Massey lecturer, composer and sound artist wins APRA award

As a physically disabled and neurodivergent person, composer, sound artist and producer, Dr Jesse Austin-Stewart seeks to promote accessibility for tāngata whaikaha Māori, d/Deaf, and disabled people within Aotearoa New Zealand.

Dr Austin-Stewart's work explores ways to make the field more inclusive. He has composed for contemporary dance and film and created performance art works and sound installations. His works have been exhibited across Aotearoa, Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Greece, Japan, Sweden, USA and more.

Dr Austin-Stewart has represented Aotearoa numerous times and has received nominations at the Student Radio Network Awards. As a producer, he has recorded work for short films, orchestra, solo artists and bands, small ensemble, opera, and he has received over 2,850,000 streams online.

Each recipient of the APRA Professional Development Award receives $10,000 to contribute towards the next step of their career enhancement, from mentorship and internships, craft development, to attending art residencies and upskilling camps.

Dr Austin-Stewart says he will be utilising the $10,000 funds from the APRA award to attend the United Kingdom's SOUND/IMAGE Festival - an annual celebration of sound and audiovisual practice, exploring how sound and image media fabricate, articulate and question the spaces of experience. He will also meet with several disability music organisations to learn, network and promote their work to open future opportunities.

“The UK has really strong disability music activism and I’m excited by the chance to learn from them and see world leading sound art to help bring new ideas for accessibility in music back to Aotearoa.

"My artistic practice explores the intersection of sound art and music-disability advocacy, and I’m really excited to take new learnings from this trip that help develop new narratives and approaches in my work that benefit community,” Dr Austin says.