Lynette Wallworth.
Artist and filmmaker Lynette Wallworth is set to be the Australian Film Television and Radio School’s (AFTRS) inaugural artist-in-residence, where she will offer weekly ‘open door’ mentorship and advice to students.
The school will also provide space, support and facilities for the Emmy and AACTA award winner to conduct a research project into the creative potential of audio narratives.
“I am so delighted and proud to announce Lynette as our first artist-in-residence. She is a truly innovative, inspiring artist and a world leader in cross-platform storytelling. Having Lynette with us, particularly during this challenging COVID period, is going to be exactly the inspiration and creative tonic we need,” said AFTRS CEO Nell Greenwood.
“Encouraging industry-wide innovation and experimentation, pushing boundaries, testing form, are all key to our purpose and we are so excited to support Lynette and the storytellers who follow her. As much as our remit at the School is to train new talent, we are also here for every tier of talent to further their knowledge and practice. As we adapt to a world of ongoing disruption, we all need to be fluid, reflective life-long learners. The artist-in-residence program gives those artists an opportunity to experiment and continue their learning journey.”
Wallworth’s varied works include the interactive video installation Evolution of Fearlessness; ‘fulldome’ feature Coral, which featured an accompanying augmented reality work; the AACTA award-winning documentary Tender, the Emmy award-winning VR narrative Collisions which premiered at Sundance Film Festival and the 2016 World Economic Forum, and XR work Awavena, which premiered at Sundance, was in competition at the 2018 Venice Film Festival and is currently nominated for an Emmy.
The filmmaker sits on the World Economic Forums’ Global Future Council on Virtual and Augmented Reality and is a trustee on the board of the Sundance Institute.
“I am so thrilled to be offered the inaugural AFTRS artist-in-residence. It’s a challenging time, so exactly the time to open up to what the arts offer, a training in radical imagination. I hope my contribution to being at the School will be to help to support the imaginings of artists whose creative speculations can help us navigate a changing world,” Wallworth said.