Ep.89: Erica McCalman: Creative Director & Strategist - “What we need more than ever isn’t social cohesion, but belonging and empathy” (Video)

Erica McCalman (she/her) is a creative director, speaker and convenor working at the intersection of experimental art, climate and systems change. She is interested in regenerative economies, opening opportunities for collaboration between different lived experiences, connecting people to deeper conversations and uplifting new models and narratives in service of people and planet. Her producing credits include Darwin Festival, Sydney Festival, Next Wave, Performance Space, APAM, Melbourne Fringe and Sydney WorldPride. She has mentored and facilitated for organisations including A Climate for Art (ACFA), Vitalstatistix, Hyphenated Projects, Creative Australia, Performing Lines, Darwin Fringe and Artback NT. For more than a decade Erica has been an advocate for the arts through grassroots efforts driven by the sector and her association with Theatre Network Australia. She has served on the boards of Theatre Network Australia, ILBIJERRI, La Mama Theatre Company and on the advisory group for the Arts Wellbeing Collective. As a speaker she is known for balancing warmth and good humour with unflinching insight into the complexities we navigate in turbulent times. A Ballardong Noongar woman with Irish convict, Scottish and Cornish heritage, she is also neurodivergent. Erica is a graduate of Small Giants Academy’s Mastery of Business and Empathy and Climate Leadership Accelerator programs. In 2008 Erica attained her Bachelor of Fine Art (Production) from the University of Melbourne, Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts.   @stagelync The StageLync Podcast is a branch of our larger StageLync Community. Come visit us at www.stagelync.com   Credits for the StageLync Podcast Hosts: Anna Robb Editor: Rose Anne Fermocil Music: Jeremy Willi Design: Roselle Bernardo Production Coordinator: Roselle Bernardo and Alexandra Baxter Producers: Anna Robb and Andrea Honis