EXPRESSION + SELF

MOvESCREATIvITY

AUG/SEP/OCT 2011CARRIAGEwORkS

14. ERTH4. HEIDI HILLIER 8. FULL OF MAGICQuirky children’s entertainer Heidi ‘Hoops’ Hillier shares her musings on the magic of creative play.

6. APR-JUN HIGHLIGHTSWe take a look back at the creative goings on at CarriageWorks over the last few months.

10. MAkE:BELIEvEIllawarra Children’s Services’ Jennine Primmer discusses the art of expressing yourself.

15. HAPPENINGSJuly – October at CarriageWorks is set to inspire the senses. Let’s Play!

CarriageWorks’ Sydney Children’s Festival is just around the corner... Make the world your playground!

Aden Rolfe encounters a myriad of mystical creatures in the enchanting world of Erth.

CARRIAGEwORkSHoused in the old Eveleigh Rail Yards, CarriageWorks has been a place of movement since its earliest days. Today, CarriageWorks is home to artistic exploration, creative collaboration, individual expression and collective experience. We seek to engage our community with contemporary art in all its creative forms.

We invite you to make CarriageWorks yours, and share the experience with us.

CREATIvITY MOvESWelcome to the latest issue of our free community newsprint. Creativity Moves explores how creativity in all its forms has the power to provoke thought, challenge perception, forge identities, unite people, and ultimately move us forward as a more connected, more alive whole. Creativity Moves also tells you more about what we do here at CarriageWorks and why we do it.

The theme for this issue is Exploration + Self where we look at the role creativity plays in nurturing curious, courageous, confident kids, and what we can all learn from the magic they so easily see in the world. This September CarriageWorks’ Sydney Children’s Festival will transform Sydney into a creative playground for youngins’ (and the young at heart) with a program packed full of art, craft, culture, circus, dance, theatre, performance and a little bit of magic (if you know where to look). Intrigued?

Read on.....Cover Image:The Art of Expression © Photographer Don Smith Creativity Moves © 2011 CARRIAGEWORKS

HE

IDIkIDS NEvER GET BORED BECAUSE THEY

ARE ADAPTABLE AND NOT AFRAID OF CHANGE. I TRY TO BE LIkE THAT TOO. kIDS REMIND ME NOT TO BE BORING.

HEIDI HILLIER.COURAGE.PLAY.MAGI

C.

How did you come to be working as a children’s entertainer?

Surprise is good! I have been working as a children’s entertainer and circus teacher for about five years now. It’s not where I thought I would be after studying visual arts for 10 years, so it surprises me that it’s where I am.

I’ve always loved to dress up in wonderful costumes and pretend to be kooky characters… a cowgirl with an imaginary horse, a sailor with a magical rope, a two headed hula-hooper, a hotel heiress in a hula hooping hotel! When I finally started working with children, I discovered that they love to dress up too! We have a lot in common, kids and me. They know how to play, imagine, connect and they love to communicate.

I started out wanting to be an artist, and now I’m surrounded by creativity! Kids are so naturally creative and joyful – they are an inspiration to the rest of us.

What do you think we can learn from the way they see the world?

Kids have the keys to the universe! They know the world really is a magical place – if you know where to uncover the magic.

They save the day for me all the time. If I ever get tired of playing the same game or the same character some smart little kid will smile at me as if to say “I can’t believe you don’t know this” and then show me a whole new way to do the game or the show, or the trick. Kids never get bored because they are adaptable and not afraid of change. I try to be like that too. Kids remind me not to be boring.

People often say to me say to me “hula hooping is kids stuff”. Yes it is and I wouldn’t want it any other way because kids stuff is about joy. We adults have a lot to learn from children! Children don’t get bogged down; they easily find new pathways to overcome obstacles. They don’t have preconceived notions of what is right so they do what works.

It’s simple and they know it. That’s why I believe it’s important not to show kids what to do, but let them discover it for themselves.

Why is it important to give them the space to explore creativity?

