After months of creative development and rehearsals, four local artists will perform their feature project at Blue Mountains Theatre on 5 May for the inaugural Propel Projects – Emerging Performers Residency Showcase and Afterparty.
In 2022, the inaugural year of the Residency, artists were connected with industry collaborators and provided time and space at the Blue Mountains Theatre to develop new work or rehearse existing works.
Residents also had access to a suite of additional resources, networking and performance opportunities including an artist stipend, technical and production support.
Mayor Mark Greenhill applauded the project and said that the Residency is a unique opportunity for emerging local artists and the region’s performing arts community.
“The Propel Projects – Emerging Performers Residency is a new arts initiative created to help support and restimulate performing arts in the Blue Mountains and support artists to test, develop and realise new ideas,” Councillor Greenhill said.
“This residency is the first of its kind in our region and the first four artists selected represent an exceptional and diverse cohort of local talent.”
• Jerrah Patston is a 25-year-old musician from Springwood who works in Parramatta at the Club Weld studio for neurodiverse musicians.
• Maizy Coombes is violinist and singer/songwriter who uses a loop pedal to experiment with sound and performance.
• YALIA, is a collaboration between singer-songwriter and producer Alia Sharp and dancer and physical performer Emily Yali.
• Katya Petetskaya is a visual artist who used her residency to develop a performance art piece for a theatre environment.
Paul Brinkman, Manager Arts and Cultural Services, Blue Mountains City Council, said the initiative has provided an unrivalled level of support for some of the Mountains most exciting talent.
“I am sure that, through this initiative, the foundation that Council’s Cultural Development Services has provided to these artists will see them develop on the national and international stage, once again showcasing the wealth of creativity to be found in the Blue Mountains.”
Tickets are $18-$20 and are on sale at or call 4723 5050.
This project was supported by Blue Mountains City Council, Blue Mountains City of the Arts Trust, MTNS MADE, Blue Mountains Theatre, and Cloud Herd.
More about the artists:
Jerrah Patston | Going Places
Going Places is the live presentation of Jerrah’s new album, made with collaborator Sam Worrad and producer Chris Hamer-Smith. Going Places is a song cycle of destinations including Kiama, the Nepean River, Old Bar and Springwood, although it’s no simple travelogue; Jerrah’s lyrics touch on the comforts of home, the experiences of disability in the workplace, and imagining ideal locations. Visual accompaniment to the songs is provided via projected artwork from Liza Kaplan. Going Places is Jerrah’s second solo album, following on from Sounds Like Rain (2020).
Jerrah Patston: “So the residency at the Hub is really special to me for my music. Propel has done amazing things with places to rehearse and photographs and a great performance opportunity. It’s very special to me. For the showcase, we’ve been putting together some images and it’s going to be a nice show for everyone to see. I’m also looking forward to seeing everybody involved in the same show. The excitement is starting to build. The show must go on is all I can say!”
Maizy Coombes | Stranger Times
Violinist and singer/songwriter Maizy Coombes’ Stranger Times has created a rustic, cinematic soundscape beneath wholesome lyricism. Inspired by her experience with grief, intensified in isolation, and remedied by her circle of musical friends, this original work reflects the inner workings of the artist’s mind during a period of turmoil, rearranged over the top of calming strings. With a backdrop of art and images celebrating her community of creatives and range of performance experiences, Maizy has developed this piece into a loving tribute to the Blue Mountains musicians and creatives that have helped on her own performance journey.
Maizy Coombes: “Supportive, informative, grounding, professional and inspiring, the Propel residency has been the structure I needed to make a commitment to my creative practice as a solo musician and collaborator. It’s been a fun challenge and I’m excited to share the music that’s come out of it. I’m superbly grateful to teams at Blue Mountains City of the Arts and Blue Mountains Theatre who have allowed me to have this experience.”
YALIA | Pilot
Dancer and physical performer Emily Yali and singer-songwriter and producer Alia Sharp have joined forces to create a sound and body work that explores themes of virtual reality, climate change and social isolation. Titled ‘YALIA’, this collaborative duo plays with the boundaries between music, theatre and dance in order to create a unique means of storytelling and give voice to the human experiences of whimsy, desire, loneliness and loss. Combining complex beat making and eclectic vocals with ethereal dance and video projection, this piece offers a glimpse into a surreal world that is unsettling, beautiful and at times, humorous.
YALIA: “It was incredibly exciting to be presented with the opportunity to have access to professional creative arts industry facilities, engaging with skilled lighting and sound technicians, as well as consulting and networking with other industry professionals and even other local artists. The residency has helped us improve our industry knowledge and our confidence in bringing our creative visions to life. We have been so grateful to develop our skills in performance and navigating professional industry standards, as well as developing our identities as artists.”
Katya Petetskaya | Head Whale Figure Transfigure
A visual artist working in performance art, Katya Petetskaya, creates a new work responding directly to the Blue Mountains Theatre space. Performed by a single performer, the work takes the viewer on a dream-like journey to uncover the theatre space from a surprising angle. Often invisible or ‘unseen’ theatre objects are given new light and centre stage. Familiar travels to unfamiliar, funny becomes unsettling and a bat turns into a whale, the demarcation between the viewer and the performer is being questioned.
Katya Petetskaya: “Propel has allowed me to create a new work responding directly to the Blue Mountains Theatre space. I have developed a new live performance work Head Whale Figure Transfigure. I come to the theatre space from the performance art background that is rooted in visual arts rather than performing arts. Because of the residency structure I was given a unique opportunity to be able to experiment with the theatre settings as my new artistic medium when creating this performance work.”
Photo: Propel artists YALIA – credit Maja Baska Photography
