PH(R)ASE is strengthening dance practice in the Northern Rivers by creating opportunities for artists to connect with leading national and international practitioners. Through artist residencies, creative exchange and professional development, this work responds to the Dance Sector Uplift report’s recommendations to expand residency opportunities, strengthen professional pathways and foster a connected regional dance ecology.

This opportunity grew from connections established through PH(R)ASE Co-Founder Philip Channells’ participation in his Regional Arts Australia Fellowship. A meeting with the producer of Irish company Attic Projects in Manchester sparked a conversation that has evolved into an international artist residency for the Northern Rivers.

As part of this commitment, PH(R)ASE is hosting Irish writer, director, choreographer and performer Luke Murphy, founder of Attic Projects, as artist in residence. Luke brings an international perspective to the region while creating opportunities for local artists to deepen their practice through exchange, experimentation and shared learning.

Before arriving in the Northern Rivers, Attic Projects will present the Australian premiere of *Scorched Earth* at Brisbane Festival (17–20 September).

Following the Brisbane season, Luke will lead Moving for Purpose, Function, Desire & Survival a two-day movement and performance intensive that offers Northern Rivers artists a rare opportunity to engage with his distinctive approach to theatre and dance-making.

Luke Murphy | Attic Projects

How does purpose change movement?

In this intensive two-day workshop held in Brunswick Heads just north of Byron Bay, Luke invites participants into the creative process behind his internationally acclaimed theatre and dance works. Drawing on his experience as both a maker and performer, Luke explores how movement generates purpose, meaning and theatrical presence.

Designed for artists with professional performance experience, the workshop combines physical practice with creative investigation.

Participants will develop tools to expand their physical range by working with gravity, momentum and coiling dynamics. These tools are then applied to different performative intentions through a central question that sits at the heart of Luke’s practice:

Does movement itself change with purpose, or is it our experience of it that changes?

Volcano: Photo by Ben McKeown courtesy of the American Dance Festival.

From there, participants will be challenged to apply these ideas in unfamiliar physical, emotional and psychological directions. Through experimentation and creative risk-taking, the workshop embraces performance as a practice that is rigorous, vulnerable, surprising and deeply physical.

Whether your practice is grounded in dance, theatre or interdisciplinary performance, this workshop offers an opportunity to deepen your physical awareness, expand your creative vocabulary and experience a distinctive approach to movement-making.

2-Day Workshop Schedule
Tuesday 23 – Wednesday 24 September
8:45AM arrival | 9:00AM – 2:45PM daily

Venue: Brunswick Heads Memorial Hall, Shop 3/22 Fingal St, Brunswick Heads NSW 2483

Cost: $130 (plus Humanitix booking fee)
Places are strictly limited to 12 participants.

Register for the workshop here!

Luke Murphy | Attic Projects

ABOUT LUKE MURPHY

Luke Murphy is an Irish writer, director, choreographer and performer whose work sits at the intersection of theatre and dance. Through his company Attic Projects, he has created more than twelve acclaimed works for stage, film, installation and immersive performance, presented throughout Ireland, the UK, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong and the United States.

As a performer, Luke originated roles with Punchdrunk in Sleep No More (New York) and The Burnt City (London), and has worked with internationally renowned artists and companies including Wim Vandekeybus/Ultima Vez, Pavel Zustiak/Palissimo, Martha Clarke, Kate Weare Company, Janis Brenner, Sean Curran, John Kelly, Alexandra Waierstall, Jonah Bokaer, Liz Roche, Ben Duke and others.

Luke lives in Cobh, County Cork, Ireland, and is currently Dance Artist in Residence at Dance Cork – Firkin Crane.

By investing in artist residencies, professional development and international exchange, PH(R)ASE is helping build a connected and sustainable dance ecology for the Northern Rivers, one that reflects the long-term vision outlined in the Dance Sector Uplift report.

Image credits: Volcano by Attic Projects. Photo by Ben McKeown, courtesy of the American Dance Festival.