Aphids
APHIDS is a 30-year-old, artist-led experimental arts organization based in Naarm/Melbourne that creates feminist, cross-artform performance works, publications, and a podcast, serving festivals, presenting venues, emerging artists, and arts audiences across Australia and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Aphids does
APHIDS is a 30-year-old, artist-led experimental arts organization headquartered at Collingwood Yards in Naarm/Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1994 by David Young, Cynthia Troup, Sarah Pirrie, and Kath Banger, the company creates cross-artform performance works, publications, podcasts, and public installations that interrogate social and political themes through feminist and intersectional lenses. Its portfolio of programs includes the Supermassive mentorship initiative for emerging artists (over 50 mentored since 2007), the Superdrive mid-career collaboration program, Aphids Records (publications and public archiving), and the Aphids Listens podcast.
The organization serves a hybrid constituency: arts festivals and presenting venues (RISING, Sydney Opera House, ACMI, National Gallery of Victoria, The Substation, Arts House, Adelaide Festival, PICA) act as co-commissioners and presenters; emerging and early-career artists participate as mentees and collaborators; gig-economy workers and broader arts audiences participate as co-creators or consumers. In 2023, APHIDS directed nearly A$500,000 toward fees and wages across approximately 80 artists engaged in projects.
APHIDS is a registered Australian Tax Concession Charity and Deductible Gift Recipient (ABN 24 721 913 934), governed by a voluntary Board and led by Co-Artistic Directors Mish Grigor, Lara Thoms, and Eugenia Lim (the latter two effective 2019, following Willoh S. Weiland's tenure). Revenue is drawn from multi-year government grants (most notably 4-year Creative Australia funding for 2025-28, plus Creative Victoria and City of Melbourne support), tax-deductible donations across tiers from A$100 to A$10,000+, commissioned works, and merchandise/publication sales via a Stripe-powered online shop. Approximately 90% of income is directed to artistic wages and fees, reflecting the organization's stated commitment to artist livelihoods.
Aphids firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aphids
- Legal name
- Aphids
- Website
- https://aphids.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- APHIDS is a 30-year-old, artist-led experimental arts organization based in Naarm/Melbourne that creates feminist, cross-artform performance works, publications, and a podcast, serving festivals, presenting venues, emerging artists, and arts audiences across Australia and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aphids industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Experimental Performing Arts
- NAICS
- Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spoken Word & Performance Poetry Workshops (EDAMAMAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE), Arts & Culture Documentaries (MPADADAI)
Keywords
Where Aphids is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Aphids business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Government Grants: Primary funding from Australian Government through Creative Australia, Creative Victoria, City of Melbourne, and City of Yarra. APHIDS has secured 4-year funding (2025-28) from Creative Australia.
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations from supporters. APHIDS is a registered Tax Concession Charity and Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR). ABN: 24 721 913 934.
- Merchandise and Publications Sales: Online shop selling merchandise (hoodies, socks, caps, Nalgene bottles) and publications. Purchases via Stripe payment system with shipping within Australia.
- Commissioned Works: Co-commissions and presenting partnerships with festivals and venues including RISING, The Substation, ACMI, and international presenters.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Classy Socks - $15 + $10 shipping |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pineapple Fever Nalgene Bottle - $49 + $10 shipping |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Back and Forth Publication - $6 + $10 shipping |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Villian Edit Publication - $12.99 + $10 shipping |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Donation tiers - $100 to $10,000+ |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Aphids product offering
Product offeringCore offering
APHIDS is an artist-led experimental arts organisation based in Naarm/Melbourne that creates and presents experimental performance works, publishes accompanying catalogs and recordings, runs artist mentorship and development programs, and produces a podcast series featuring artist interviews. Their outputs span stage productions, moving image, publications, podcasts, and public art interventions across Australian and international venues.
Product overview
APHIDS is a 30-year-old artist-led experimental arts organization based in Naarm/Melbourne, Australia. Rather than a unified technology product, APHIDS operates as a portfolio of interconnected artistic programs and outputs. The core offerings include Performance Works (experimental stage productions exploring social/political themes), Aphids Records Publications (documenting and extending their artistic practice), the Aphids Listens Podcast (artist interview archive), the Supermassive Program (mentorship for emerging artists), and the Superdrive Program (collaborative project development with mid-career artists). The organization also maintains a Shop for merchandise. These programs collectively support APHIDS' mission of creating 'urgent art for urgent times' through feminist, intersectional, and experimental methodologies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Supermassive: APHIDS' program to engage and support the development of the experimental arts community, offering mentorships, secondments, internships and exchange to early career artists and producers.
- Superdrive
- Aphids Records
- Aphids Listens
Products and services
- Performance Works Experimental performance works spanning stage productions, moving image, and live art that explore social and political themes including art controversy, ecology, mobility, death industry, gig economy, class, and power. Produced for presentation at major Australian festivals (RISING, Melbourne Fringe, Adelaide Festival, Sydney Opera House) and international venues.