I teach at a circus school and circus is a great environment for creativity and problem solving, it’s a utopian society where community is strong. It’s a “can do” place. Everyone has a “yes” attitude. It is a place where everyone plays together - kids and adults. I see all types of children come through the circus. Some are not particularly good at school, or good looking, or perhaps have a difficult home life. It’s amazing to see these kids blossom when they discover all the things they can actually do. And then there’s also the kids who can’t juggle or swing on a trapeze or who are too shy to speak. I am totally awed when they keep trying until they can. It’s an amazing thing to watch. I believe those kids go on to be great people.

What inspires you?

My mum is an inspiration… she’s 65 and still playing – she’s a natural clown always laughing for no particular reason, just an expression of her joy. I want to be like her when I grow up.

I’m also inspired by art and images. My favourite artists, like Yayoi Kusama and Henri Matisse like to play with images, colours and ideas too!

And I love working at festivals like the Sydney Children’s Festival and seeing children inspired by the same things as me, say for instance, the environment. Sydney Children’s Festival is one of my favourite places to be. Creativity explodes all around you. Ideas are moving, the games are changing, and images are growing. Surprises are around every corner. Just like life!

And at this festival kids set the agenda… and the agenda is play! Some come on folks! LETS PLAY!

2011April to June at CarriageWorks was full of creative goodies! Unplugged + Uncomplicated saw a swathe of talented, local musos take the stage, The Finders Keepers Autumn/Winter art and design markets was packed to the rafters with beauty and detail and TEDxSydney’s ideas worth spreading inspired thousands of curious minds! And there’s even more to come...

INSPIRED.Sharing ideas worth spreading at

TEDxSydney.

INTRIGUING. Do you know this man? Please contact the

marketing gals at CarriageWorks.

LIVE.Creating art real time in the foyer at the

TEDxSydney Forum.

UPLIFTING.Soaring sounds at the live music stage.

LO-FI.Painting up a storm and enjoying the simple

things at Unplugged + Uncomplicated.

MOTIVATING.Understanding organic by meeting local

provedores at Sustainable Works.

MOVING.Experiencing the loss of missing persons

felt by loved ones with Version 1.0’s The Disappearances Project.

CURIOUS.Scoping out detail and delight at

The Finders Keepers.

RELAXED.Hanging around enjoying fun and festivity

in the foyer.

COMFY.Lounging around soaking in ideas and

inspiration at TEDxSydney.

WISHFUL.Little people sharing big dreams

on a wall of wishes.

FRESH.Fuelling the fire with sumptuous brain food

for the TEDxSydney sessions.

LOCAL.Kicking back and catching up with friends

at The Finders Keepers.

HEARTFELT.Spreading the sustainable word with

passion at Sustainable Works.

UPBEAT.Feeling energized by craftiness and creativity

at The Finders Keepers.

CRAFTED.Spruiking designer wares at

The Finders Keepers.

ROLLING.Strolling on a Saturday afternoon at

The Finders Keepers.

CONNECTED.Hotdog = Happy for the YouTube film crew

capturing TEDxSydney.

WILD.Fashion with a difference at

The Finders Keepers.

FREEFORM.Chilling out in the cafe - good coffee, stories and tunes at Unplugged + Uncomplicated.

LEISURELY.Wheeling in style on the way home from

TEDxSydney.

HEARTFUL.Sharing the soulful sounds of Emad Younan

performing the songs of his late brother Jesse.

APR-JUN HAPPENINGS + HIGHLIGHTS

MAkE :BELIEvE

JENNINE PRIMMER ON THE ART OF EXPRESSING YOURSELFYears ago, I was involved in developing some residential creative arts programs for children who were described as ‘at risk of disengaging’. This experience and the incredibly positive outcomes achieved through sensitive and innovative creative arts programming, opened my eyes to the power of the arts and how children’s engagement with them can make a difference to how they express themselves, perceive themselves and learn.

