Showcasing Originate
Community arts and IT organisation Information & Cultural Exchange (ICE) recently showcased the work of over 20 new Western Sydney artsworkers and digital artists as part of the ORIGINATE: multicultural + mentorship + multimedia Program.
The Showcase, hosted by Powerhouse Youth Theatre, was a dynamic presentation of design, music, sound, installations and performances by Originate graduates.
Originate has been an innovative skills, arts and professional development program, in which partcipants learned new skills in a selected field of digital arts (video, music/sound, radio, web/graphic design) with accredited training in community arts project management.
Graduates reported that the program was a stepping-stone and also helped them build on knowledge they already had. Their confidence increased, they are motivated to pursue independent projects and feel better equipped to consult and work with communities through digital arts.
“It was a wonderful opportunity coming my way. I learnt so many things. I am looking forward to working with my chosen community with confidence. I’m confident to be more organised and well equipped to handle conflict. Thank you for giving me such opportunity,” said Anita Barar, Originate participant and emerging filmmaker and community cultural development worker.
“Originate was terrific, great because it provided us with more skills, more development and allowed us to access valuable information and use wonderful and much needed resources, all which is needed for the Western Sydney community to be empowered,” said Bernard Makeny.
Supported by the Australia Council for the Arts, the emphasis of this program has been on developing Western Sydney artsworkers, particularly those from culturally diverse communities, including people from small and emerging communities as well as Australian Indigenous and Pacific Islander backgrounds. The arts management component of the program was a partnership with South Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, resulting in accreditation for the 25 graduates.
Lena Nahlous, ICE Director, spoke about the Originate program at the Showcase, saying that it has been one of ICE’s most innovative programs to date. “We anticipate that this will lead to very real employment opportunities for the graduates,” she said.
Originate went beyond training—it has developed one-on-one mentorships and placements for participants, and helped them produce practical outcomes, such as learning graphic design skills by producing postcards or learning about funding by submitting a funding application.
The Museum of Contemporary Art, SBS Radio, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre are just some of the organisations that have agreed to take on Originate placements, providing additional opportunities for graduates to put their training into action and gain practical experience in the arts industry.
Originate received core funding through the Australia Council for the Arts and the NSW Ministry for the Arts, and was also supported by a grant from the James N Kirkby Foundation and TAFE NSW. The event sponsor is Powerhouse Youth Theatre. The showcase is a free event and open to the public.
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