Melbourne’s prolific learning hub The Channel has released the next wave of sessions for PLAY starting February 2024.
The Channel has been a talent magnet over the years, with artist collaborations from Midnight Oil, Thndo, Amanda Palmer, Alan Brough, Kram, Alice Ivy, Yve Blake, Memphis LK and many more.
The summer / autumn cycle of workshops includes a variety of creative workshops across music production & songwriting, magic, scripts & playwriting, dance and comedy, and offers a unique framework to connect and develop skillsets.
“The creative offerings at The Channel have naturally evolved over the years and we curate the PLAY program to expand access to creative development for everyone, regardless of your experience or journey,” said Zoe Rinkel, Senior Producer, Creative Learning at The Channel.
“The Channel continues to hold a seat for the dreamers looking for a start and refines opportunities for creatives well on the way in their personal development. It’s a privilege to be at the forefront of such an abundant flow of creative talent.”
Workshops will run in the dedicated studio and learning space that sits alongside the Yarra / Birrarung nestled in a prime central location next to Hamer Hall.
Upcoming workshops / events for PLAY program:
Magicians at Work
For: Magicians to develop, rehearse and present new material to test audiences
Collab: Australian Institute of Magic
Dates: 14 February and 10 April – 7:30pm
Price: Free – registrations required
Writing with Arts Hub
For: Aspiring reviewers and arts writers looking to connect with peers and learn from the best in the business
Collab: Arts Hub professionals – Madeleine Swaine and Celina Lei
Dates: Feature Writing Workshop – 13 February – 6:00pm | Writers’ Network – 27 February – 6:00pm
Price: Fee – registrations required
Culture Queenz
For: Emerging female & non/binary dancers interested in afro dance, dancehall and hip hop (Ages 15 – 20)
Dates: Industry Training Session – 1 March (5:30pm – 7:30pm)
Price: Free – registrations required
Next in Audio
For: Creatives at all stages of their career interested in game design and audio editing (Ages 15+)
Collab: Heck Media and Maize Wallin, Melbourne based composer, sound designer and audio programmer
Dates: 6 February – 6:00pm | 26 March – 6:00pm | 4 June – 6:00pm
Price: $25
Soundwaves
For: Young First Nations people looking to start their path into the music industry (Ages 15 – 25)
Collab: Songlines Aboriginal Music
Dates: Runs on Thursdays from 8 February to 28 March – 4:00pm
Price: Free – registrations required
Bukjeh Lab Space
For: Aspiring artists from refugee diasporas looking to access digital art, creative writing, storytelling, music, calligraphy and dance experience (Ages 15 – 25)
Collab: Bukjeh Lab Space
Dates: 10 February – 10:00am | 17 February – 10:00am | 24 February – 10:00am
Price: Free – registrations required
Script Roulette
For: Up and coming storytellers interested in industry roles across writing, acting, composing and production.
Collab: Script Roulette Artist Collective
Dates: Runs Tuesdays from 20 February to 18 June – 6.00pm
Price: Free – registrations required
Ableton User Group Melbourne | Bi-Monthly Meetup
For: Members of Ableton User Group Melbourne (AUGM), a collective of producers and musicians at all skill levels. This inclusive online community is free to join
Collab: Ableton User Group Melbourne (AUGM) and Guest Artists
Dates: 21 February – 7:00pm
Price: Free – registrations required
Class Clowns Heats
For: The next generation of comedians looking to make their mark – or audiences interested in the new kids on the block at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Collab: Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Dates: 8 March – 7:00pm | 9 March – 1:00pm & 6:00pm
Price: Free – registrations required
Music Industry Masterclasses
For: Developing music industry professionals looking to connect and absorb insights from a talented collective
Collab: Australian Music Vault & The Push. Featured creatives include Beatrice Lewis, Joel Ma and Kim Williamson
Dates: 18 March – 5:30pm | 15 May – 5:30pm | 20 June – 5:30pm
Price: Free – registrations required (opens 15 February)
Up Next Comedy
For: Anyone interested in hot-off-the-press laughs from a verified line-up of the funniest, young performers the country has to offer (Ages 12+)
Collab: Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Dates: 3 April – 5:00pm | 4 April – 5:00pm | 5 April – 5:00pm | 6 April – 5:00pm | 25 May – 5:00pm | 29 June – 5:00pm
Price: Standard – $20 | Concession – $15 | Mob Tix – $10
For more information about PLAY at The Channel, visit: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au for details.
Image: The Channel: PLAY 2024 – photo by Hilary Walker