The Mandurah Performing Arts Centre’s (MPAC) recently appointed youth engagement officer is already hard at work with a number of plans underway to involve Mandurah’s youth in the arts.
Former drama teacher Kellee Aberg started in the newly created role in July and is pushing for a youth focus at the centre.
She also wants to develop youth-led initiatives and productions.
And her big ideas don’t stop there.
“We’ve been running youth programs here in the centre for years but we want to have a deeper and wider connection with every young person in the region, not just in theatre but in dance, comedy, music and visual arts,” Ms Aberg said.
“I’m really excited, we’ve already started a few new things.”
Among her new initiatives is the youth ambassadors program.
The 18 young locals between 15 and 18 years old that form the group have already been chosen and will meet every eight weeks to brainstorm their own ideas for youth and the arts in Mandurah.
“We have young people coming on board telling us what they think about arts and culture, what they want to see in the centre and what they think about the wider community as well,” she said.
“Some of them love visual arts, some theatre, some dance but we wanted a mix because we’re not trying to just focus on one thing.
“We’re starting a new youth festival next year which those guys will have a big hand in curating that and giving their ideas.”
The inaugural youth festival will be held at MPAC in May 2019 and will be an annual event.
“There will be music, dance, theatre and a silent disco,” Ms Aberg said.
“We haven’t got a name for it yet because we want our young people to name it.”
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The ambitious Mandurah woman has also implemented a bus subsidy scheme to make the centre accessible for more young people.
“The biggest thing we hear back from schools and teachers is that buses are really expensive to go on excursions or workshops so the scheme will pay for 50 per cent of the cost of a bus,” she said.
The new youth engagement officer position is funded by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries’ Raise the Roof program.
The invitation-only grants program supports the expansion of annual performing arts programs delivered by performing arts venues in regional Western Australia.
Ms Aberg said it was important everyone can access art and culture in the Peel region.
“I love that through the arts, we get to tell stories and these stories become validated when other people hear them,” she said.
“Arts are about community and being together because we can’t do life alone, we need to do life together.”
