KEYNOTE SPEAKING AND WORKSHOP PRESENTING AT THIS YEARS STATE DRAMA CONFERENCE

It was such a pleasure to speak with Toby Wilkins and Hayley Gamble-Curran (lead by the amazing Kelly McConville) at this years state Drama Conference (brought to you by Drama Victoria). Being a keynote was a little bit of a life high too! Hopefully some glimmers provided in amongst the harsh realities of in school drama education figures right now (the topic of our discussion).

I also had the pleasure of presenting a live and streamed workshop with Nick Waxman on our Next Stage Program - a free initiative for government schools that teaches 21st century skills through drama games and processes.

Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the conference.

COME PLAY at TAFTA!

We take our passions seriously. But we also act because it's fun, right? Research suggests that the more we play, the deeper connections we make between the learning and our entire bodies. In other words, through play we have a full-bodied experience. This is of course excellent for the field of acting.

Join Kate Ellis for three evenings at TAFTA to find nuance and colour in your audition pieces and work, through experimentation and play. Through Kate’s unique approach to scene work you will open up a multiverse of choices for any one scene, proffer unique auditions and have fun while doing it.

Kate has worked with international artists such as Lucy Fry, Aisha Dee and Connor Jessup as well as on International programs and with International
Production Companies such as ‘The Saddle Club’ and Temple Films (Anupam Sharma). She has worked on Australian Features such as ‘Judy and Punch’ and ‘That’s Not Me’ and with actors in such stage productions as Hamilton. She teaches at acting schools such as 16th Street Actors Studio & TAFTA in Melbourne/Naarm, Australia. She further supports artists and the broader community through her writing, participation in Q and A’s and through government initiatives with Drama Victoria. She recently spoke at the World Drama Education Congress in Iceland.

Kate Ellis joins the ACTF board

ANNOUNCEMENT! Been desperate to say something but can now finally announce… I am now on the board of trustees for the incredible Australian Children’s Theatre Foundation (ACTF).

I went to my first meeting the other day and was that chuffed to sit as equals beside people who’ve made and are making huge contributions to the arts, specifically the dramatic arts. We also had Junkyard Beats come to our meeting to talk about how they used the funds provided by the ACTF this year… yas!

Can’t wait to read applications over the holidays and work with the board and artists next year. Insert :-)HAPPY FACE

ABOUT THE ACTF

The Australian Children's Theatre Foundation (ACTF) supports the delivery of arts-based programs into primary schools across Victoria as well contributing towards the commissioning of new theatre works for young people aged between 6 and 11. Regional Arts Victoria’s Arts & Education program brings inspiring arts experiences to children and young people throughout Victoria.

Every two years the ACTF commissions a work in development aimed at primary aged school students. This $20,000 commission must meet the ideals of the foundation and becomes part of the Arts & Education Program the following year.

The ACTF is a proud partner of Regional Arts Victoria’s Arts & Education program and supports schools across Victoria to access to the program. We provide subsidies of up to 75% for schools affected by low socio-economic circumstances; remoteness; high numbers of students for whom English is not their first language; bushfire or other disaster; and schools with specific learning needs. To see if your school is eligible contact the Arts & Education team at Regional Arts Victoria.

https://www.actf.org.au/