Taking First Nations Voices to the World
Adelaide City of Music was proud to facilitate the invitation of Barkindji Songwoman, social activist, and festival programmer Nancy Bates to participate and perform at the 2025 International Indigenous Music Summit (IIMS) in Toronto, June 2-6. Nancy’s powerful performance with her band was a highlight of the outstanding international music program presented across the Summit.
IIMS is the world’s largest global event dedicated to creating awareness, sharing resources, and building opportunities for the Indigenous music community. The Summit has transformed Canada’s First Nations music industry, providing a space to share, create, and build, and changing the discussion from disadvantage to sovereignty.
ACOM has built an excellent relationship with the Summit, facilitating APY Lands act, DEM MOB’s participation last year, and hosting IIMS Program Director, Nicole Auger, in Adelaide earlier this year. The IIMS represents a valuable international career pathway, capability development, and cultural sharing opportunity for First Nations artists and music professionals.
ACOM is committed to building on this relationship and partnering with local artists, music professionals, and organisations to celebrate and create more international opportunities for First Nations artists and culture.
With support from the South Australian Government’s Music Development Office, Sounds Australia, and Nexus Arts, ACOM was also able to support multi-instrumentalist, producer, and singer-songwriter, Adelaide-based, Western Arrernte man, Rob Edwards, to attend and participate in the Summit. Leni Garrdio, Indigenous Mapuché Chilean / Australian singer and producer, was also able to attend as part of Nancy’s band and as a delegate in his own right.
Sarah Bleby, the Executive Producer of Adelaide Guitar Festival (AGF), accompanied the South Australian delegates to the Summit. The Summit provided an opportunity for AGF to promote the festival, source artists, and inform its own Blak Country program.
The Minister for Arts, the Hon. Andrea Michaels MP congratulated Nancy Bates on her performance at this year’s International Indigenous Music Summit in Toronto, saying “This was an exciting opportunity for Nancy to share her music and culture at the biggest event dedicated to Indigenous music in the world. I’d also like to congratulate Rob Edwards for his selection to participate in this event. South Australia is home to incredible artists and the Malinauskas Government is proud to be supporting First Nations artists with opportunities to share their culture and talent with the world.’
These opportunities do not happen in isolation, and ACOM would like to thank the support of Create SA through the Music Development Office, Sounds Australia, the Adelaide Guitar Festival and Adelaide Festival Centre, and Nexus Arts whose financial support and commitment to supporting First Nations artists and culture made this opportunity a reality.
Nancy and Rob, 2025 IIMS