Keeping Artists on the Floor: Why it Matters
I’m Nicole Simms-Farrow, and I’m an artist with Second Echo Ensemble. I’ve been with the ensemble for about two years now.
Nicole Simms-Farrow performs with Dave Montgomery and Paul McPhee in The Adventures of Peacock, Chicken and the Pony They Rode Upon. Photo by Pete Mellows.
What I absolutely love about being with Second Echo Ensemble is exactly that – the ensemble. For me, the best way of being an artist is to share my practice. Sure, I create work at home on my own, but here I get to be vulnerable and strong at the same time. We lean on one another, we learn from one another, and we swap roles – sometimes leading, sometimes learning.
That means I can share what I know, especially through music, and at other times I can be brand new at something. Making mistakes and not getting things right is part of the process, and together we show that truth: that being an artist is about play, curiosity and possibility.
When I lead, it’s often through music – creating something from scratch. That might be writing a structured song with lyrics, or building a soundscape using everyday objects we find in the room. Sometimes it’s learning instruments, but it’s less about being the “best guitarist” and more about asking: what sounds can this instrument make? How do those sounds make us feel? Can we replicate them? How can they be part of our story?
“All of these experiments matter. Whether or not they end up in a final project, they feed our practice. That time on the floor together – exploring music, movement, writing, visual art – keeps us open to new directions we wouldn’t find alone.”
One of the greatest joys for me here has been the chance to create new work. I’ve spent much of my career performing other people’s music and telling other people’s stories, which has been a privilege, but I always had ideas of my own that never left my head. This ensemble gives me the time, space, and trust to bring even the tiniest seed of an idea forward.
Nicole Simms-Farrow performs in Relache: The Last Dance on Earth, wth the ensemble. Photo by Jesse Hunniford.
Surrounded by so many diverse practices and experiences, those seeds grow into something real. I’ve produced more of my own work in these last two years than in my whole career before.
And then there are the outcomes – like performing at the Sydney Opera House. That was an absolute dream come true, something I never imagined would be part of my life. We created an original musical together, with original music, projections and artwork. It only happened because we had the time to build trust, to experiment, to explore every possibility until the story became clear.
“Standing on that stage with the ensemble was proof that the process works – that the investment of time, trust, and shared artistry leads to extraordinary results.”
For me, the heart of it all is that diverse voices and experiences need to be on every stage – from the mall to the Opera House. Audiences need to see themselves reflected in the art around them. That only happens if we create the space, the trust and the time for diverse artists to work together, to be vulnerable and to share.
“That’s why it matters so much to keep us on the floor – because every story counts.”
Nicole Simms-Farrow performs as the Narrator for The Adventures of Peacock, Chicken and the Pony They Rode Upon. Photo by Pete Mellows.
Every Story Counts. This #AusArtDay on 23 October, you can support artists shaping the future of Australian arts. Your donation - big or small - helps Second Echo Ensemble sustain bold, artist-led work that brings together artists with and without disability. Every contribution fuels collaboration, touring, and performances that celebrate visibility, connection, and belonging.
Second Echo Ensemble is proudly supported by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, the Tasmanian Government via Arts Tasmania, the Department of Social Services, our donors and volunteers. Our internet partner, Aussie Broadband, keeps us connected, while GoTransit Media Group supports the marketing of our 20th Anniversary season.
#EveryStoryCounts #CreativeAustralia