I witnessed first hand how the creative arts could build self confidence, ignite curiosities and encourage children to be experimental in their approach to learning.

The creative arts allow children to make mistakes freely, without fear and this is why the opportunities they present are so important. Creativity supports children’s development and enables them to experience their individual potentials rather than those prescribed for them. Creative opportunities, especially in the early years, set children on the path to life long learning. Through creative experiences children learn to learn.

THINKER

Children are excellent at expressing divergent or unique thinking. Adults tend to be less so, because as we grow we discover that having ideas that differ from our teachers and parents or expressing our ideas at the wrong moment is not regarded positively. Every time this happens we shut down a little part of our creativity.

Fortunately, many artists have not been conditioned out of their divergent thinking. So, whenever possible, linking artists with children can be a potent mix; visual and performance artists, musicians, actors, designers, comedians, poets, architects, scientists and writers.

We also need to create creative spaces for children - spaces and places where children can engage with the arts and with artists. These spaces should be dynamic, evolving, amiable, accessible, inspiring and malleable - art studios, festivals, theatres, galleries, discovery museums, non-prescriptive play spaces, even real life habitats – to make way for sensory exploration, and imaginative play opportunities.

At a workshop with 4 to 5 year olds beside the Shoalhaven River a few years back, I showed the children examples of environmental sculpture and then let them explore. I was amazed at how they understood intrinsically that the sand, leaves, rocks and water were all art materials. This understanding came more naturally to them than to me.

At the moment our social and educational systems set art and creativity apart from day to day living. But rather than relegating creativity as such we need to see it as an essential part of human thinking. It’s as natural and necessary for children (and grownups) as fresh air and sunshine!

As early childhood education expert and author Lella Gandini puts it ‘the art of daily life and the creativity of daily life should be the right of all. Art, then is a part of our lives, of our efforts to learn and to know’. Creativity in every part of life, what an inspiring notion...

The secret is not to underestimate children’s innate creative capabilities, but this is what adults often do – adults teach, children learn. Ironically, many adult educators lack creative confidence. So we need to demystify creativity, and equip and inspire the grown ups too!

SHAKER MOVER MAKER seeker finder DREAMER

At a dinner I attended recently, a primary school teacher described some of the children in her care as “just not creative”. This kind of type-casting is widespread and can be damaging; one child is labelled sporty, another creative, another academic. This pigeon-hole view is often rife in families as well; children think they can’t be creative because their brother or sister already holds that mantel, and so they look elsewhere for themselves.

CREATIvITY SUPPORTS CHILDREN’S DEvELOPMENT AND ENABLES THEM TO EXPERIENCE THEIR INDIvIDUAL POTENTIALS RATHER THAN THOSE PRESCRIBED FOR THEM.

IMAGESAbove: Images from Sydney Children’s Festival 2008, 2009 & 2010 Previous: Greenpeace: 30 Years of Inspiring Action Exhibition, 2007

Jennine Primmer is Illawarra Children’s Services General Manager, Communications 2011 Creativity Conference - Inspiring Children’s Creativity September 29, llawarra Performing Arts Centre www.ics.org.au/creativityconference

AS wEkNOw?IT

ERTHCOMPANY IN RESIDENCE AT CARRIAGEwORkS

BY ADEN ROLFE

Dragons, gargoyles, giant rabbits. And of course, dinosaurs. These are the beasts that emerge from the Erth workshop, ready to capture your imagination. They’ve been doing so for 20 years, in productions that combine puppetry with live performance, that showcase inflatable sets, stilt-walking performers, and an array of flying creatures.

But while shows such as Dinosaur Petting Zoo are immensely successful with younger audiences, the company’s philosophy on making work for children is that it doesn’t, at least not exclusively. Artistic Director Scott Wright insists that they simply make theatre, and that it can be for everybody.

