About Me:
From the Sydney Opera House to the Australian Consulate in Mumbai, Corporate to community, Gunai Woman Kirli Saunders (OAM) has had experience speaking, facilitating, and teaching across a multitude of stages and settings. Kirli is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist, writer, singer-songwriter and consultant with a passion for enlivening spaces and engaging broad audiences in bold conversations for social impact.
Through her multidisciplinary work as a writer, artist, and consultant, Kirli Saunders aims to connect people, promote First Nations culture, and advocate for social and environmental change.
Wallflowers & Evergreens, Kirli Saunders & Tad Souden 2021
Bio
Kirli Saunders (OAM) is a proud Gunai Woman who rarely stays in her lane. She's an award-winning multidisciplinary artist, writer, singer-songwriter and consultant. Kirli creates, to connect, to make change. She was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her contribution to the arts (2022).
Kirli has partnered with global organisations, including Google, Fender, Sydney Opera House, Qantas, Spotify, Mecca, Vogue, National Geographic, Aesop, ABC and Denver Zoo on visual art, speaking, singing and writing projects.
Kirli’s books, Returning, Bindi, Kindred, The Incredible Freedom Machines, Our Dreaming, The Land Recalls You (Scholastic 2024) and her most recent release, a children’s picture book, Afloat (Hardie Grant), have been celebrated by the Prime Ministers, QLD, WA, Victorian Premier’s, Adelaide Festival, Kate Challis RAKA, ABDA, ABIA and CBCA awards. Her forthcoming titles include her poetry collection, Eclipse (JOAN, 2025). She is currently writing her anticipated novel, Yarraman.
Kirli’s play Going Home, assisted by Australian Plays Transforms x Merrigong Theater and directed by Shari Sebbens, will undergo a second development in ‘24.
Her award-winning films, including Cry of the Glossy (Grassland Films) and Wallflowers and Evergreens (Tad Souden), have been shown worldwide at film and literary festivals.
Her work has been commissioned and exhibited by galleries nationwide and shortlisted in sculptural prizes and projects. Most recently commissioned by Transport NSW and Denver Zoo, USA. She was a collaborating artist for VIVID ‘22, with TRACES alongside Kamsani Bin Salleh, Google, Magabala and Sydney Opera House. Her drone installation, Buungbaa-ma-ndhu (rise as the sun) all of you, was commissioned in 2023 by Fremantle Biennale x Ngununggula Gallery for First Lights. Her solo exhibition Returning (SHAC, 2021) was assisted by Creative Aus.
Kirli holds a Bachelor in Education (Hons) (UOW) and facilitates DEI workshops for corporate, government, art and education projects with significant experience in cultural liaison. She created Poetry in First Languages, Returning and Re[ad]generate, delivered in partnership with many First Nations collaborators and industry partners. Kirli helped shape the CreateNSW Aboriginal Arts Culture Protocols, is a Merrigong’s First Nations Advisory Group member and is a founding board member for First Nations Place Names.
As a singer-songwriter, Kirli was commissioned by ABC Classic to write Summer Together, composed by Elena Kats-Chernin for the Sydney Philharmonia Choir. She performed backing vocals for Jack River’s 2023 Like a Version (Triple J). She is currently recording her first album with Mark Harding in their indie folk duo, Cooee.
Kirli has experience in live television broadcasts and has been Master of Ceremonies, Keynote speaker, chair and panellist for Government and Corporate events across a range of settings.
In 2022, Kirli Saunders took to the runway with First Nations Fashion and Design for Australian Afterpay Fashion Week. She modelled for Seed, Witchery, and Zoe Kratzmann and more.
