Footscray Community Arts will be the creative hub for young and curious minds this Easter school holidays.
Theatre ensemble PO PO MO CO will kick off the holiday program with a three-day ‘FUNdamentals of Physical Theatre’ workshop running from Wednesday, April 12 to Friday, April 14, exploring how artists can transform and become someone else.
Suitable for kids from six to 12 and grounded in play and physical comedy, the workshop will involve participants learning how to make outrageous characters and funny scenes.
On the last day, there will be an afternoon ‘open class’ where parents and carers are invited to watch, participate and play alongside the participants.
The second week of the program will involve workshops from textile artist Tab Sejoe, Ghanaian master dancer Fred and felt artist Kate Robinson from Tuesday, April 18 to Thursday, April 20.
Robinson said she loves that crafts are an accesible form of art which is best experienced as a group.
“For me, craft allows us to think with our hands and is as much about the process as the product,” she said.
Sejoe said her workshop will involve weaving foraged, found and upcycled materials into new works.
“The great thing about working with nature is that our imaginations are not limited,” she said.
“My workshop will provide a fun and experimental way of creating with nature in mind.”
Footscray Community Arts senior producer Urvi Majumdar said the workshops will push children out of their comfort zones to be able to be creative without limitations.
“We really want to encourage a sense of connection in kids,” she said.
“It’s pretty much student-led.”
Ms Majumdar said the school holiday program welcomed in artists across First Nations, culturally and linguistically diverse, LGBTQIA+ and disability communities.
Matthew Sims