The vision for Step-in Saray is to create an incubation space where South Asian creatives can tackle the challenges by facilitating much needed exposure and targeted professional development time with industry professionals and established practitioners.
This project emerged from a Q&A session hosted by Nautanki Theatre in 2019 involving South Asian Australian creatives from Western Sydney. They identified lack of opportunities, limited exposures and dearth of relatable contents attractive to South-Asian Australians restricting development of diverse theatre audiences.
In Step-in Saray labs, creatives will develop strategic pathways to further their arts practice through networking, mentoring, establishing partnerships and collaborations, showcasing skills and pitching works for creative development.
In Hindi or Urdu “saray” refers to accommodation for travelers or a place where caravans would rest (caravansaray) – implying a place where all are welcome. The project addresses equity and inclusion in the sector by facilitating access to resources and opportunities for underrepresented groups, and targeted participation of culturally diverse creatives.