ACCOLADES
-
International Womens Day Speaker, Marie Claire
Yandha Djanbay, Solo theatre work development and presentation with Merrigong Theatre
CBCA Book of the Year Awards - Picture Book of the Year Notable, The Land Recalls You
CBCA Book of the Year Awards - Picture Book of the Year Notable, Afloat
The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2025, Afloat, shortlisted
Keynote Speaker , ICMI, Good Shepherd ANZ
Shortlisted works on paper prize, SHAC Gallery, Highly Commended
‘Mate You’re Standing on Stolen Land’ installation at Shoalhaven Regional Gallery for the Sunbaker Exhibition
Commissioned Artist, NSW Health Infrastructure, Bowral Hospital
-
Keynote speaker for various NSW Public Schools, Independent & Catholic schools
Keynote Speaker, Teaching Excellence Program graduation event, Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership
MC, Creative Australia Awards
Nominated AACTA Award for Best Children’s Program, ABC’s Series Playschool, Episode: Big Ted’s Time Machine
Poetry Performance, Marie Claire, Woman of the Year Awards
Shortlisted works on paper prize, SHAC Gallery
Commissioned writer, ABC’s series ‘Playschool’
Keynote Address, Copyright Agency 50th anniversary
Keynote Speaker, Museum Of Australian Democracy At Old Parliament House
Speaker, Berry Writers Festival
Commissioned Artist, NSW Government for the 2024 HSC graduating class
‘Mate You’re Standing on Stolen Land’ installation at Shoalhaven Regional Gallery for the Sunbaker Exhibition
Cooee Performance, Culture Mix, Wollongong City Council
Poetry Performance, Youtube x Sense Group
Speaker, Poem Forest Red Room poetry x DART
Cooee performance, Bloomfield Music and Arts Festival
Cooee performance, Red Room Poetry x BBC x ABC Contains Strong Language (CSL) broadcast and live festival
Panelist & Speaker, South Coast Writers Festival
Shortlisted Artist, NSW Health Infrastructure, Shoalhaven Hospital
Keynote Speaker, ICMI, Tyro
Keynote Speaker, ICMI, Marriot
Commissioned Artist - Mural woven installation & digital design, Transport NSW
Commissioned Artist, Denver Zoo's Australian Down Under Exhibit
Guest, ABC's series 'Playschool'
Panelist & Guest Speaker, Newcastle Writers Festival
Guest Speaker, Blak & Bright First Nations literary festival
Guest speaker, Marie Claire, International Women's Day
Guest Speaker, Adelaide Writers Festival
-
‘Buungbaa-ma-ndhu’, Light and audio show for First Lights presented by Fremantle Biennale x Ngununggula
Traces Panel, Outlines Festival
Panelist, Sydney Writers Festival
Panel Host, State Library of NSW
Panelist, Melbourne Writers Festival
Guest Speaker, UOW Graduate Ceremony
Panelist, Queensland Poetry Festival
Panelist, Open Field Contemporary Art Festival
‘We Don’t Cry, We Don’t Miss’ sculptural poem, displayed in Open Field Contemporary Art Festival
Commissioned Artist, Open Field x Shoalhaven Gallery
Panelist & Guest Speaker, Blak & Bright
Keynote Speaker, Wilkinson Butler, International Women’s Day
‘We Don’t Cry, We Don’t Miss’ sculptural poem, Wollongong City Council, Sculpture in the Gardens
Our Dreaming, 2023 CBCA Notables, Picture Book of the Year.
Contributor, NANGAMAY Dream MANA Gather DJURALI Grow: First Nations Australia LGBTQIA+ Poetry (Black Books).
‘Greedy’, Fibre, shell & audio installation, for Linger Dash Talk World Pride Exhibition at Cement Fondu.
‘Ngurra’, cyanotype & natural fibres, Ngali Jugun Ganaree (Of Our Country) at First Draft
Shortlisted Artist collaborating with TILT Industrial Design, Yananurala, City of Sydney
MC, WulgulOra Morning Ceremony, NSW Department of Premier & Cabinet
-
Order of Australia Medal recipient for Contribution to the Arts, particularly Literature
Bindi, Shortlisted, Ena Nöel Shortlist, IBBY Australia
Bindi, Shortlisted 2022 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature, Children’s Literature Award
Collaborating Artist, ‘TRACES’ voice to art audiovisual installation for VIVID with Kamsani Bin Salleh, Magabala Books, Google, Sydney Opera House 2022
Shortlisted Artist collaborating with TILT Industrial Design, Shoalhaven City Council
‘Carry On’, Digital Print on Fender American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster for Fender X Children’s Ground 2022
‘Garrigarran’, multilayered digital print on aluminum, Wollongong City Council with thanks to Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation
‘Oneness’ Vinyl on Glass for AESOP, Pitt St Mall.
