Name: Midweek Minds: A New Cultural Paradigm
Start: 2026-05-27T08:00:00
End: 2026-05-27T09:30:00
Location: State Library of New South Wales

Subtitle

Dong-Ping Wong, Mridula Amin, Emma Hough Hobbs & Leela Varghese

How can our creative industries find more equitable, ethical ways of working? And how can we ensure that a diverse range of voices aren’t squeezed out...

Location:

Auditorium, Macquarie St
2000 NSW
Australia

Venue:

State Library of New South Wales

Price:

From $25.00

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Midweek Minds: A New Cultural Paradigm | Dong-Ping Wong, Mridula Amin, Emma Hough Hobbs & Leela Varghese

Featuring

Dong-Ping Wong

Dong-Ping Wong is the Founding Director of Food Architects DPC, based in Chinatown, Manhattan. Projects include global flagship stores for Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh and multiple homes for Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. He also initiates civic-driven projects with Food (fka Family New York), including Food Mahjong Club and + POOL, a floating, water-filtering public pool in development on the East River.

Mridula Amin

Mridula Amin is a Walkley award–winning Australian photojournalist and investigative reporter whose work explores inequality, migration and the lives of underrepresented communities. Blending photography with immersive, human-centred storytelling, she has published with The New York Times, National Geographic, ABC, and The Washington Post. She is a member of Oculi, a leading Australian photographer collective.

Emma Hough Hobbs

Emma Hough Hobbs (she/they) is a queer artist, filmmaker, animator and production designer from Adelaide. With Leela Varghese, they co-wrote and directed their debut feature Lesbian Space Princess, which won the 39th Teddy Award at the Berlinale 2025, and placed second for the festival’s Panorama Audience Award. It also won two AACTA Awards.

Leela Varghese

Leela Varghese (she/her) is an Australian writer and director. With Emma Hough Hobbs, she co-wrote and directed her debut feature Lesbian Space Princess, which won the 39th Teddy Award at the Berlinale 2025, and placed second for the festival’s Panorama Audience Award. It also won two AACTA awards. Varghese’s short film I’m the Most Racist Person I Know premiered in the Narrative Short Competition at SXSW Austin 2025, where it won the Special Jury Award and was selected for the Redbreast Unhidden campaign curated by actor Andrew Scott.

Event Details

How can our creative industries find more equitable, ethical ways of working? And how can we ensure that a diverse range of voices aren’t squeezed out during this era of unprecedented change from technological, economic and cultural forces?

With rapid-fire keynotes, four acclaimed creatives tackle the opportunities to create a better culture in their industries as part of Midweek Minds, Vivid Sydney’s Wednesday night gatherings for the creative and curious at the State Library of New South Wales.

At A New Cultural Paradigm, hear from New York architect and community builder Dong-Ping Wong, Walkley Award-winning photojournalist Mridula Amin and Leela Varghese and Emma Hough Hobbs, the Australian duo behind cult-hit film Lesbian Space Princess. Afterward, head to the Library Bar for a chance to chat with the speakers, meet other creatives and establish community in the spirit of informal networking.

Find further inspiration each Wednesday during Vivid Sydney with Midweek Minds.

On June 3, catch The Engagement Generation, where The New Yorker creative director Nicholas Blechman and Australian artists Elliot Ulm and Steffie Yee dissect how to find and maintain audiences in 2026.

On June 10, Legally Bonded sees American artist and technologist Mindy Seu, Bundjalung painter Shaun Daniel Allen and Australian multi-media artist Jason Phu dive into questions surrounding artistry and AI-generated content, fair use, digital rights and authenticity.

This event is presented in partnership with State Library of New South Wales.

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Wheelchair Accessible Wheelchair Accessible - Access to the venue is suitable for wheelchairs (toilets, ramps/lifts etc.) and designated wheelchair spaces are available.