Kamarra Bell-Wykes is a playwright, director, dramaturge, devisor, facilitator, performer, producer, curator, community developer and education consultant. Her transformative practice is highly sought after, delivering innovative research, resources and acclaimed performances.

In 2012 Kamarra graduated from Charles Darwin University and Batchelor Institute for Indigenous Education with a Bachelor of Teaching and Learning and was awarded an honor in recognising and responding to diversity in the classroom before working as a teacher and youth worker across the Northern Territory. She then returned to Melbourne in 2014 to build ILBIJERRI’s education and learning program from the ground up.

Kamarra’s transformative First Nation’s practice is highly sought after across the performing arts, community, health, education and justice sectors.  Since 2017, Kamarra has been exploring the intersection between First Nations cultural and theatre processes, working closely with applied theatre experts Sarah Woodland and Free Theatre. In 2021, Kamarra is designed ILBIJERRI’s premier social impact model and ensemble to deliver community forums, workshops, performances and training across Australia.

Kamarra’s writing and directing credits include A Nightime Travesty (Yirramboi), Because the Night, (Malthouse Theatre), Chase (Malthouse Theatre and HotHouse Theatre), The Score, Scar Trees, Viral, North West of Nowhere, Body Armour, Chopped Liver, Shrunken Iris (ILBIJERRI), Crying Shame (Next Wave) and Mother’s Tongue (Yirra Yaakin).

In 2021, Kamara received the Patrick White Playwrights Award (Sydney Theatre Company) for her work Whose Gonna Love ‘Em? I am that i AM (Footscray Community Arts and ILBIJERRI).

Accolades

2022 Kate Challis RAKA Award – Highly Commended for Chase

2021 Patrick White Playwrights Award (Sydney Theatre Company) – Whose Gonna Love ‘Em? I am that i AM 

2020 Best New Australian Publication for drama and/or theatre studies (Drama Victoria) – Teaching First Nations content and concepts

2020 Mark Farmer Memorial Award (LiverWELL Victoria)

2016 ACCELERATE (British Council)

2012 Honours for Recognising and Responding to Diversity in the Classroom (Charles Darwin University and Batchelor Institute for Indigenous Education) 

2003 Gerda Nicholson Emerging Actress Award (Green Room Awards)

2002 Aunty Eleanor Harding Memorial Award (ILBIJERRI)

Experience

2020 – present Resident Artist (Malthouse Theatre) – Dramaturgy, direction, programming and development

2022 Host (Leaps and Bounds Festival) – A Night With Uncle Jack Charles

2022 Playwright and Director (Footscray Community Arts and ILBIJERRI) – Whose Gonna Love ‘Em? I am that i AM

2022 Co-devisor and Director (Malthouse Theatre and HotHouse Theatre) – Chase

2022 Researcher, Drogram Designer, Trainer, Director and Lead Facilitator (ILBIJERRI, ATSIS, DHHS and University of Melbourne) – The SCORE and the Social Impact Looking Back Research Project 

2021 Co-playwright and Text (Malthouse Theatre) – Because the Night

2021 Dramaturg (Moogahlin Theatre) – Yellamundi Festival 

2018 – 2021 Program Curator, Mentor and Workshop Facilitator (ILBIJERRI) – Blackwrights Artist Development Program 

2020 Playwright (Playwriting Australia) – Dear Australia Monologues

2020 Dramaturg (Playwriting Australia) – First Nations Retreat

2020 Dramaturg and Cultural Support (Arts Centre Melbourne) – Parbin-ata 

2020 Lead Facilitator (Asia TOPA and Australian Performing Arts Market) – Blak Labs

2019 Facilitator (Asia TOPA) – Makhampom Thailand First Nations Exchange

2019 Dramaturg and Director (ILBIJERRI) – Scar Trees by Declan Furber-Gillick

2014 – 2019 Creative Director and Education and Learning Manager (ILBIJERRI) – Engaged as playwright, producer, curator, facilitator, resource developer and dramaturg across different programs and main stage productions, including BlackWrights , Black Ties, Tanderrum and Coranderrk.

2018 Director, Dramaturg, Devisor and Workshop Facilitator (ILBIJERRI) – VIRAL – Are you the Cure? by Maryanne Sam

2017 Director (ILBIJERRI) – Chopped Liver 

2016 Playwright (Arts Centre Melbourne) – What Sin A Flag? Tiny plays for Australia

2014 – 2016 Playwright (ILBIJERRI) – North West Of Nowhere (Victoria and South Australia tours)

2011 – 2013 Playwright (ILBIJERRI) – Body Armour (Victoria and South Australia tours)

2010 Playwright (Yirra Yaakin) – Mother’s Tongue

2006 – 2009 Playwright (ILBIJERRI) – Chopped Liver (Australian tour)

2002 – 2005 Performer (Playbox and ILBIJERRI) – Stolen

2004 Playwright (ILBIJERRI) – Shrunken Iris

2004 Playwright and Performer (Next Wave) – Crying Shame

2002 Playwright and Performer (Next Wave) – Shrunken Iris 

Education and other experience

2008 – 2014 Youth Worker (Anglicare NT)

2008 – 2014 Teacher (Northern Territory Department of Education)

2012 Bachelor of Teaching and Learning Education (Charles Darwin University and Batchelor Institute for Indigenous Education)

Resources and articles

Teaching First Nations Content and Concepts (Monash University and ILBIJERRI) – A resource for educators to support teaching First Nations concepts in the drama classroom.

Yarning Up Relations: Enacting a Relational Ethics in Cross-Cultural Research-Based Theater (Dr Sarah Woodland, Kamarra Bell-Wykes and Carissa Goodwin) – A reflection on cross-culture relations working on The Score.

Australian Plays Transforms – A selection of Kamarra’s plays available for purchase.

Contact

Kamarra Bell-Wykes  kzamcreatz333@gmail.com