Body of Works and Projects
“It’s a great moment, you know. To have someone from my family struggle from Egypt and then come all the way here and do something good like be up on that stage”
COMMUNITY AUDIENCE MEMBER, ARTS CENTRE MELBOURNE, FAIRFAX THEATRE
GRAND DIVISIONS | 2015
“Grand DiVisions… is an exhilarating glimpse of worlds and realities too often kept out of our plush temples of culture. The polished energy of 21 young singers, spoken word artists and dancers, backed by an orchestra, hits you right in the sternum.”
- ALISON CROGGON | ABC ARTS
THE AUDITION | 2019 | TOURING 2024
“Outstanding newcomer Milad Norouzi’s inspirational work Beautiful Jail is moving... The Audition is unforgettable.”
- LYN ZELEN | THEATRE PEOPLE
“Irine Vela seamlessly directs The Audition to create electrifying theatre… the work shimmers, mirage-like, between asylum seekers claiming protection and actors preparing to audition, with cognate politics and piercing resonance.”
- CAMERON WOODHEAD | THE AGE
LIBERIAN BOY | 2018
“Each performance just got better and better... I was like, wow, I want to see this all through - I want to be a part of this.”
- COMMUNITY AUDIENCE MEMBER
VESSEL | 2017
“A boat is a vessel, carrying life across dangerous seas, and a womb is a vessel, carrying life across a dangerous world. These concepts combine in this strikingly original dance work performed by six young dancers, a performer, a singer and two musicians… United by its theme, the piece conveys so many facets of life experience with great clarity”
- MICHAEL BRINDLEY | STAGE WHISPERS
POETIC LICENSE | 2014, 2015 & 2017 | REMOUNT TOUR 2027-2028
“Outer Urban Projects… delivers a successful platform for disparate and often unheard voices with a performative aplomb that speaks eloquently to a sophisticated Melbourne theatre audience.”
- LEONARD MILLER | MELBOURNE. ARTS. FASHION
“There’s talent and charisma here in abundance...”
- REBECCA HARKINS-CROSS | SYDNEY MORINING HERALD
125 BPM | 2018
“I just want to keep making art.”
- OLIVER MORGAN-TARRAN ACCESS AND OUTREACH PARTICPANT
KIN | IN DEVELOPMENT | 2023-2028
"We’re looking at our life as twins and how we maintain culture, tradition and how music plays into that. I want to reach as many Pacific Islanders as possible. We all ask the same questions and we're all trying to answer the same questions. Where do we come from? What cultural tradition do we uphold here in our family homes? How do we identify ourselves? Who are we? Are we Fijian and Australian? Or more Fijian or more Australian? What affects these answers? Our opinions? Who are our influences in our lives that shape the answers to these questions?”
- JOANNE KAISILA (JOJO), WRITERS, PERFORMERS AND COMPOSERS
THE LITTLE LIONHEART | IN POST PRODUCTION | 2024-2025
“A single three–minute rap by Milad Norouzi in Irine Vela’s Grand DiVisions at Fairfax Studio, had more to say about thought crime, courage and freedom of expression than 1984 in its overblown entirety."
- CHRIS BOYD | THE AGE
URBAN STUDIO | 2022
Urban Studio is the digital platform of Outer Urban Projects. It aims to commission, develop, record, produce, market and distribute work, music, film and documentaries from all Outer Urban Projects platforms and provides artists and participants digital performance opportunities.
URBAN CHAMBER – BEYOND | 2013
“The raw talent and charisma of this group is enough to want to go see them…"
-MATTHEW ZICCONE | THE MUSIC
“The smooth transition of artistic piece after artistic piece soon convinced the audience that they are in the presence of a particularly unique and talented collaboration…”
-TANIA HERBERT | THEATRE PRESS