So it is with their upcoming production, I, Bunyip, which premieres at the Sydney Children’s Festival this September. Co-presented by CarriageWorks, the performance explores Aboriginal folklore through various Indigenous spirit creatures. It teaches the audience about the difference between, say, a Turong and a Nyol, and in this, it seems to have just as much to teach parents as it does to children. “It’s interesting that we can describe dragons and fairies,” says Wright, “but that we can’t describe things from our own country.”

When catering to audiences of adults and children, Wright believes the all-important thing is to not patronise them. This includes presenting things that might be a little dark. “If you don’t ever scare children, they won’t learn how to utilise that emotion, or know what to be scared of.” It’s one of the traditional uses of these stories, along with creating a deeper connection to place. “By learning about Bunyips and Yawk Yawk and Hairy Men, we begin to understand a greater spiritual connection to the land.” And this is what I, Bunyip is ultimately about, fostering cultural understanding through these fantastic spirit creatures.

So, do you know what a Bunyip looks like?

Ertherth.com.auBusy times at Erth! Dinosaur Petting Zoo is heading to Ireland for the European summer, and later to Chile and Argentina. A team of Erth artists are heading to the Pilbara in WA for a puppetry workshop around local folklore. Erth’s Taniwha, comprising performance and Indigenous story elements, is at Auckland Museum from September – October. And Erth’s magical new puppetry show I, Bunyip premieres at the Sydney Children’s Festival this September.

Force Majeureforcemajeure.com.auForce Majeure is in creative development for two exciting new works in first-time collaborations with Sydney Theatre Company and Belvoir – both to premiere in 2012. One of the works, Never Did Me Any Harm, explores contemporary attitudes to child rearing in today’s society. If you’ve read any good articles on this topic or have your own experiences of modern-day parenting, share your thoughts on Force Majeure’s Facebook page (facebook.com/forcemajeureaustralia). You never know, they might end up in the work!

Performance Spaceperformancespace.com.au WALKPerformance Space’s season of walks, promenades, marches and strolls in and around Sydney continues with 3 new projects:

Strategies for Leaving and Arriving Home Sarah Rodigari4 June - July 24

Green Bans Art Walk Big Fag Press and Cross Art Projects 6 - 27 August

Laika’s Derive, the dogs detour Sarah Waterson 15 August - 29 October

In September, Performance Space are co-presenting with Mobile States the Green Room Award winning one man show Harry Harlow written and performed by James Saunders, Sam James’ Kafkaesque dance video installation Vivaria and internationally renowned dancer Gabrielle Nankivell’s enchanting I left my shoes on warm concrete and stood in the rain.

ClubHouse their home for creative exchange and conversation about interdisciplinary arts returns 5-17 September with artist residencies, SEAM Critical Path’s workshops about the body, technology and space led by choreographers and artists from Australia and around the world, and culminates with NightTime Performance Space’s platform for new short works.

PlayWriting Australia pwa.org.au PlayWriting Australia is currently hosting the second session of the 2011 National Script Workshop at CarriageWorks. The plays are This Year’s Ashes by Jane Bodie and The Trouble With Harry by Lachlan Philpott Each writer will work with a team of creatives and cast over two weeks of intensive script development. PlayWriting Australia will be joined by our first RE-GEN team of emerging artists: Erin Kelly will develop her new play, Here, In the Sugarcane with director Patrick McCarthy and dramaturg Emma Cole. Three new plays to look out for!

Stalkerwww.stalker.com.au Following great success at Fremantle Street Arts Festival, Stalker are taking their hip hop production Elevate to Global Carnival, Bellingen in September and plans are in place for further performances in Sydney and NSW. A team is heading to New Zealand in September for technical research and development on new work, Encoded. Encoded, a fully immersive and interactive, site specific performance, and Buru, Marrugeku’s Indigenous stilt-dance show for children is poised to tour Western Australia in September.

version 1.0 versiononepointzero.com.auThe Table of Knowledge30 Aug – 11 Sep, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (IPAC)A Merrigong Theatre Company and version 1.0 co-productionversion 1.0 turns its forensic theatrical vision onto the 2006 Wollongong City Council scandal, where the ICAC exposed sexual obsessions, envelopes stuffed with cash and a mob of powerful men that met regularly at a plastic table outside a local kebab shop they called ‘the table of knowledge’.

