On the road with the Education and Outreach team

It was really positive! For the first time, there were more participants on the second day which was great to see.

It was the first time we’ve held a residency at the NRL Cowboys House, and the young people were really interested in doing a choreographic project. It’s great to be able to facilitate the week-long creative projects, as it means the students can really develop their skills and it creates space for a richer arts experience.

We believe that everyone has the right to a high-quality arts experience regardless of where they’re from. Everyone should have the opportunity to be involved in art and culture, not just those who live closer to big cities. It also helps to encourage the next generation of creative voices. By reaching out to the wider community we’re expanding our network and nurturing a diverse range of potential creatives.

One of best things is that I’ve seen some of the students grow up. I remember meeting them when they were in primary school and now, they’re in high school. It’s great when they remember you and you have that familiarity, so they know what to expect from the workshop, it makes it so much easier.
Other students have gone on to study at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) and we bump into them in Melbourne occasionally, which is wonderful.

There was a special moment during the tour through NSW and Victoria. We started a partnership with a high school in Shepparton in 2017 and one of their teachers founded a youth dance company called Awaken. We’ve been mentoring them for a few years and while we were in Shepparton we asked if the dance group would perform a curtain raiser for the show (a curtain raiser is a performance before the main performance).

The Awaken group were kind enough to warm up the stage for us and noticed The Australian Ballet and Australian Ballet School dancers watching them from the wings. They thought they were just waiting to come on stage and were so happy when they realised that they were watching their performance. It was a really special experience for everyone.