Report to the Community 2017 | Page 11

9 TANDERRUM Indigenous communities have been living and practicing culture in Victoria for 60,000 years. In 2016, 7 million Australians experienced First Nations art—double the number in 2009  1 . But there is still so far to go. Tanderrum was initiated by Melbourne Festival in 2013, and is created and performed by hundreds of people from the five clans of the Eastern Kulin each year. Melbourne Festival can only begin with this event: a Welcome to Country and ceremony from Melbourne’s First Peoples. Through Tanderrum, we support community connectedness, wellbeing and empowerment among our Indigenous people. It is a key part of our commitment to First Nations art.