- Aphids Records Publications
Quantifiable outcome
- 82% of annual turnover spent directly on artist wages and fees (2021)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Aphids
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Aphids technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Aphids partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Metro Tunnel Creative ProgramcoreCollaboration displaying APHIDS archive photos on public hoardings at Metro Tunnel construction site on Franklin St, Melbourne, celebrating 28 years of APHIDS performances. Presented as part of 2021 Melbourne Fringe Festival.
- Birdlife AustraliacoreFlyway was originally created in partnership with Birdlife Australia and its volunteers. Artist Lz Dunn undertook field research along the coast meeting local birders, visiting bird sites, and collecting field recordings for the performative audiovisual tour.
- RISING FestivalcoreKey presenting and commissioning partner for major works including OH DEER! (2023), 8/8/8, Fawn (ACMI commission), and The Invisible Opera.
- The SubstationcoreCommissioning partner for Class Act (2022), a world premiere at The Substation in Newport, Victoria.
- Pan Pan Theatre (Ireland)minorCollaboration on The First Bad Man (performative book club) for RISING Festival 2024, and UNFORGETTABLE SOUL THERAPY residency planned for May 2026 at Abbotsford Convent.
- BIPAM and ASIATOPAminorSupported Bangkok residency with Amrita Hepi for research and first development of new work exploring choreography of destiny in historical places marked by power.
- Collingwood YardscorePermanent affordable studio home for APHIDS since 2020, providing studio space and fostering a diverse artist community. APHIDS is one of the anchor tenants in this artist-focused facility.
- Long PrawncoreStudio neighbours and collaborators on Gutful series (Gutful: Revolt!, Gutful: Bug in the System), combining APHIDS' future-focused politics with Long Prawn's culinary playfulness.
- VitalstatistixcoreKey partner on Howl (2020 Adelaide Biennial), providing production support, venue access, and cultural program development.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Aphids competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Performing Lines: National producing house for contemporary performance that commissions and tours independent Australian work. Directly comparable on model: artist-led, government-funded, festival partner, and focused on experimental cross-artform practice.
- Lucy Guerin Inc: Melbourne-based contemporary dance and performance company producing experimental stage works with co-commission partners. Shares APHIDS' model of artist-led production, government-grant funding, and partnership-based touring into major festivals and venues.
- The Substation: Small Melbourne-based experimental arts organization producing contemporary performance and commissioning new work. Comparable in scale, mandate, and programming (Class Act was a co-commission) — the most directly analogous peer in the Australian independent experimental arts sector.
- Vitalstatistix: Adelaide-based experimental performance company producing feminist and politically engaged work. Direct peer in scale, mission, and grant-funded producing model; partnered with APHIDS on Howl for the Adelaide Biennial.
- Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA): Melbourne contemporary art institution presenting experimental, socially engaged work. Comparable in curatorial orientation toward urgent, feminist, and politically engaged contemporary practice, though primarily visual-arts focused.
- Arts House Melbourne: Melbourne City of Melbourne venue and presenting partner for experimental contemporary performance (Exit Strategies was developed there). Functions as a development partner and co-presenter for artists of the same kind APHIDS produces.
Others
- RISING Festival: Melbourne winter festival and APHIDS' largest commissioning partner (OH DEER!, Fawn, 8/8/8, The Invisible Opera). Functions as the principal presenting platform for APHIDS' flagship works rather than as a direct producing peer.
- Melbourne Fringe: Festival organization that presents independent experimental work (APHIDS is a regular participant and Metro Hoardings was a 2021 Melbourne Fringe presentation). Connected as an ecosystem partner and presentation channel rather than a direct producing peer.
Broad incumbents
- Malthouse Theatre: Larger Melbourne performing arts company producing contemporary theatre with broader audience reach. Overlaps with APHIDS in the experimental/contemporary end of the spectrum but operates at materially greater scale with a bigger venue and broader programming slate.
Regional players
- Perth Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA): Perth-based contemporary arts organization presenting experimental performance and visual art (Howl premiered there). Operates a similar curatorial brief to APHIDS but is venue-led and serves a different geography.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Aphids social profiles
Digital presenceAphids financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aphids leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Aphids funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aphids M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aphids
What does Aphids do?
APHIDS is an artist-led experimental arts organisation based in Naarm/Melbourne that creates and presents experimental performance works, publishes accompanying catalogs and recordings, runs artist mentorship and development programs, and produces a podcast series featuring artist interviews. Their outputs span stage productions, moving image, publications, podcasts, and public art interventions across Australian and international venues.
Is Aphids a public or private company?
Aphids is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Aphids founded?
Aphids was founded in 1994. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Aphids based?
Aphids is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Aphids make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government Grants are the primary driver. The others are donations, merchandise and Publications Sales and commissioned Works.
Who are Aphids's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Performing Lines, Lucy Guerin Inc, The Substation, Vitalstatistix, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) and Arts House Melbourne. Others are RISING Festival and Melbourne Fringe. Malthouse Theatre is listed as a broad incumbent. Perth Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA) is listed as a regional player.
Does Aphids have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aphids.
What industry is Aphids in?
Aphids's product category is Experimental Performing Arts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAMAM, Spoken Word & Performance Poetry Workshops, with a secondary code of BPAFAIAE, Audio Production & Podcasting. Its NAICS code is 711190 and its SIC code is 2721.