Creative ID: 165
Hawke's Bay (also rural schools in the wider Hawke's Bay). Southland (Invercargill from May to mid July). Travel costs to the South Island and rural Hawke's Bay would need to be factored in.
My arts or creative practice (including details about my specific focus within that art form/practice and my strengths)
I have been working as a theatre educator, director, teacher and specialist voice coach for over 25 years. Presently I am based in Hawke's Bay where I run my own creative business coaching and teaching in both the educational and professional sectors. In the past, I have run the diploma course in Drama at a tertiary institution as well as being the Voice Tutor at a youth drama school for over 16 years. I have my BA in Voice (London School of Speech and Drama). I have directed locally and nationally both in dramatic plays and musicals. My passion is working in the performing arts with children and facilitating performing arts in schools and setting up and implementing PD for teachers within the world of theatre and theatre education. My kaupapa around arts and education is that it is all about the journey and processes we discover along the way.
My track record of experience and success - or the track record of experience and success of the creative or artist that I will partner with
- I have just finished teaching and implementing the teen Ambassador Programme run in conjunction with the Hawke's Bay Arts Festival.
- I facilitated a pilot youth performance programme with Primary and Intermediate schools which was under the funding umbrella of the Hawke's Bay Arts Festival. 25 schools from around greater Hawke's Bay participated and attended. The theme was devised around identity for 2019.
- I ran the performing arts – development and implementation at a private girls school in Hawke's Bay for several years.
- I have run programmes for youth in Māori development centres in Hawke's Bay.
- I ran a diploma course at a tertiary institution – Drama for four years.
- I have over 25 years' experience in directing, teaching, coaching and management within the arts sector.
Describe the experience you have had working with children or young people, teaching or facilitating creative processes
Some professional highlights that have included children and young people include:
- Facilitating the implementation of a schools tour around the theme of sustainability in rural schools.
- Director of the Drama Diploma at a tertiary institution for four years.
- The implementation of Shakespeare programmes for Year 5–8 (based on my training at the Globe Theatre – London).
- Tutor of Voice studies at a youth drama school for four years.
- I have worked in devising and implementing productions from Primary to Secondary schools, but also ongoing programmes that facilitate teachers running drama in their schools.
Why I want to be part of the Creatives in Schools programme and how my involvement will link to my creative practice
I have always based my creative practice on the premise that arts in education is all about the journey, not the destination. The opportunity to collaborate that the government has provided here is exciting. I see this opportunity as a way to traverse many divides in the arts both within schools/kura, but also with the wider community. Within my work, I am really interested in cultural responsiveness and how this is achieved within the arts and working alongside teachers to empower and help facilitate the implementation and nurturing of arts within schools.