‘Mate you’re Standing on Stolen Land’, Vinyl on timber, Wollongong Regional Art Gallery, 2022
‘Mate you’re Standing on Stolen Land’, Vinyl, Red Earth Arts Precinct, 2020-22.
‘Ngurragu Dhadjam (come home soon)’, Acrylic on ply, Good Space Gallery 2022
‘Collaborative Possum Skin Cloak’, with community, Siteworks, Bundanon Trust 2022.
Shortlisted Artist, Sanctuary Point Library Public Art Commission
Master of Ceremonies, WugulOra, Dept. Premiers & Cabinet and National Broadcast
Judge, Queensland Literary Awards, 2022
Judge, Poem Forest, Red Room Poetry 2022
Board Member & First Nations Advisory Group, Merrigong Theatre
-
Returning, solo exhibition SHAC Gallery
Board Member, Merrigong Theatre
Founder, Re[ad]generate, 2021.
Bindi, Winner, Queensland Literary Awards, Children’s Book Award
Bindi, Winner, WA Premiers Literary, Daisy Utemorrah Award
Bindi, Winner, 2021 Australian Book Industry Awards, Small Publishers’ Children’s Book Of The Year
Bindi, Winner, 2021 Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards
Bindi, Shortlist, 2021 Australian Book Designers Association Awards
Bindi, Shortlist, 2021 CBCA Awards
Bindi, Shortlist, 2021 Readings Children’s Book Prize
Bindi, Longlist, 2021 Colin Roderick Award
Kindred, Shortlist, 2021 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, Indigenous Writing
Shortlisted, Oodgeroo Noonuccal Indigenous Poetry Prize
Keynote Speaker, Australian Consulate-General, Chennai
Speaker, Australian Reconciliation Conference
Speaker, Reconciliation Australia Conference 2021
Keynote Speaker, CBCA Australia AAA conference, 2021
Solo Exhibition, Returning, SHAC Gallery
Guest Writer, Australian Consulate, Chennai 2021
Commissioned Artist, Wollongong Council for Port Kembla Precinct Project
IDEO Hello Design Thinking Course
-
NSW Aboriginal Woman Of The Year 2020
Board Member, Merrigong Theatre
Kindred, Shortlisted, Australian Book Industry Awards, Small Publishers’ Adult Book Of The Year
Kindred, Commended, Kate Challis RAKA Award
Judge, Prime Minister’s Literary Awards
Judge, Val Vallis Award
Going Home, Commissioned by Playwriting Australia
Returning: Poetic Arts Exhibition + Publication supported by Australia Council For the Arts
Runner-up, The Nakata Brophy Prize
Commissioned Artist, Wollongong Gallery for Here + Now Gallery, 2020
Commissioned Artist, Shoalhaven Gallery for Terra Within, 2020
Dead Horse Gap, co-writer, Merrigong Theatre 2019
200 Hr Yoga Teacher Trained
AUSCO Grant Recipient, Returning 2020.
-
The Incredible Freedom Machines, CBCA Notables
The Incredible Freedom Machines, Shortlisted, Prime Minister’s Literary Awards
The Incredible Freedom Machines, Shortlisted, Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards – Indigenous Children
Winner, The University Of Canberra ATSI Poetry Prize
Guest Writer, Australian Embassy, Jakarta & Bali
Finalist, Contemporary NOW Arts Prize
-
Founder, Poetry in First Languages
Runner-up, The Nakata Brophy Prize
Highly Commended, Black&Write