Mahoney | Artistic Director

About Wanim In Kimberley Kriol, Wanim means “what’s happening”. It is a question that invites us to listen, share and see what happens when artists come together. This spirit of curiosity and openness is at the heart of the project.

Wanim brings together Kimberley award-winning musician Stephen Pigram, Fitzroy Valley singer-songwriter Bart Marr, and leading musicians and sound artists Mary Rapp, Carl Dewhurst and Talya Valenti. A meeting of cultures, stories and sound, together Wanim creates music shaped by Country, culture and curiosity. Here, listening becomes collaboration, and every performance unfolds as a unique exchange.

Travelling from Kununurra to Broome through Warmun, Halls Creek, Wangkatjungka and Fitzroy Crossing, Wanim changes from place to place.

Local artists and cultural leaders join the performances, bringing their own voices, stories and knowledge. From Wangga and Joonba to contemporary songwriting, improvisation and contemporary sound, each performance is shaped by the community and Country where it takes place.

Wanim grows from Tura’s 25-year history of working alongside artists and communities across the Kimberley, building strong and lasting relationships through music and sound.

Each time Wanim gathers, the music is different. What remains is the invitation to listen, to share and to be part of the conversation.

The Tour Kununurra

Fitzroy Crossing

Friday, 11 September

Thursday, 17 September

East Kimberley College

Sunday, 13 September Waringarri Aboriginal Arts With Wangga by Waringarri Performers, and special guests Warmun

Monday, 14 September Ngalangangpum School

Monday, 14 September

Fitzroy Valley District High School Mindi Rardi Cultural Festival Grounds With traditional singing and dancing by Kurtal and Walmajarri Singers and Dancers, performances from Tura's Sound FX program, and special guests.

Broome

Sunday, 20 September

Warmun Arts Centre, Joonba Grounds

Pigram Theatre, Broome Civic Centre

With Joonba by Gija Dancers, and special guests

With Chase Pigram, Chris Griffiths, Tos Mahoney and Tristen Parr

Halls Creek

Monday, 21 September

Tuesday, 15 September

St Mary’s College Broome

Halls Creek District High School

Tuesday, 15 September Pioneer Park With special guests Wangkatjungka

Wednesday, 16 September Wangkatjungka Remote Community School Broome

Kununurra

Warmun

Fitzroy Crossing

Wangkatjungka

Halls Creek

Wanim Creative Team Wanim Ensemble Stephen Pigram | Guitar, Ukulele, Vocals 2026 Red Ochre Award recipient and WA Music Industry Hall of Fame honouree Stephen Pigram is one of the defining voices of Australia’s music. A Yawuru singer, songwriter and multiinstrumentalist, he has been central to the development of Broome Creole music, drawing on Aboriginal music of Broome and the Dampier Peninsula and the international cultures that have shaped Broome. A member of the renowned Pigram Brothers, his poetic songs reflect Kimberley life, culture and politics.

Bart Marr | Guitar, Vocals From the Fitzroy Valley, singer-songwriter and guitarist Bart Marr is part of a new generation carrying Kimberley music forward. He has been making music since the age of 10, growing up surrounded by the music of his father Victor and uncle Danny of Fitzroy Xpress. A founding member of the Now or Never Boys, Bart brings fresh energy to this rich musical legacy, forging his own sound rooted in Country, language and community.

Mary Rapp | Double Bass, Cello Dr Mary Rapp is a multidisciplinary musician, composer and sound artist whose work spans jazz, classical and contemporary art music. A cellist, double bassist and vocalist, she has performed nationally and internationally with Ensemble Offspring, Australian Art Orchestra, Yirinda, Paul Kelly and Christine Anu. Her compositions and sound works have been commissioned by institutions including the Sydney Observatory, Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin and Art Gallery of NSW.

Carl Dewhurst | Guitar Carl Dewhurst is one of Australia’s leading jazz guitarists and improvisers, renowned for his versatility across jazz, rock, pop, blues and world music. He has collaborated with the Australian Art Orchestra, James Morrison, Archie Roach, Vince Jones and Jade MacRae, and led ensembles including Showa 44 and The Drip Hards.

Carl is a lecturer in jazz and improvisation at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Talya Valenti | Drums, Percussion Talya Valenti is a jazztrained drummer and accomplished improviser, recognised for her versatility across jazz, contemporary and experimental music. She has collaborated with Methyl Ethel, Stella Donnelly, Lucky Oceans and Maatakitj, and performed at Glastonbury and Fuji Rock. Her original work spans modern jazz projects Turiya and Carlton/ Macpherson/Pass/Valenti. She has previously collaborated with Stephen Pigram on Songs for Freedom.

Local Collaborators: Broome Chase Pigram Chase Pigram is a Yawuru musician from Broome and a distinguished emerging voice in the next generation of the renowned Pigram family. A vocalist, guitarist and ukulele player, he draws on the rich musical traditions of the Kimberley while forging his own contemporary expression of the Broome Sound. Chase recently performed in Raised in Big Spirit Country, a collaboration between Black Swan State Theatre Company and Pigram Productions.

Chris Griffiths Chris Griffiths is a Miriwoong, Ngaliwurru and Karangpurru man and respected cultural leader from the East Kimberley.

A lead songman, dancer, mentor and cultural advisor, he plays an important role in ceremony and community life. Chris is Strong Men’s Program Coordinator at Waringarri Aboriginal Corporation, and a lead artist and cultural advisor across Tura projects Sound Connections and The Journey Down.

Special Guests: Broome Tos Mahoney Tos Mahoney is an acclaimed flautist and improvising musician, as well as Tura’s Artistic Director and CEO. He has four decades’ experience championing adventurous music and sound across Australia, playing a central role in Tura’s programming. Tos has a particular passion for Northern Australian touring, which he has initiated and curated for more than 20 years, creating distinctive collaborations between artists, communities and place.

Tristen Parr Tristen Parr is an acclaimed cellist, composer and sound artist whose practice spans contemporary music, theatre, dance and interdisciplinary performance. He has performed extensively across Australia, Europe, Asia and North America, with a long history of creating and performing work across regional and remote Western Australia.

His work with Tura includes extensive Kimberley touring, Kimberley Echoes and the award-winning The Journey Down.

Production Team Guy Smith | Production Manager & Audio Engineer Max Mackenzie | Lighting Designer & Production Assistant Tristen Parr | Producer

About Tura Operating since 1987, Tura is a leading producer and supporter of new music and sound art in Australia. Widely recognised for excellence and deep engagement, Tura collaborates with artists, communities, festivals and cultural institutions to present, produce, commission and advocate for Australian cultural development.

Through the art of sound – in its many forms and crossovers within a universe of old and new practice – we explore Australian identity and push the boundaries of expression, creating diverse and boldly ambitious works.

Tura People Tos Mahoney | Founder/Artistic Director Tristen Parr | General Manager Pauline Sikweti | Finance Manager Eloise Lindeback | Development & Marketing Bruna Aguiar | Administration & Communications Coordinator Rachel Davison | Social Media & PR Consultant Anna Sparkes | Social Media & PR Consultant

Tura Board Geoff Warn | Chair Tui Raven Siu Chan Jasmin Stephens Julian Tompkin Darren Grondal

Acknowledgements The Wanim Tour has been supported by the Western Australian Government through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries’ Playing WA program and by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.

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