Umbela Mentorship program
Training and Development
Cultural Leadership Through Practice: Umbela Brasil supports emerging cultural leaders through a mentorship program grounded in community practice, cultural integrity, and sustainable leadership. Our mentorship program recognises that many cultural practitioners develop their leadership not through formal institutions, but through lived experience, community responsibility, and creative enterprise. Through mentorship, Umbela Brasil supports individuals who are building meaningful work in areas such as: cultural production, film and media, community arts, leadership cultural education, ethical small business development and social sustainability initiatives. Several of our mentees have gone on to establish their own businesses and cultural initiatives, demonstrating the power of mentorship rooted in trust, responsibility, and shared values.
How the program works
Umbela’s mentorship program combines strengths-based performance coaching, strategic planning, competency mapping, and skills transfer.
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Mentorship is tailored to each participant’s goals and cultural practice. Together, mentors and mentees identify desired outcomes, map the competencies required to reach those goals, and develop pathways for building those skills through practical experience.
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Conversations are usually held monthly, with additional contact depending on the mentee’s vision, current projects, and director availability.
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Learning may include:
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project development and collaboration
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cultural leadership and governance awareness
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documentary and media production
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community cultural practice
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strategic planning for cultural initiatives
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international cultural exchange and touring
The program focuses on learning through real cultural work, allowing mentees to develop practical experience alongside guidance and reflection.
A community of practice
Umbela mentors individuals who demonstrate:
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cultural respect and integrity
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curiosity and openness to learning
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commitment to community wellbeing
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responsibility in their work and relationships
Many mentees continue their relationship with Umbela as collaborators, advisors, or community leaders in their own right.
The program therefore contributes to a growing network of cultural practitioners who are shaping the future of community arts with care and responsibility.
Future mentees
Future Mentees
Each year Umbela may invite a small number of individuals to participate in the mentorship program.
The 2026 mentorship program will continue to support emerging cultural practitioners working across film, cultural production, and community leadership.
Mentorship invitations are extended through community relationships and are not part of a competitive application process.
This ensures the program remains grounded in trust, cultural respect, and shared purpose.
Mentorship lineage
Umbela Brasil’s mentorship program has supported a growing network of cultural practitioners developing new pathways for samba and Afro-Brazilian cultural practice.
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Umbela mentorship develops through relationships, shared work, and cultural exchange over time.
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Mentorship relationships reflect a period of collaboration and learning within Umbela Brasil’s program. Mentees continue to develop their own independent initiatives.
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2018 – Nichola Langham
Establishing So Samba, expanding access to samba practice and community participation in the ACT.
2019 – Kate Hillgrove
Establishing the Australian Samba Retreat, creating a dedicated learning and gathering space for samba practitioners.
2020 – Julio Cesar
Establishing the Malandragem Project and later becoming Treasurer of Umbela Brasil, strengthening governance and organisational leadership.
2021 – Hayley Barnes
Pursuing the vision of joining Portela Samba School in Brazil as a passista, building cultural exchange between Australia and Brazil.
2022 – Pablo Gueriero (Brazil - with 3 month placement in Australia)
Mentorship in international touring, supporting pathways for artists working across Australia and Europe.
2023 – Sophie Contreiras
Supporting the touring of international artists within Australia and strengthening cultural exchange networks.
2023 – Jo Puletta
Establishing samba training that integrates rhythmic practice with spiritual and personal development.
2026 – Johan Badh (Sweden – proposed, currently being mapped including placement in Australia)
Mentorship in film editing and documentary production, contributing to Umbela’s growing work in cultural documentation.
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These mentorship pathways reflect the living transmission of samba culture, where knowledge, responsibility, and creative practice are carried forward through relationships and shared work.