We are excited to announce that Aha Ensemble have been selected as the recipients of the 2022 Jeremy Hynes Award. Aha Ensemble are a disability-led Queensland based collective of diverse performance artists who value authentic, immersive, participatory, and contemporary art practices. The group will work with the IMA to develop a new multi-sensory performance installation to be presented in our galleries in 2022.

This will be the seventh project supported by the biannual Jeremy Hynes Award, an initiative to support early-career Queensland artists to produce experimental and risk-taking work. It is made possible by a bequest made by the family of Jeremy Hynes in his name. Past Award recipients include Tay Haggarty, Lu Forsberg, Liam O’Brien, Chris Howlett, Alex Cuffe, and Aaron Burton.

We look forward to working with Aha Ensemble and support this new work to form and unfold.

About Aha Ensemble:
Aha Ensemble explores the diverse uses, values, and representations of the body; and challenges the norms of creating contemporary based works with differently abled bodies. The key focus of this collective is to develop artists who experience disadvantage and disability within a professional arts context. Built upon the belief that true integration and inclusive practices comes with collaboration from a diverse range of artists, it is disability-led; and employs collaborative practices. Together, we as diverse artists delve into a rigorous collaborative and artistic process to re-contextualise the boundaries of artistic practice.

Aha performers’ individual practices include training and creating work across South East Queensland, nationally; and internationally, including New York, Portugal, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Korea. Ensemble members include: Kayah Guenther, Allycia Staples, Mitchell Runcie, Megan Louise West, Tara Heard, Rebecca Dostal, and Ruby Donohoe; Director Daniele Constance and Creative Producer Emma-June Curik.