Interview: Apryl Day & Jirra Lulla

Apryl Day and Jirra Lulla’s collaborative exhibition and film work HOLDING SPACE at Queen Vic Women's Centre stood as a space that honoured grief, resilience, and joy simultaneously. Through photography and visual storytelling, the exhibition was a love letter to Cummeragunja, preserving stories and knowledge of Elders, the knowledge holders, whose guidance shapes the survival and revitalisation of cultural practices for future generations.

With YIRRAMBOI’s 2027 Commissions EOI open, we sent some questions over to the 2025 Commissions artists. Here's what Apryl and Jirra had to say.


Be honest — how did the EOI process feel to you at the time?
Presenting our idea to YIRRAMBOI was a grounded experience. We were able to speak openly and honestly about what this project means to us. Because we were presenting to fellow community members, we didn’t need to code-switch or fit industry expectations. We could just be ourselves.

Is it possible to make work without explaining it?
We wanted to honour history, but we knew we couldn’t explain all the layers of grief and joy that Country holds. And so, we focused on this exact moment – on creating a snapshot in time. We weren’t sure how broader audiences would respond to this, but diverse people told us they felt it – felt the things that weren’t explained.

What’s the most mundane part of making something? The best part?
We would wake up at 4am, just us and the film crew and our Elders, watching the sunrise over the river. No emails, no distractions, that was the best part. The mundane logistics, like permits, are time intensive but can also help create a container for the creative flow.

What’s changed since then — in your work or your world?
Our work was filled with messages from our Elders about the waterways. About the importance of water for our food sources, our medicine. Living memories of the rivers being clear. Hearing these messages, day in and day out, it changes you. Now every project I work on, I’m thinking about how I’m contributing to the health of our rivers.

What’s something you created that you don’t understand?
There is an intangible quality that comes from community led work. The energy that is gathered when many hands contribute. No one person can create it. I don’t understand exactly what this quality is, and I don’t need to. I just know its good.

For more information and to apply, visit the 2027 Commissions EOI page.