Farewell to Liza-Mare Syron
Liza-Mare at Yellamundie Festival 2021 - Jamie James
Liza-Mare Syron (Biripai)
Farewell to Liza-Mare
Liza-Mare was the third co-founder of Moogahlin Performing Arts, to join Lily Shearer & Frederick Copperwaite and they had their first meeting on 7 November 2007. The three co-founders worked tirelessly to get the company incorporated, established an artist-run Board and worked on funding applications for project work (2007 - 2010). Liza-Mare identified her need for further understanding of running a company, and took a few years break from Moogahlin to acquire new skills by joining Arts NSW (now Create NSW) as the Senior Aboriginal Arts and Culture Officer.
Liza-Mare at Yellamundie Festival 2017 - Jamie James
In 2014 Liza-Mare rejoined the company as a member of the Moogahlin Artistic Directorate (MAD). During this time the co-founders worked together to develop strategic plans for the future, working project to project during 2014 - 2016, and was successful with Australia Council for the Arts (now Creative Australia) four year funding for Moogahlin (2017 - 2028).
Liza-Mare at the first Koori Gras in 2017 - Jamie James
Liza-Mare has been a key dramaturg, director and mentor in Moogahlin’s Yellamundie Festival from 2013 - 2021, guiding several First People’s works-in -development that have gone on to full productions.
In her time with Moogahlin, Liza-Mare’s collaborations, directing and producing credits include:
Collaborated with Wesley Enoch as Associate Director on the 2023 version of The Visitors by Jane Harrison,
Ngapa Yaan Nibi Aanmitaagzi (Water Speak) in-partnership with Aanmitaagzi from Nipissing First Nations (Ontario, Turtle Island) for Sydney Biennale (2022) as lead Artist,
Produced The Visitors by Jane Harrison (Mooghalin/Sydney Festival/Carriageworks - 2020),
The Weekend (Moogahlin/Sydney Festival/Carriageworks - 2019),
Rainbows End (Darlinghurst Theatre /Moogahlin - 2019) and was a
Co-Lead Artist on Broken Glass (Blacktown Arts/Sydney Festival/Moogahlin 2018).
Liza-Mare at Koori Gras 2023 - Jamie James
Liza-Mare is credited for her leadership in implementing one of Moogahlin’s key artist development platforms, Koori Gras (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024) in partnership with the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and Sydney World Pride (2023). Koori Gras is a flagship of queer programs creating space for First People drag artists, new and established. We have witnessed many of these artists develop and grow the network of blak artists, nationally and internationally. Koori Gras program has included exhibitions, talks, workshops performances and creative developments including the Blak Nulla Cabaret, Diva for a day workshops, Yellamundie Queer Blak Play Readings and Koori Gras Divas as part of Baiame’s Ngunnhu Festival (2024). Supporting Queer artists to develop their artistry.
Liza-Mare performing in Koorie Wirguls at Sydney World Pride 2023 - Stephen Wilson Barker
Since July 2020 Liza-Mare has been Mooghalin’s Senior Artistic Associate, a member of our Company Leadership Team and a Blakademic at the University of New South Wales. Liza-Mare has written blakademic papers about the process of making First Nations work, internationally and about Moogahlin’s unique practices and processes of making new work with community, and/or for stage, continuing to support First Peoples independent artists.
As a founding member of Moogahlin, over the past seventeen (17) years, Liza-Mare Syron, alongside Frederick Copperwaite and Lily Shearer, have overseen the growth of Moogahlin and have worked primarily in a volunteer, project based, or part-time capacity. Building a company that now has seven (7) staff members and a diverse performing arts program that is built on a partnership model that continues to bring our practices as First People’s into mainstream spaces. Liza-Mare, Thank you for your dedication, diligence and legacy you leave for the next generations.
Liza-Mare at Yellamundie Festival 2021 - Jamie James