facilitating stories that matter
Voice Arts Trust was invited to New Plymouth of work with Waves Youth Health Service and deliver a drama project for their youth support workers. The aim was to explore how Waves had impacted on the lives of these young people and explore the value of the service to the community. The project ran over five weeks and culminated in a very special evening of performance, song and sharing for invited guests.
In partnership with Wellington City Council we are delivering a series of workshops for council tenants exploring themes of sustainability, gardens, food and community. In true Voice Arts style, the workshops will encourage learning through play, theatre games and exercises, and encourage sharing and a discovery of ourselves through others.
There was no red carpet, but there was plenty to celebrate at the premiere screening of ‘Facing Change,’ a moving 11 minute short film, created by our participants and exploring the transition into a retirement facility. Participants, their friends and family, along with residents, staff and management of Rita Angus and Ryman Healthcare enjoyed speeches, wine and food and a wonderful film. It was a very special evening. To watch online click here.
The participants in our Rita Angus Film Project got put through there paces on the weekend as we launched into the filming phase of this project. Luckily the weather was good to us! The Film will premiere at Rita Angus on October 24th. Watch this space for a web link to the finished film – working title “New Haven!”
Our film, ‘Inspired By’ is to become a permanent part of Te Papa’s exhibition ‘The Mixing Room.’ This is a wonderful achievement for our participants and truly honours their creative work. We are so thrilled more people will get an opportunity to view this film!
The short film ‘Inspired By’ – created by the participants of our Refugee Storytelling Project has been selected for presentation at the National Youth Diversity Forum. Two of the participants will travel to Auckland for the forum, they will present the film and share their experience of the project. We thank the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO for funding the costs of this wonderful invitation.
The Bishop’s Action Foundation, based in Taranaki, has invited Voice Arts Trust to deliver a drama project in New Plymouth. The project will work with young people you use the youth health service ‘Waves’. The aim is to capture the impact this services has on the young people who use it, the opportunities it has provided them and the ongoing support it provides. Through creative a series of drama workshops the participants will explore this theme and present a performance to family, friends and Waves funders and supporters.
We are delighted to be partnering with Ryman Healthcare to deliver a drama project for elderly residents of Rita Angus retirement village. We are working with 12 participants and they have chosen to create a short film exploring the impact of moving into residential care. Watch this space for a link to the finished film, due for release in November.
Each year Voice Arts Trust delivers a drama-based refugee youth project. This year, in partnership with ChangeMakers Refugee Forum and with support from UNESCO, the focus has been on ‘the positive contributions that people with refugee backgrounds make to family, community and society’. Eight young people were supported to explore ideas of who they are inspired by and who they are proud of in their community. Each chose one person to create a narrative, poem or drama about and these eight stories are being weaved together into a short film approx 8 minutes in duration. The cultural make up of the group was Somali, Sudanese, Afghani and Colombian. To view the short film click here.
Voice Arts Trust was invited by the Museum of Wellington to facilitate the creation of a performance piece that would support the community led exhibition “Death and Diversity” and further engage the various communities involved.
The project was characterised by a tremendous diversity amongst the participants across age, culture, gender, religious belief and experience of theatre making. Over a six-month period the group researched, devised and then performed a 40-minute performance in the gallery space at the Museum of Wellington City and Sea. All the material came from the actor’s own research and much of the writing was also that of the participants. “At Circle’s End” was performed to sold-out audiences during a six-show season in late November.