Outback Theatre for Young People receives $100,000 Catalyst funding

Dedicated to engaging with young people from regional and remote communities, Outback Theatre for Young People (OTYP) has welcomed a $100,000 grant from Catalyst – the Australian Arts and Culture Fund to support two large scale community projects over the coming two years – Bordertowns and While You Were Sleeping.

OTYP Creative Producer, Sarah Parsons said the Bordertowns project will be based in the Berrigan Shire, and will unite the four towns in the shire (Berrigan, Barooga, Tocumwal and Finley) in a theatrical event that celebrates stories from the region.

“Young people will be at the centre of the production, and the wider community will participate in the retelling of their histories and family anecdotes,” said Ms Parsons. “The outcome will be a huge community celebration that tours around the four towns.”

The While You Were Sleeping project aims to facilitate recycling and sustainability awareness through large-scale public art sculptures installed overnight.

“The township of Deniliquin will be gifted with artworks made by local young people from recyclable materials, which will be left for a few days and then disappear again.” said Ms Parsons. “The end result of the project will be an artistic and historical audio tour of the town that can be downloaded by anyone visiting.”

Outback Theatre for Young People is dedicated to creating innovative and distinctive contemporary theatre through collaborative processes. They engage young people, aged of 4 to 26 years, from throughout the Riverina region of NSW and Northern Victoria, in collaborative, generative theatre projects that celebrate their lives and their aspirations.

Minister for the Arts, Mitch Fifield said the arts have the ability to illuminate and enliven the communities we live in, and to teach us more about ourselves, our society and our time.

“Catalyst is a truly national arts funding program and I am pleased to see funding reaching our local arts organisations, and arts and cultural organisations from across Australia, recognising the innovative and creative work being undertaken,” said Minister Fifield.

“The successful Catalyst projects will enhance the experience of and access to arts and culture across Australia, exploring themes and issues relevant to contemporary Australian and international audiences.”

For more more information about Outback Theatre for Young People, visit: www.outbacktheatre.com For more information about the Catalyst Fund, visit: www.arts.gov.au/catalyst for details.

Image: Outback Theatre for Young People – Reverberate (supplied)