CARRIAGEwORkS’ RESIDENTS PROGRAM AUG/SEP/OCT

ERTH

PRODUCED BY PHOTOGRAPHERSJOHNNY COCHRANE / CAM MILLS CYNTHIA SCIBERRAS / DON SMITH PRUDENCE UPTON

CarriageWorks is supported by the NSW Government through Arts NSW

DESIGNSUPPORTED BY SPONSORS

01URBANITION: SISTER CITY BIENNIAL SAN FRANCISCO - SYDNEY04 Aug – 03 SepPresented by SFAC Gallery and CarriageWorksCo-curated by Meg Shiffler and Justine TopferInaugural Biennial exhibition. Selected artists from Sydney and San Francisco present works proposing visionary solutions to making each city more green and liveable.

02UNPLUGGED+UNCOMPLICATEDLIvE MUSIC+CARRIAGEwORkS27 Aug, 12pm-5pmProduced by CarriageWorks Programmed by Music For TreesEnjoy a free afternoon of live music, over a coffee or glass of wine in the CarriageWorks cafe. Featuring the sounds of talented, local artists Les Deux Violettes, Jordan Leser, Andy Golledge and John Dixon.

08 LITERARY FESTIvAL 01 Oct, 10am – 4pmPresented by Sydney Children’s Festival in partnership with the Children’s Book Council of Australia (NSW)In 2011 Sydney Children’s Festival celebrates the world of words with a day-long Literary Festival. Featuring a forum with author Maggie Hamilton, storytelling, workshops, author talks, a Book & Brains quiz show, and loads more!

07 POLYGOT THEATRE’S CITY OF RIDDLES04 Oct – 08 OctPresented by Sydney Children’s Festival Groundbreaking 360-degree interactive theatre experience requiring hands-on participation. Unlike anything you’ve seen before, City of Riddles is above, below and all around you!

04I, BUNYIP 26 Sep – 08 OctPresented by Sydney Children’s Festival and ErthErth’s magical new puppetry show introduces kids to creatures from Aboriginal culture who have inhabited our landscape and imaginations for generations. “A unique blend of visual & performance art” Jo Duffy, Artistic Director, Darwin Festival

05SYDNEY CHILDREN’S FESTIvAL26 Sep – 08 OctProduced by CarriageWorks in association with The Daily Telegraph Art, books, circus, craft, film, music, mayhem, performances, workshops, free play and loads more! Sydney Children’s Festival is a giant artistic playground stretching from Sydney’s Inner West to Parramatta, Penrith and Newcastle. More info and bookings at sydneychildrensfestival.com

03THE MAN THE SEA SAw27 Sep – 01 Oct (Seymour Centre)A Spoon Tree Production presented by the Seymour Centre, Country Arts WA and the Sydney Children’s Festival The exquisitely talented Wolfe Bowart brings to the stage a profound sense of joy and child-like wonder that resonates with audiences of all ages.

09 UNPLUGGED+UNCOMPLICATEDLIvE MUSIC+CARRIAGEwORkS 29 Oct, 12pm-5pmProduced by CarriageWorks Programmed by Music For TreesEnjoy a free afternoon of live music, over a coffee or glass of wine in the CarriageWorks cafe. Featuring an awesome line up of talented, local artists.

06THE BOOk OF EvERYTHING27 Sep – 01 Oct (Seymour Centre)Produced by Belvoir and Kim Carpenter’s Theatre of Image. Presented in association with Seymour Centre and Sydney Children’s FestivalThis beautiful production of Guus Kuijer’s magnificent book grabs your heart, challenges your mind, and makes you laugh no matter how old you are.

CARRIAGEwORkS’ PROGRAM AUG/SEP/OCT

TMG L I D E R