Bangarra Knowledge Ground

Hidden away in Bangarra’s archives was a treasure trove of creative content. The brief; bring together thousands of archived and future content pieces into a simple and beautiful experience for audiences, creatives and students. The website couldn’t be a blog where content would be buried in endless page results, rather a solution that surfaced relevant content based on user journeys through the site. The site had to allow continuous updates to old archives and the ability to bring brand new productions to life. Essential to the experience was a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, places and connections.

The website provides access to thousands of content pieces without feeling linear or prescribed thanks to a custom developed content relationship matrix. Audiences can further their knowledge of the songlines and history that inspired each work, browsing their chosen pathways through the site. For Bangarra the website is a new way to engage audiences before, during and after each performance with greater detail than programs previously provided. The website is a marketing tool for the organisation, supporting funding, education, ticket sales and ultimately positioning Bangarra as a leader in the performing arts community.

Bangarra has become part of the complex weave of Australia’s First Nations’ songlines as this ancient culture continues to be passed down, growing and evolving in accord with the times. The website provides Bangarra a platform to educate and nurture the future custodians of their culture and a place to digitally embody the creative and cultural significance of their work. It strengthens Bangarra’s position as representatives of their community both in Australia and abroad. The website is a first within the performing arts sector positioning Bangarra as digital leaders in the community. An immersive exhibition at Carriageworks launched the website.

Collating thousands of content items into a single site had to be carefully planned and executed. Firstly, thirty years of content was reviewed, culled and refined to ensure Bangarra’s guiding principles were represented in every piece. The solution provides multiple pathways for users to journey through the site. Supported by user research from audiences, creatives and dancers, four core areas were defined to launch user exploration; Productions, People, Places and Journeys. An innovative content relationship matrix was specifically designed and developed for Bangarra, providing an intuitive content management system to handle thousands of content items. Content relationships are the key to displaying relevant content on every page. As new items are added this dynamically updates and places the content based on its unique relationships. The design is a digital representation of Bangarra’s distinctive and beautifully crafted stage presence. To represent movement, the site has organic listing pages, providing a dynamic scrolling experience. Designs are crafted to best present the featured content and support it with creative details. Heritage is described for each person and on country homelands showcased in their traditional names. Custom audio and video controls were developed to better showcase Bangarra’s brand tone.