Meta and Screen Australia's First Nations Creator Program on amplifying voices

Screen Australia’s First Nations Department and Instagram Australia's First Nations Creators Program is returning for a third year, with 2023 applications now open. 

The immersive program is an opportunity for up to 15 First Nations recipients to receive funding, intimate educational experiences and continuous fostered growth to help create long term career prospects in social media and digital content creation. 

Kirsty Wilson, Meta’s ANZ creator partnerships lead, said the company came up with the idea for the program to think about storytelling in a different way. 

“The work that the First Nations Department of Screen Australia do is incredible, especially to target young creators who are telling their stories across social media and in short form. 

“We wanted to find a way to support those creators and bring new voices through and give them the confidence that they can have a career in content.” 

The program will be held at Instagram HQ in Sydney, and will provide in-person training, practical workshops, mentoring, career connections, equipment and content funding.

To enter, each applicant must submit a short one minute video about themselves. The content should include their social accounts, some detail on the type of content they create, as well as sharing their inspirations and goals, and some First Nations Creators they admire and follow. 

Angela Bates, Screen Australia’s head of First Nations, said for the Department to partner with Meta was an incredible opportunity. 

For Bates, this program is a talent identifier to see who is out there to forge potential pathways in film and TV. 

“We're not actively pushing that, but it's interesting to see the talent that does come through,” she said. 

“We've had a former participant, Jahvis Loveday, who was in last year's intake and went on to do a locations placement attachment with a Netflix series. 

“For us to invest in partnership with Meta, it’s important that we're across where our audiences are tuning in and sourcing their content.” 

Bates said programs like these are not only important in identifying talent, but also in amplifying voices.  

“That's the very reason why our department exists; to give opportunities to our First Nations creators who might miss out on those opportunities,” she said. 

“We've come a long way in the years to upskill and create better opportunities. It makes sense for us to do that in the social media space - it's so accessible. 

Each year, the successful recipients receive a phone and tools to create content, said Bates.  

“It's incredibly important to be able to give focused training to these creators, but also to bring them together for inspiration as well.” 

To participate in this year’s program, creators must be over 18 years of age and identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Creators must have an Instagram account as well as experience in social media or digital video content creation and be available to attend the program in Sydney in October 2023. 

For Wilson and the team at Meta, there is an emphasis on the community aspect amongst the young creators.  

“The great thing last year that we did was that we brought all ten participants together for a two day program here at Meta.  

“What was amazing about that is it brought those creators together as a community; the relationships that have been formed through the program, as well as the content that they create has been awesome to see.” 

The young creators who are starting out in the industry are most likely working by themselves at home, said Wilson. 

“That can be quite a lonely experience sometimes, and to be able to bring together a group of people so that they can learn and grow from one another is really important,” she said. 

“That isn't the goal of the program, it’s to give them support and funding to create content, but the byproduct of that creates this strong community of creators supporting creators.” 

Loveday from Bundjalung country said the Screen Australia and Meta First Nations program was one of the best things he did for his creative growth.  

“The warm nurturing and collaborative nature allowed me to tear down my walls as a creator and begin creating whatever I wanted on Instagram,” said Loveday. 

“It was powerful to create alongside other First Nations creators, and to watch each other now grow, is so uplifting." 

A program like this will have a significant impact on First Nations creatives by way of empowerment, says Bates. 

“This training will hopefully inspire our First Nations creatives to keep creating content, to amplify their voices and to stay connected as a community,” she said. 

“For some, it could be a direct pathway to the film and TV industry.” 

Wilson notes it’s about giving the creators the confidence where they can consider this as a viable business for themselves. 

“You can't be what you can't see,” she said. 

The more creators that come through programs like this and are making careers by either getting agents or seeking pathways within film is brilliant, said Wilson. 

“It's inspiring other young creatives out there to actually go; ‘I could do this’. 

“There are a lot of people who weren't doing this full time before; they were doing it alongside other jobs. It just shows them it's a feasible career opportunity.” 

The Instagram First Nations Creators Program has been a pivotal platform for elevating and celebrating the rich diversity of First Nations voices in the digital landscape, said Bates. 

“We invite all aspiring First Nations creators to once again seize this incredible opportunity to shape a more inclusive and vibrant digital future,” she said. 

First Nations Creators can apply for the program here. Applications close August 10.