Undercover Artist Development Program supports works-in-progress – creative projects in the early development stages. The program is designed to support performing artists with disability or who are d/Deaf to develop their ideas and experiment in the rehearsal room.
The Undercover Artist Development Program is taking a break for 2024. We encourage artists to sign up to our mailing list and stay tuned for news about when the new and improved program will return.
Alexandra Ellen is a Brisbane based theatre maker and visual artist. She takes a multidisciplinary approach to her artistic practice which crosses form. She aims to educate, challenge, expose, encourage and delight.
Alexandra Ellen is the Artistic Associate at indelabilityarts and has been a member of the professional ensemble since 2017. She was a contributing member of the Love Me; and is part of the creative team and cast of award winning show, Wilbur The Optical Whale. Alexandra is currently in development for disability led work, Betsy and I: Conversations with my Walker as the writer and creative lead. Alexandra was part of La Boite’s 2020 ASSEMBLY cohort and s the 2020 Access Arts Achievement Award recipient.
Through the Development Program Betsy and I will be entering the final stage of creative development leading to a polished performance outcome. During this development stage, Alexandra and her creative team will be focusing on the design elements of the show (lighting, sound, and stage) to get it ready for its premiere.
Betsy and I is an exciting, innovative performance work exploring the friendship of Ivy, a 30-year-old disabled woman, and her wheelie walker, Betsy. Delving into themes around ableism, internalised ableism, shame, pride, identity and acceptance. Through the lens of Ivy and Betsy’s friendship, Alexandra explores her personal relationship with disability. The show presents these themes in a safe way, enabling the audience to see the truth more clearly. Betsy and I will be produced with the support of indelabilityarts.
From humble beginnings as Clown #3, Joel has always had a passion for the performing arts. Completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts: Drama from Queensland University of Technology in 2014. Joel took a hiatus from performance to explore other pursuits.
It was only after completing the Midsumma Pathways Program in 2020 did Joel truly recognise where his passions lie. This led to wonderful opportunities, including some TV work for Peacock’s Joe vs Carole, and being involved with indelabilityarts for the Matilda Award Winning Wilbur the Optical Whale. Joel is also a co-host on the podcast, Crip and Chronic. While these pursuits have been rewarding, Joel wishes to truly dive into exploring how the stage can transform perceptions of disability. Creating a disability centred work that does not aim to assimilate disabled bodies into ableist culture, but to highlight what makes it valuable.
With the Ballsy creative team, Joel will embark upon the initial creative development stage and work on bring Sarah-Belle Ballsy to the stage in a way that asks audiences to see disabled bodies how they are, not how they’d like them to be.
Ballsy is a performance that infuses storytelling, clowning, and drag featuring “Sarah-Belle Ballsy”, who has had enough of able-bodied people in this able-bodied world, and they’re here to tell you about it. Through lip-sync, physical theatre and spoken word, Sarah-Belle will take the audience on a journey that makes them question what an “ideal” body is, as well as highlight the valididity of disabled people to exist in their own bodies, and how that Pride in our bodies is power.
Acclaimed composer Donna Dyson has received support from Undercover Artist Development Program to create, compose, and record an EP of songs which support positivity, resilience, and the power of inclusion for all children. In future, Donna aims to present a concert aimed at children from 3 to 10 years of age and their families featuring the music from this EP.
“You Belong invites children to understand their power of voice in singing lyrics written for them… not adults but child focused empowering lyrics to own, sing out loud and repeat later through listening via the global distribution power of music streaming services. You Belong empowers us to connect to something greater than ourselves through the power of music.” Said Donna Dyson.
Sleep and the City is a cabaret work-in-development that explores the parallels between Emma-June’s journey to diagnosis (for narcolepsy) with her dating life and that of the iconic ‘Sex and the City’.
Emma-June and her creative team will be working through song arrangements and ideas, writing and completing vocal workshops with the aim of having a show outline and draft script at the end of this initial creative development stage.
“I hope this project may be a catalyst for change, particularly to encourage others to feel empowered in their own diagnosis journeys, or to more deeply engage with their relationship to sleep.” Said Emma-June Curik
Submit your application online using the webform below by 15 November 2022.
This one application form supports both Undercover Artist Festival 2023 Expressions of Interest process and the Undercover Artist Development Program.
If you are unable to submit an application online, we welcome the use of our alternative methods.
How you apply will not impact our decision-making process.
Download and send an Expressions of Interest application form, along with supporting material to to undercoverartist@cpl.org.au by 5:00pm, Tuesday 15 November 2022
Please include subject line: ‘2023 EOIs – Artist Name‘
Film an Auslan video, ensuring all questions from the application form are covered.
Save this video to a DropBox, Google Drive or similar site, and send a link to undercoverartist@cpl.org.au by 5:00pm, Tuesday 15 November 2022.
Please include subject line: ‘2023 EOIs – Artist Name – Auslan’
Record an audio recording, ensuring all questions from the application form are covered.
Save this recording to a DropBox, Google Drive or similar site, and send to undercoverartist@cpl.org.au by 5:00pm, Tuesday 15 November 2022.
Please include subject line: ‘2023 EOIs – Artist Name – Audio’
Request a phone or video interview by emailing undercoverartist@cpl.org.au prior to 1 November 2022
These calls will go for 15 minutes and our team will ask the same questions on the application form. Supporting material will still be required via email.
Applications will be assessed on the potential outcome. This means, we want to see your potential to successfully create a pathway to future career opportunities through the Development Program and be ready to showcase your power to a public audience.
We welcome all forms of performing arts. So, whether you are dancer, musician, writer, artistic group, comedian, poet, or cabaret performer – if you have a creative dream, or maybe you are almost show ready – we want to hear from you!
If you have any questions, please contact us via undercoverartist@cpl.org.au and we will contact you as soon as possible to discuss your project.
Please note: The Undercover Artist team works part-time only and will be in touch as soon as possible.
Undercover Artist acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and we pay our respects to Elders, past, present, and emerging. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their unique cultural and spiritual relationship to land, water and seas and their rich contribution to society.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.
