Free CPD Webinar - Unlawful Soundings: Art / Culture Not Evidence: Music on trial. Literally

Join artists, legal experts, and cultural critics as they expose the disturbing trend of prosecutors using lyrics and music videos as evidence in criminal cases in this free morning CPD session. Scheduled to accommodate guests across different time zones, the session will take place at 8am AEST time on July 23rd.

This webinar unpacks how creative expression, especially in genres like rap, is being misread as evidence of criminality /intention or “bad character”, and how this practice threatens artistic freedom, reinforces bias, and distorts justice.

Hosted by Dr Felicity Gerry KC: Member of Green’s List specialising in homicide, terrorism, war crimes and white collar and has significant experience of the use of music as evidence in terrorism and homicide trials. Felicity will facilitate a panel including:

• Dylan Voller: Indigenous Rap artist: Dylan first came to public attention when his treatment at an NT youth detention centre triggered a Royal Commission into the treatment of children in correctional facilities. He creates rap to heal his traumatic experiences.

• Tareqq Jalloh: Philosopher, researching the culture, aesthetics, and criminalisation of rap. He recently submitted his PhD at the University of Sheffield and is currently a research associate at the University of Manchester.

• Elli Brazzill: music curator and Director of Art Not Evidence campaign in the UK

• James Parker: Associate professor at Melbourne Law School, co-curator of the Eavesdropping Project, board member of Earshot and author of Acoustic Jurisprudence: Listening to the Trial of Simon Bikindi.

• Phillipa Stafford: Sound artist and future lawyer (due to be admitted to practice in August 2025). One half of Sisters Akousmatica, with Dr Julia Drouhin, exploring the radical possibilities of radio broadcast since 2015. 

Register free here