OUT THERE
OUT THERE is a youth arts development program designed to increase the opportunity for young people in regional Western Australia to engage in a broad range of art forms within their own communities.
OUT THERE aims to build on existing resources in regional communities to develop and support sustainable, relevant and integrated arts activity for regional youth.
The OUT THERE program takes place in the form of an intensive period of residencies, over eight months, where the Regional Youth Arts Development Officer (RYADO) works closely with a focus community in the development of a youth arts project.
During this time the development officer will conduct residencies in the community and support a range of groups and individuals such as young people, local government, educational institutions, arts organisations, youth organisations, Indigenous organisations and other community groups in developing and implementing a model for youth arts engagement that is relevant and sustainable for that community.
A mentoring program involving local youth and/or youth workers is conducted throughout these residencies to build and develop local skills in youth arts management and facilitation.
OUT THERE does not involve the transplant of ready-made youth arts programs or infrastructure into regional communities. OUT THERE is a resource - it offers focus, a timeframe, an injection of energy, some momentum, the support of Country Arts WA and the services of development officer for a regional community to explore youth arts and develop the infrastructure to support youth arts on an ongoing basis.
This youth arts project is community driven and is determined by local youth and community members.
Which communities?
One region and one community within that region will be offered the OUT THERE program each year. This regional community will be identified based on the focus of Country Arts WA's general work, their relative geographical location and their potential for development through the program.
The 2003/2004 the OUT THERE program was offered to the Northam Town and Shire in the Wheatbelt and Port Hedland in the Pilbara. Country Arts WA worked with these communities to determine how the resource could be structured within each town. The result was two successful youth arts projects: In Northam, a youth photographic project called “What U Lookin’ At” and “Beating Around the Bush” which was a series of African drum making youth workshops and performances in Port Hedland.
In 2005 the OUT THERE program was offered to Bussleton and Manjimup in the Great Southern Region of WA. In Manjimup, young people from Northcliffe, Walpole, Pemberton and Manjimup itself gathered for filmmaking workshops in the project, “Where’s Warren”. In Bussleton, OUT THERE took on the form of a professional exchange to support and develop the implementation of the Bussleton Youth Initiatives Program.
In 2006, the Mid West community of Morawa became the OUT THERE focus community. Spare Parts Puppet Theatre became involved in skills development with the young people in the areas of puppet making and performance, for “Morawa Puppet Mania”.
Contact Details
Contact at the RYADO:
Rebecca Cockram
Regional Youth Arts Development Officer
Country Arts WA
Telephone (08) 9481 0077
Mob 0419967807
Freecall 1 800 811 883
Email RCockram@countryartswa.asn.au
