Shifting and Stirring
Lilly Blue from AGWA
The intention
This exciting national initiative brings together experts in children and family arts programming delivery from across Australia. This rich ecology of arts organisations, collectives and individuals have so much practice to share with one another to explore new ideas, discover new ways of working and improve the quality of overall creative programming in our sector. A series of online reflective practice learning exchanges, featuring the work of diverse artists and children and demonstrating a range of multidisciplinary arts practice this program will feed this ecology and provide access to artists across this country.
Each session is devised and co-delivered by one of the collective members who each contribute to the annual program both in some commitment of time as well as financially. At this point, the organisations are ArTELIER (TAS), Sydney Opera House (NSW), Art Gallery of WA (WA) & ArtPlay (VIC).
Initially, in year one, six organisations/groups, will each contribute $5000 to support the program delivery. This way each organisation can commit from their own budgets, promote the program through their networks and have an opportunity to deliver a session exploring their own work to a wider audience of peers. The 2 hour online sessions are free and open to artists, producers and programmers, combining presentations and interactivity to provide a democratic practice sharing space.
We consider that this open and emergent collective of individuals and organisations has the capacity to enrich the sector, improving our visibility and provide great networking opportunities.
“I’ve been feeling so fulfilled by these sessions. Connecting with other artists in a different way that is so connected to the processes I use and the stage I’m at in my practice makes me feel less isolated and more inspired.”
Moving with Second Echo Ensemble on Zoom
What emerged?
“Incredibly enriching and nourishing for my practise. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and lose focus in a world of isolation and COVID and digital interaction so I really enjoyed “taking breath” and being inspired.”
// The (evolving) principles of practice //Participation: we connect and learn through doing and sharing.
Sessions involve active participation.
Rigorous Reflection: there needs to be space for reflection by participants, and made visible by lead artists.
Connection: this is a space for national connection. And connection primarily through practice.
Democratising of space: equal voices in participating.
Process as Practice: this is an arts practice in itself, whoever is in the room is collaborating and creating. This is art.
Space amidst the busy: permission to gather, reflect, connect & share
Generosity: embedded throughout
“Expressing appreciation for this opportunity for shared exploration - gratitude for reminders of solidarity with like-minded explorers, affirmation of own endeavours, challenges to my existing mindsets.”
“Really grounding and insightful. Having experienced other webinars and zoom workshops, for some reason, I really feel connected and present with these workshops. ”
Drop Bear Theatre work on Shifting and Stirring 4
The first four sessions
“It was so nice to be in a professional Zoom where the intrinsic goal wasn’t future productivity. The goal was to be here doing this. That is a very very rare thing. And it worked. I was very much there.”
“It was brilliant. it was welcoming, inclusive, rigorous, inspiring, expansive, enlightening, engaging and enjoyable!.”