Red Earth Arts Festival
Red Earth Arts Festival
Breaksea Community Sing
View from the Magpie's Nest
September - December 2020
Great Southern , WA
Great Southern artists of all disciplines and backgrounds were invited to join this project. The Creative Team who brought you Pilgrims of the Sea, The Vancouver Street Festival Noongar Song Project and By Other Eyes created a new work in 2020.
An experienced and talented collection of artists including Matt Ward, Rachael Colmer, Jonathan Brain, Pia Harris, Rob Castiglione, Mand Marky, Rita Bush, Eliza Woods and Jon Doust ran workshops in creative devising through stories, singing, movement and visual arts.
Workshops focussing on developing skills in creative devising and learning how a new work is created was offered to total beginners, experienced or aspiring artists.
Experienced creatives worked alongside an experienced team of theatre practitioners, and community members in the Great Southern, to shape a new work based on stories of culture, identity, diversity and collaboration.
“Our new creative development comes from a number of years of conversations with the Breaksea team, and from a very personal place for me. I believe through creative processes like this, empathy can be established between participants, and by sharing performances with the community, this can flow on into the community.” - Rachael Colmer
“This project brings together some top local artists with experts with performance experience in London, New York, Sydney and Melbourne. Being able to create a new community performance work collectively is a great way to develop skills and create a positive shared future in our beautiful Great Southern.” - Matt Ward
Details
The project occurred between September and December 2020 and workshops were held via zoom and in Albany, Denmark and Mount Barker. The project culminated in a public showing of selected scenes from the new work at the Albany Entertainment Centre in collaboration with WA Opera artists, the Kidogo Arthouse Fremantle and in Denmark, WA. View from the Magpie’s Nest is produced by Breaksea, supported by the City of Albany’s Vancouver Arts Centre, West Australian Opera, Denmark Arts, the Department of Local Government, Sport & Cultural Industries and Regional Arts WA.
Artists
Matt Ward – Artistic Director/Producer
Rachael Colmer – Devising Director
Jonathan Brain – Music Director
Eliza Woods – Consulting Noongar Elder
Rob Castiglione – Film maker
Pia Harris – Voice teacher & Youth Mentorship Coordinator
Marianthe Loucataris – Production Management
Jon Doust – Creative Writing Guest Workshop Leader
Jen Mitchell - Visual Artist
Rita Bush – Dance Guest Workshop Leader
Exploring the question, "How do you find your sense of home?" Breaksea artists, led by Jen Mitchell created a community sculpture as part of the 2021 Breaksea Festival. This interactive, community built artwork was exhibited and interacted with at the Albany Entertainment Centre with schools participating from Denmark to Bremer Bay.
Watch artist Jen Mitchell introduce the project.
Breaksea Singing Festival