Elyssia Ranee Wilson-Heti
Elyssia Wilson-Heti is an interdisciplinary artist, activist and member of FAFSWAG. She is of mixed Niuean and European heritage. Elyssia is a producer for the FAFSWAG Arts Collective, having produced live performance, community events, arts panels and activations over the past nine years.
Formally trained as a performer for the stage and film at Best Training and Unitec. Elyssia has featured in works for Auckland Fringe festival, Auckland Pride, Sydney Biennale as well as hosted workshops on physical theatre, at Q theatre and stage managed all the shows FAFSWAG delivered during their company in residence in 2017.
Her arts / community practice is collaborative and intersectional. In 2019 Elyssia was selected for the Basement Theatre development programme – ‘The Visions Project’ which she directed, wrote for and performed in the original performance work Reclamation. She was chosen as the 2020 Producer Resident at Basement Theatre. She has since co produced along side designer of Infamy Apparel grass roots radical fat positive FAT FEB festival at Vunilagi Vou, The Legacy Ball for the Auckland Arts Festival with the pioneering Ballroom houses of Aotearoa, co-produced the inaugural The Nest Street Style Solo Dance Festival with Jahra Wasasala and Ooshcon Masseurs . She has also co produced MATALA audio essays with Tanu Gago and created by Tapuaki Helu and Hōhua Ropate Kurene. She was most recently appointed as the new creative director for the Auckland Pride Festival.
Alongside her practice as an artist and producer. She has done advisory and advocacy work within the arts sector. Speaking on multiple advisory and panels for community development.
Photo by Pati Tyrell
What does leadership look like to you?
Elyssia: I’ve been thinking about this a lot. For me it’s important to lead from the back. To be led by the community I’m engaging with and servicing while being open and receptive. To understand what they’re holding.
As there is no queer monolith, it’s being super mindful of moving in those spaces and holding that community with care, empathy and compassion.
It’s a fine balance. How do you hold all of the things that are important to all of the corners of community and be mindful of that when you’re moving into the space?
I try to be as intersectional as possible in my thinking. It’s not about me, it’s about the community that I’m in service of. True leadership is about leaving your ego at the door. You need to be really mindful and careful; keeping the kaupapa of why you are moving in that space, rather than your ego.
What are you hoping to get out of this experience?
Elyssia: Community. Community is super important. You can’t do anything alone. Being able to find like-minded women who share my philosophy and world view. Strong coalitions are important because that’s where you see real tangible change, where you can support one another and the work that you’re doing. Being able to share space with these women is phenomenal.
How does your community show up in your practice?
Elyssia: My practice is quite a social practice, so it really informs everything. There is no separation for me. The community component makes up such a huge part of what I do, whether that’s in my arts practice as a maker, producing live events, or a member of FAFSWAG. Everything has been informed by a community. I see the importance of the community having sovereignty of their own narrative and providing a space for that to happen – because it doesn’t happen enough.
There’s so much nuance in our stories and community spaces. It’s super important to have people that can help birth your ideas, and who are also meeting you from a space of cultural competency.
