Announcing Hand to Earth: The latest recipient of the Voices Rising Fund

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We’re excited to reveal the latest recipient of the Voices Rising Fund, Yolŋu-led experimental ensemble Hand to Earth.

Designed to elevate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices by supporting the creation of music and literary works, the Voices Rising Fund will invest in the development, recording and release of Hand to Earth’s next album.

Hand to Earth features Yolŋu song keepers Daniel and David Wilfred and reimagines the ancient Wägilak language song tradition with stunning modern production. Korean-born Australian vocalist Sunny Kim, trumpet and electronics composer/performer Peter Knight, and woodwind virtuoso Aviva Endean join their ranks to contemporise 40,000 years of song and story. 

Together, Daniel and Sunny sing of the stars, of fire, and of the cooling rain against the drone of David’s yiḏaki and atmospheres created by Peter and Aviva.
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The group has performed at the Barbican Centre in London, the Lincoln Center in New York, and has been featured in Australian events such as Phoenix Central Park, the Biennale of Sydney, Vivid Sydney, Dark MOFO, WOMADelaide and Darwin Festival.

“The Hand to Earth mob is very important to me, they are my family. I want to keep working with them, sing my songs, get better, learn new things, and always keep sharing my culture. Thanks to Awesome Black we can make another record and share our songs all over the world.” — Daniel Wilfred, Hand to Earth

“I’ve spent a lot of my own creative life interested in experimental practice, and quite a few of my formative creative years working alongside and learning from Yolŋu artists, so Hand to Earth’s work resonates with me personally. First Nations culture has always been living, adaptive and ever-evolving, and Hand to Earth embody that beautifully — carrying ancient Yolŋu song traditions into new forms without losing their depth or connection. They’ve already built such an extraordinary legacy through Ŋurru Wäŋa and their extensive international touring, and we’re incredibly proud that the Voices Rising Fund and the Awesome Black Foundation can invest in the next chapter of their work.” — Travis De Vries, Awesome Black Founder and Creative Director

Hand to Earth's new album will be released by Australian record label ROOM40. They are the second Voices Rising Fund recipient following on from the Western Sydney hardcore punk band HOMESICK in April 2026.

Download the media release

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The Voices Rising Fund

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The Voices Rising Fund is open for applications year-round, with a maximum of $60,000 distributed across a minimum of two projects per year. The amount allocated to each project is determined by the Awesome Black Foundation. The assessment panel is selected by the Awesome Black Foundation and comprises representatives from major and independent music labels and literary publishing houses, First Nations arts workers and curators, and members of the Awesome Black team.

The Voices Rising Fund is the main program of the Awesome Black Foundation, which is largely funded by the generous support of donors. Donations to the Awesome Black Foundation are tax-deductible.
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Awesome Black is a creative consultancy and studio committed to transforming contemporary culture through a First Nations perspective. We are artists, storytellers and cultural thinkers who infuse a fresh, dynamic approach into creative projects. Our work spans various mediums, including large-scale immersive and live experiences, audio and visual storytelling, and curatorial, strategic and cultural consulting.

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Image credit: Oli Sansom