APHIDS

Thrilled to share that our feature film Dead Parents Club will premiere at this years Melbourne Documentary Film Festival! Co-created with documentary maker @g_lighter_thief (Queens of Concrete) and Lara Thoms, this project has been a labour of love (and tears). Dead Parents Club follows Melbourne locals attempting to become famous orphan characters like Simba, Little Orphan Annie and Frodo Baggins. Blurring documentary, performance and cultural interrogation, the film collides pop culture with private grief. Screening July 17, 6:40pm @cinemanova Tickets available for purchase on Cinema Nova’s website

Excited to announce THE FIRST BAD MAN is now showing at @flux_dublin May 1-3 as part of @livecollision !!! Kitty Blennerhasset, John Benno, Rose McVittie and Freya Golden have recently joined a book club. Their first book is The First Bad Man and every week for a year they keep coming back to it This performance is a telling of these book club members’ encounter with the characters of Miranda July’s novel, reviewed by The Observer as: ‘Heartbreakingly sad, thoughtful, disgusting and hilarious’ Did we mention each person booking tickets for the performance will receive a copy of the novel in the post? Secure a spot via Live Collision’s website This project is supported by @panpantheatre @artscouncilireland and @dublincitycouncil

We’ve had a busy month of growth behind the scenes, and we are so excited to share some updates to the APHIDS fam! Diletta Legowo — Co-Chair We are thrilled to have Diletta Legowo step up into the role of Co-Chair with Angharad Wynne-Jones. A service designer, arts producer, social innovator and former Creative Director of Nongkrong Festival, Diletta brings over a decade of experience in tackling complex challenges and supporting creative communities. We are excited for Diletta to integrate her background in social innovation in her new leadership role with us. Catherine Jones — Board Member A true leader in the creative industries, Catherine Jones joins our Board. Catherine is currently the CEO of the Australian Tapestry Workshop, a Facilitator of Creative Climate and a former Director of the APAM Office. Her background is a roadmap of Melbourne’s contemporary performance landscape (Malthouse, Arts House, Chunky Move - she’s done it all). Her expertise in international engagement and care for the sector will be a huge support for APHIDS. Sen Vanderzalm — Producer and Operations Manager We’ve officially found the operational heart of our team! An artist, producer, and curator, Sen’s practice is all about collaboration; whether she’s co-curating the Melbourne Art Book Fair or running the artist group N0 R3PLY. With a background that spans the NGV to grassroot artist initiatives, Sen brings a wealth of experience in publishing, event production, and experimental arts.

We’re coming back to @ngvmelbourne for another Melbourne Art Book Fair 📚 🍎 Come find us in the Great Hall as part of the Stallholder Fair this May. We’ll have a limited selection of our publications and merch available, including contributions from our friends/collaborators! Fri May 15 - Sun May 17 10am - 5pm NGV International 180 St Kilda Road For more info, go to artbookfair.melbourne #melbourneartbookfair #melbournedesignweek #ngv

Thankyou to all of our excellent collaborators in 2025! It was a big year of both super local and far flung projects for APHIDS. 🎤Including 🎤 Eating Out @kensingtontownhall with @long_prawn @queerpowerpoint Odyssey Odyssey at narrm ngarrgu Library Yfel with @panpantheatre @projectartscentre , Dublin The Act with Amrita Hepi and Tilly Lawless @rising.melbourne produced by @performinglines Resilience Roundtables @collingwood_yards Rinse, produced by Performing Lines in various venues through France, Turkey, UK, Germany, and Ireland! We also supported @georgiaraebanks ' Death Warmed Up @platformartsgeelong Hosted a book launch with Georgia, @liz.rosenfeld and @factswithzack , developed a new work @thesubstation , edited a docco, hosted a roundtable with local sex worker/artists and hung out with our legendary QUAD of @sammaneh_poursh @amrita_moves @juliamariacroft and @nishamadhan . 🫧Stay tuned for 2026 🫧 📸 by @tommccammon @dunnlauren , @gregorylorenzutti and Ros Kavanagh.

Belated Black Friday Sale! Got FOMO from missing out on Eating Out? Don’t worry — you can still come to the party in style. For 24 hours only, we’re wiping our shipping fees on all APHIDS merch Australia-wide. Eating Out caps, bottles, and You Beauty books delivered straight to your door — free shipping Australia-wide for 24 hours, unless sold out earlier. Ends 11:59am Thursday 18 December. All orders will be posted tomorrow afternoon, then the merch shop will take a short break (along with the rest of us!) and resume shipping from mid January. (Please note: orders can't be guaranteed to arrive before Xmas, but hey — at least shipping’s free!) 🍒GET YOUR MERCH NOW VIA LINK IN OUR BIO 🍒 Images: Thomas McCammon

A huge thank you to the tremendous turnout for Eating Out last week! We shucked, we seasoned, we dined and we danced together in a banquet setting at Kensington Town Hall. 🦪🧂 🍽 PHOTO DUMP PT.1 Presented by APHIDS x Queer PowerPoint x Long Prawn. CREDITS Performers and co-creators Lara Thoms Xanthe Dobbie Harriet Gillies With Julia Croft Menu and Service Design Long Prawn Produced by APHIDS Producer Dani Reynolds Waiter Performers Gabriella Imrichova Margot Morales Solly Frank Blu Jay Sammaneh Pourshafighi Julia Croft Johanna Cosgrove Lz Dunn Chef Lorena Corso (Melitta Next Door) Costume Babs Rapeport Sound Design Solly Frank Hair and Makeup Queenie Thirlwell Carling Stage Manager Stefan Grudza Production Manager Max Gabauer Support Rebecca Jensen Supported By The City of Melbourne & Creative Australia Images: Thomas McCammon

Final chance to catch YFEL at @projectartscentre 🔴 December 12th at 7.30pm 🔴 December 13th at 4pm Influenced by Faust, dodgy artists' memoirs, art manifestos and acting manuals, YFEL is a performing arts school for the artistically deranged. Remaining tickets on sale now from the Project box office. 📸 Ros Kavanagh The Storm (Local God's After The Storm Mix) by Rory Sweeney. Pan Pan is core funded by The Arts Council.

Don't miss your final chance to catch YFEL at @projectartscentre this week. Running until December 13th, join the YFEL school of performing arts for their end of Year showcase. Tickets on sale now from Project Arts Centre 🎟️ 📸 Ros Kavanagh Pan Pan is core funded by The Arts Council.

Introducing our collaboration with @newendjewelry 👀📎 APHIDS x Newend Clippy Earring. For a lucky few, you can own a silver Clippy earring referencing Microsoft’s favourite paperclip (soft spoiler alert for a key thematic in Xanthe Dobbie’s PPT in ‘Eating Out’) made in collaboration with Newend. Hand crafted Sterling silver on a silver sleeper. $69 Link in bio to buy. Image: Thomas McCammon

Pan Pan in association with Aphids present, YFEL @panpantheatre @aphids Lighting Design by 🌟Suzie Cummins (@suzielcummins ) YFEL runs at the Project Arts Centre (@projectartscentre ) until December 13th. 📸: Ros Kavanagh (@roskavanagh ) #SovranCareyCreatives #YFEL

"Pan Pan in their villain era" - The Irish Times ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Yfel runs at @projectartscentre until December 13th in association with @aphids Don't miss the opportunity to join the YFEL school of performing arts for the artistically deranged. 📸 Ros Kavanagh