Anna Kennedy-Borissow selected for ABC TOP 5 media residency

Early career researcher Anna Kennedy-Borissow from the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Arts has been awarded a 2023 ABC TOP 5 Arts media residency.

Ms Kennedy-Borissow is one of five talented arts scholars chosen to undertake the two-week residency at ABC Radio National, where they will work alongside some of the nation’s leading journalists and broadcasters to communicate their research and ideas to radio, television and online audiences.

A PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne, Ms Kennedy-Borissow’s research focuses on how participation in arts and culture can contribute to recovery and resilience for communities affected by disasters.

With a background in acting, theatre-making and arts management, Ms Kennedy-Borissow’s current research traverses performance, visual arts, community health and wellbeing, and disaster research.

It’s an emerging field, and one in which there is very limited existing research – but she hopes to change this.

Her research has taken her Lismore, where she observed artists working on Dear River, an audio experience and listening project following the devastating 2022 floods, to the Adelaide Hills, where she observed artists performing in Bushland Park three years on from the Cudlee Creek bushfires, and to Corryong in the Upper Murray, where she participated in arts and crafts workshops at the Black Summer recovery hub.

She has also met with disaster-affected community members to understand what they have gained from participating in these types of projects.

“What all of these creative recovery projects have in common is that they give people a reason to come together. They’re cathartic and provide opportunities for enjoyment and respite at times of crisis,” Ms Kennedy-Borissow said.

Dean of the Faculty of Arts the Reverend Professor Russell Goulbourne said he was thrilled to see the value of Ms Kennedy-Borissow’s research recognised by the ABC.

“The arts and humanities enrich our lives in so many ways, and Anna’s research into how creative recovery projects are assisting communities in the aftermath of disaster is an amazing example of this. This residency is not just a fantastic opportunity for Anna, but it’s a chance for all Australians to learn more about the how the arts can, in a very tangible way, benefit us all.”

Ms Kennedy-Borissow is excited about the possibilities of sharing her research more widely during her residency.

“I’m very humbled and excited to have been selected for the ABC TOP 5 residency. Creative recovery can have a real and profound impact on individual health and wellbeing, as well as on community cohesion and recovery. This knowledge motivates me to share my research with a broader audience,” she said.

“The stories I’ve heard through my research are intimate, raw, and uplifting. They show that the arts play an important role in the recovery of disaster-affected communities throughout Australia. But people that haven’t personally experienced the benefits of these projects may struggle to see their value. I hope that by sharing these stories of hope and resilience more widely, we can challenge some of the more negative or dismissive perceptions of the arts, and acknowledge the important recovery work that many artists and arts workers are doing across the country.”

The ABC TOP 5 Media Residency will take place 9-20 October 2023.