By Amanda Wong, AYO Youth Council member and 2026 AYO Media and Communication Fellow
The first of its kind—the Changemakers Summit experience. Our day began with a stunning stroll (coffee in hand) to the Sydney Opera House. With the waves lapping gently in the harbour and sunlight glinting off of the water and the iconic roof of the Opera House – needless to say some obligatory photos were definitely taken, and a few family members in Queensland were FaceTimed.
We delegates gathered in the venue’s intimate Centre for Creativity buzzing with anticipation, not before collecting some stylish tote bags and stickers courtesy of the AYO Engagement Team. None of us knew what to expect – this summit was the very first event of its kind. How on earth was this going to pan out?
The event itself began with a classic warm up and icebreaker, led by summit hosts QiQi Lu and Mark Wilson. We warmed up our bodies and voices (1, 1-2-1, 1-2-3-2-1 anyone?) and took part in some partner exercises. Energies bolstered, we were then motivated further by AYO CEO Kimbali Harding’s inspiring keynote address.
“Leadership is in actions,” Kimbali told the room. Her assertion that young people are not “emerging” or “developing” artists, but artists in their own right was the perfect way to kick off the summit’s first session – The Artist in Australia.
The Artist in Australia
Positive energy continued into session one, hosted by AYO Youth Council members Eden Annesley and Madeleine Hammond, with panellists Hamish AJ Tait (Riverina Conservatorium of Music), Dr Tracey Callinan OAM (Regional Arts NSW) and Emily Gann (Connecting the Dots in Music). A passionate discussion on the power of the arts in connecting people and community set the tone for the day
We were then treated to the first musical performance of the summit. Duo Aki (Eden Annesley and Lola Schuele) provided an energetic performance filled with interplay and a surprise appearance of a shakuhachi. QiQi performed a beautiful rendition of their original composition Firelight on guzheng.
The summit resumed with session two: Wellbeing, Sustainability and Inclusion with panellists Brydie-Leigh Bartleet (Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University), Tim Hollo (Green Music Australia) and Tracey Corbin-Matchett OAM (Bus Stop Films), hosted by Tirion Luff-White and myself.
Sticking to your values, being kind, inclusion, and the importance of advocacy were all key takeaways. The room was filled with lively discussions as delegates split into small groups and identified and discussed problems relating to wellbeing, sustainability and inclusion in the arts, and brainstormed solutions. Brydie-Leigh, Tim and Tracey moved throughout these groups, joining in and sharing their insights with delegates.
Afterwards, everyone dispersed into small groups during lunch, taking advantage of the glorious Sydney weather out on the steps of the Opera House.
Satisfied and full, we returned back for the third and final session, The Future is Now, hosted by Alex Arthur, Hanuelle Lovell, Alex Monro and Yoyo Zhou, with panellists Zoe Taylor (Creative Australia), Dan Golding (Monash University, ABC Classic), Alexander Poirer (MEAA) and Adelaide Rief (Creative Australia). The impact of AI was discussed as well as audience engagement and the adaptability required in our approach as artists.
Much of the content discussed in the summit had boiled down to a fierce call to action—session three provided a productive and intimate space for delegates and panellists to discuss and plan how to enact positive change in the short term as well as the long term. A timeline of 12 months, 5 years, and 20 years was established as a useful metric for identifying solutions and goals in our own artistry. Key actions, ideas and strategies were identified in small group discussions with panellists providing valuable insights.
In a literal full circle moment, everyone gathered back together to discuss and share our planned solutions and relevant challenges, with the panellists and participants responding to each other alike.
The Future is Now
Finally, we were treated with a final musical performance of Alex Monro’s composition Bloom and Blur, performed by Alex, Clara Moloney and Eden Annesley. While the day was winding down, spirited conversations continued as delegates and panellists hung back to eagerly discuss in-depth what we learned and make plans for the future.
It was an extraordinary atmosphere on the day, and we left feeling buoyed and motivated— armed with a determination to put everything we learned into action in our own communities. The AYO Youth Council’s inaugural Changemakers Summit had been a resounding success, and we left feeling excited for what next year’s summit will bring.
