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A new Auslan-led theatre work exploring one of the most defining moments in Deaf history is entering its next stage of development as part of the prestigious Bundanon Trust’s 2026 Artists in Residence program.
THE MILAN CONFERENCE, created by re:group performance collective, an ensemble of d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing performers, has been selected for the nationally significant residency, one of the largest and most competitive programs of its kind in Australia.
In 2026, Bundanon received more than 500 applications from across Australia and 24 countries, with a growing number of D/deaf artists represented in the final cohort.
Performed entirely in Auslan, THE MILAN CONFERENCE blends interpretation, creative captioning, visual vernacular and video design to create a theatrical language where access is not added in, but embedded at the centre.
At the heart of the work
- • Performed entirely in Auslan
- • Combines interpretation, captioning and video design
- • Draws on one of the most defining moments in Deaf history
- • Places access at the centre of the theatrical language
The work draws on the events of 1880, when the Second International Congress on the Education of the Deaf in Milan sidelined sign language in favour of oralism, excluding Deaf voices from decisions that would shape generations.
Through a contemporary story of a Deaf program facing closure, the production asks what happens when decisions about Deaf lives are made without Deaf voices at the centre.
The project has been shaped through deep community consultation, beginning in early 2025 with roundtable discussions with d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing artists and educators.
A first stage of development took place in October 2025 at The Rex Cramphorn Studio at the University of Sydney, supported by Create NSW and the City of Sydney.
Now, at Bundanon, the work enters a new phase. Set within a landscape designed for reflection and creative exchange, the residency provides space to deepen both the artistic language and the questions at the heart of the piece.
In doing so, THE MILAN CONFERENCE will grow to become a performance where audiences are invited to consider what it means to truly listen, not just to sound, but to language, culture and lived experience.
