As the year turns over, we would like to acknowledge the young people and communities who have engaged with projects and have continued to stay engaged …..the work of the artists who have been so generous ….our funders and supporters who make our work possible …..the organisations and service providers, TAFE’s and government agencies who through collaborative partnerships have recognised the value of  Slippry Sirkus’s  projects, and the outcomes that they provide and who  are now incorporating Arts programs into their work.

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After a successful July, working in Central Arnhem with Djilpin Arts and delivering workshops and programs for CrossCurrents, Ripples, Touching Base and the ‘Looking Back to the Future project across the Mid North Coast, Slippry Sirkus headed off to work in Cambodia with the Cambodian Living Arts National Youth Festival, taking part in a ‘Regenerating arts and culture conference with several Khmer arts organisations, facilitated by Asia-art net.

Slippry Sirkus would like to congratulate and thank Kate Reid, Lil Shearer, Josh Bond, Simone O’Brien and the team who presented the inaugural National Indigenous Social Circus Conference at CarriageWorks in Sydney.  Hemlock Mejarne (who is now performing in Canada with the Hectic Brothers)  represented Slippry Sirkus for the week’s training sessions and performances,  which saw artists and representatives from many organisations including ACAPTA,  ARCAA, Aerialize, Circus Oz, Legs on the Wall, Stalker, N.I.C.A, Blackrobats, Creative People Collective, Circus Monoxide, Volcana,  Flipside, The Chooky Dancers and Marrugeku  .

Presenters  at the two day conference included Noel Tovey,  who in August  with the Australian Shaksepeare Company will be presenting ‘Little Black Bastard’  at the Edinburgh Festival and Associate Professor Wendy Holland, University of Western Sydney  and Denni Scott Davis, Artistic Director, Slippry Sirkus.

Wow, here we are at the end of June, time sure does fly, June saw us working across three communities in Central Arnhem plus Katherine through a collaborative partnership with Katherine Regional Arts, Group Schools N.T, Jawoyn Aboriginal Association and Djilpin Arts.We worked on a strategy to support school retention through providing programs in the schools in school time and  after school in Youth Centres to provide access for those young people who are not attending school or are early school leavers.  

The project saw participation by, one hundred and four young people  ,ages 5yrs to 25 years. Outcomes included increased school attendance, skills development and in one community, we worked with the young people to write and record a road safety song which the Dance Artists Travers  Ross and  Nicole (Lamb ) choreographed and taught the young people a dance routine.  This was then performed at the Barunga Cultural & Sports Festival where first prize of $500 for the school was awarded for the performance.

This month has seen a consolidation of our strategies, projects and program Cross Currents & Ripples funded by Australia Council of the Arts. The Coca Cola Australia Foundation & Regional Arts Fund in communities across the Mid North Coast is now in full swing.

Three young local artists Laurie, Caleb & Tracey who have come up through the Wauchope High School ‘Circus as a Sport’ program established by Slippry Sirkus and supported by our fantastic Chairperson .Michelle Gorton , Head of Drama at the school, are now  delivering a program of Circus Arts rotating across four communities in the Hastings each Saturday of the month which will be ongoing  after  the project’s completion.

Slippry Sirkus’s socially  innovative  arts initiative in partnership with the Nambucca Valley Community Social Council have been granted funding  through the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing for a model program that will utilize Digital Story Techniques to work with elderly participants who will be supported technically by young people in an  intergenerational arts program that will explore stories and issues around ageing, a particular focus will be  to engage with early onset dementia sufferers , the program has been designed through support and consultation with the Prince of Wales Medical Research Unit and the Sydney Brain & Mind Research Institute .

Several artist including the Soul Purpose Crew & Urban Flow, Dunghutti Artist Christine Wright and international Visual & Graffiti  artist  ‘Seiz’ collaborated together  as part of the CrossCurrents ‘Ripples’ and in partnership with Kempsey Youth Advisory Council, New Horizons & Beyond Blue  to   launch initial music, dance & graffiti arts programs with young people from the Green Hills & Bellbrook communities at the  new Youth Access Centre.  The program was initiated to support and inspire Kempsey Shire Council in their proposed plans for the centre which includes accredited hospitality and horticulture pathway courses for young people.

The strategy    aims to deepen and strengthen cross cultural arts engagement and CCD practise, develop skills, support school attendance & literacy, engender leadership and enterprise for young people and their community.     There is strong support for the strategy from Katherine Regional Arts, Djilpin Arts, Jawoyn Aboriginal Association, D.E.T, Group Schools, Service groups, the Communities.   The strategy is also supported by the CocaCola Australia Foundation.

The Touching Base project across the Hastings has been strengthened and extended to four communities and the Biripi and Bunyah Aboriginal Land Councils,  due to a partnership with Hastings Council and their Health funded Live Well, Eat Well, Move Well Initiative which will provide through a ‘Circus Moves program access to nutrition and healthy outcomes for young people.

The first week saw a visit from HipHop artists,  Soul Purpose Crew, Sista Native &  James Moulton worked with the young people to write & record songs and through graffiti art create visual art works that also provide the opportunity to practice literacy skills.