Information sheet 12Youth in creative industries across AustraliaAustralia has an extensive and broad range of privately led and government initiatives in the creative industries, some of which include:• Heywire Competition is a regional story telling

competition for youth, which is also followed by a Regional Youth Summit. Heywire is supported by Federal Government and the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal.

• Stylin’ Up is “Australia’s largest Indigenous youth hip hop/RnB and cultural festival”, based in Brisbane, and provides an extensive workshop program to keep youth engaged.

• Youthworx Media is a program that provides training in media production to improve education and employment opportunities for disadvantaged and disengaged young people. Youth Development Australia involves The Salvation Army, SYN Media, Swinburne University’s Institute for Social Research and NMIT TAFE, to deliver projects.

• ArtsReady provides entry level training and support for young people in the arts and creative sector, combining practical experience with vocational training. ArtsReady has been operating for four years and is supported by AFL Sports Ready and the Australian Department of Communications and the Arts.

Creativity andage

Creative Victoria’s BCG Creative Cultural Economy Fact Pack (2015) shows the impact of arts intervention on young people• Participation in/exposure

to the arts and creative teaching methods improves academic and social outcomes

• A youth-specific theatre program led to a 50% reduction in risky behaviour and drug use among schoolies students

• A structured arts program in prisons lead to a 50% reduction in recidivism among incarcerated juvenile offenders

• Music therapy improved the social skills of mentally ill offenders

Examples of youth in creative industries:• Bendigo Youth Choir was invited to

sing by Choir International New York in June 2017 - performing at the famous Carnegie Hall - offering the opportunity to showcase their high quality musical skills.

• Bendigo Theatre Company’s youth theatre program, ‘TRIBE’, offers young people the opportunity to perform in large scale theatre productions, offering mentorship and leadership and facilitating workshops and lectures.

• HipHopportunity for Youth Bendigo helps young people through hip hop dance, music and art, building confidence and creating opportunities

• Yo Media Team gives young people experience in the creative sector but producing a youth magazine.

• Raw Arts Awards profile the work of Bendigo’s young artists, writers and performers, aiming to foster the talents and artistic pursuits of young people in the region.

Youth in creative industries across Greater Bendigo

www.bendigo.vic.gov.au

Ageing in Australia and overseasCreative Ageing FestivalsRecently there has been growing recognition and celebration of the role seniors play in communities and the importance of engaging in the creative industries as we age. There are ageing festivals held across the world in places such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, USA and Australia, including; Luminate in Scotland, Age of Creativity in England, Bealtaine Festival in Ireland, Creative Ageing Festival in Fairfax County Virginia, Creative Ageing Festival in Bloomington Indiana, and Creative Ageing Festival along the Mid North Coast in NSW.Sing for Joy ChoirsThe ACH group funds a community project called Sing for Joy – offering choirs in Payneham, Glenelg, Seaford and Wynn Vale in South Australia. The Sing for Joy choirs aim to challenge stereotypes of ageing, offering members a way to remain active and engaged. The groups recently performed at the Adelaide Fringe Festival.NSW Creative Ageing StrategyThe NSW Government is currently in the process of developing the NSW Creative Ageing Strategy, arguing “participation in creative pursuits improves health and wellbeing, social connectedness and challenges negative perceptions of older people in the community. The Strategy will provide strategic direction to guide and support government policy and initiatives in the creative ageing space.”

Creativity andage

Creative Victoria’s BCG Creative Cultural Economy Fact Pack (2015) shows that:

Art-based interventions both prevent the incidence of illness and improve rehabilitation rates:• Cognitive-based leisure

activities (games, reading, theatre) for the elderly lead to a 9.3% reduction in dementia

• Participation in the arts “increases confidence and self-esteem, reduces the length of hospital stays and reliance on medication, improves heart and respiratory function and even results in less falls.”

Older workers have higher rates of job satisfaction• Aged 70 years and over

are happiest • followed by those aged

53-72 years

• City of Greater Bendigo Seniors Festival is held annually and provides opportunities to be involved in the arts.

• Goldfields Libraries hosts many events for the over 55s at the Goldfields Library, including creative and digital workshops, author talks, IT help, book clubs and historical research facilities.

Examples of ageing in the creative industries in Greater Bendigo• The University of the 3rd Age (U3A) is a

voluntary community organisation that has branches all around Australia, including in Bendigo. The U3A Bendigo provides opportunities for seniors to engage in creative pursuits, including a choir and groups devoted to art appreciation, guitar, tapestry and other handicrafts, knitting, sewing, languages and creative writing.

www.bendigo.vic.gov.au