Art organisation Breaksea receives $80k from State Government to deliver major creative project to region

Great Southern-based organisation Breaksea will deliver an art program inspired by change that will give local community groups access to beneficial creative participation. Breaksea has received $80,000 in State Government funding under the Community Participation and Inclusion Program to deliver major art program Seachange Program Phase One in Albany. A first-phase creative development, workshop series, performance and exhibition program, Breaksea will partner with community participants and five Great Southern organisations. Inspired by the concept of change, the program is an ambitious, multi-cited creative project working with five local organisations including people living with disability, the Yorga Noongar Weaving Group, Albany Regional Prison and young families. Several professional artists from various disciplines will work together with the groups, teaching creative skills, sharing stories, building relationships and producing artistic outputs. The inclusive workshops will explore the theme ‘seachange’ through dance, visual art, writing, storytelling, drama and music activities. Participants will have the opportunity to learn new skills, create artistic outputs based on their own stories and work collaboratively with professional artists and the wider community. The program will culminate in a combined showing of learned skills and creative content at the Albany Entertainment Centre with a performance and exhibition. Breaksea project manager Simone Klose said the event would help facilitate marginalised communities in sharing their ideas in celebration of local stories. “It’s about creating positive community outcomes, providing increased access to arts activities and experiences and developing creative connections,” she said. Ms Klose said the program responded to the creative theme ‘seachange’ meaning “a significant change in lifestyle” and “a profound or notable transformation”. “This theme provides a pathway for individuals to explore the positive and transformative benefits of creative participation and context to express their own personal stories,” she said. The workshops will take place in Albany between May and August this year with tickets soon to be released. An open day will be held at the AEC on Saturday, July 23. Oceanic lantern making and shadow puppetry workshops will be held in participating Albany schools and in the July school holidays as part of the City of Albany’s Maritime Festival. Breaksea said the funding would provide boost for the whole program supporting the local arts industry affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “This project brings together some top local artists to create a community art piece collectively and is a great way to develop skills and create a positive shared future in our beautiful Great Southern,” Breaksea artistic director Matt Ward said. The Seachange Program has been funded by the Australia Council for the Arts, Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and City of Albany with support by the Albany Entertainment Centre, City of Albany’s Maritime Festival and Albany Light Opera and Theatre Company.