Fresh off a four-chair turn on The Voice Australia, 15-year-old Torres Strait Islander singer Daisha Auda will return to her home community of Logan this weekend with a message for young people watching from the crowd: they belong on stage too.
Daisha, whose sings powerful and soulful ballads, will perform at SSI's World of Cultures festival, a free multicultural arts celebration on August 29, from 3pm to 7pm at the iconic Kingston Butter Factory.
Daisha, born and raised in Logan, said she wanted young Indigenous and culturally diverse people to see themselves represented on the World of Cultures stage. "We're allowed to be on these stages, we are allowed to be in these spaces," she said. Run by non-profit organisation SSI as part of Queensland Multicultural Month, World of Cultures offers a family-friendly, immersive cultural experience in the heart of one of Australia's most multicultural cities. Now in its fifth year, Rose Vearing, World of Cultures organiser and Head of Community Wellbeing and Health at SSI, said she was proud of how the festival had grown alongside Logan itself. "World of Cultures reflects the very best of Logan, a city where diversity doesn't just get celebrated, it drives creativity, connection, belonging and opportunity. The festival gives communities a space to share their culture with pride and invites everyone to experience the richness of the world right here in Logan." The atmospheric festival showcases culturally and linguistically diverse local artists, musicians, food vendors and market stallholders through a live outdoor stage, artisan stalls, a cultural fashion show, roving performers and children's activities. At the heart of the festival is a focus on giving back to the community that creates it and building opportunities for migrant and refugee creatives to reach a wider audience. "Every year we invest in local performers, artists, cultural groups, market stallholders and food vendors, giving people the chance to showcase their talents, share their stories and generate real economic benefit," Ms Vearing said. World of Cultures is proudly held on Yagara and Yugambeh Lands.
