Introducing the Fairfax Youth Festival 2023
The stage is set, the costumes are ready, and the spotlight is shining on the highly anticipated Fairfax Youth Festival 2023, returning after a four-year hiatus to the heart of the Murray Mallee. This year's festival, from October 1 to October 8, promises to be an extraordinary celebration of creativity and collaboration.
The Fairfax Youth Festival is a unique platform dedicated to nurturing the creative potential of young people from rural Australia. Led by Artistic Director Bryce Ives, it aims to provide life-changing experiences for young people, particularly those from small towns and rural communities.
A core focus of the festival is youth leadership, with a team of ten talented youth artistic associates leading the charge. These young leaders, with backgrounds in performing arts, creative arts, teaching, education, and leadership, will play pivotal roles in creating a memorable festival experience.
Emma Kelly (24), one of the Artistic Associates and a local from Swan Hill, shared her journey: "As a teenager, I was part of the festival, collaborating with professionals in physical theatre, puppetry, Shakespeare, and cinematography. The connections I made during that time still inspire me today. Fairfax is where young minds unite, ideas flourish, and creativity knows no bounds."
The festival's centrepiece is a transformative camp at the Pioneer Settlement, where over 100 young participants will collaborate with 20 world-class professional artists. Toni Mia Scarloa (20), a Fairfax Youth Associate currently studying education and living in Swan Hill, emphasised the camp's impact: "It's more than just learning skills; we create something amazing by uniting young people from rural places. This year, expect incredible performances that will resonate throughout our community."
Youth artistic associate Bayden Clayton says the Fairfax Festival is particularly thrilled to announce the revival of the Marruk Project, an award-winning First Nations-led youth theatre initiative. "Marruk aims to enhance cultural bonds and promote intergenerational connections within the community by embracing the tradition of storytelling. This endeavour will involve young artists working alongside Elders and experienced Aboriginal facilitators to create and practice performances rooted in Indigenous heritage. Additionally, participants will engage in a range of Fairfax Festival workshops and immersive experiences."
This year's festival theme, Back to Normality, is poised to be a thought-provoking and inspiring foundation for our event. Youth associate and local Kerang musician Deaken Fawcett (19) shares his excitement, emphasising that this theme encourages us to question the very concept of normality. "What is normal? Are you normal?" These are the questions that will drive our discussions. We aim to challenge young minds to contemplate and collaborate around the idea of normality and to ignite engaging conversations and creative exploration throughout the festival.”
The Fairfax Youth Festival offers a diverse range of free public performances and events, including The Stories That Make Us, an inspiring film event showcasing 18 short films created by the Fairfax Youth Ensemble and being shown at the iconic Quambatook Silo Cinema. War of the Worlds, a new script in development by award-winning playwright Fleur Kilpatrick, will also be workshopped by young artists from Arena Theatre Company (Bendigo), Riverland Youth Theatre (Renmark, SA), D'faces of Youth Arts (Whyalla, SA), and the Fairfax Youth Ensemble (young people from across the Mallee.)
The award-winning Marruk Ensemble returns in Marruk 2023, bringing culture, connection, and community to the festival. In Full Voice invites the community to join a mass intergenerational choir. Square Pegged presents a new ensemble work created by fifty young people in just seven days, exploring the question of "What is Normal?"
The Swan Hill Rural City Council has been the proud custodian of the Fairfax Youth Festival for 27 years. Beginning in 1997 as The George Fairfax Memorial Regional Schools’ Theatre Festival, the Festival has regularly been presented in the Mallee region based around Swan Hill, Robinvale and Mildura. The festival celebrates the memory of George Fairfax AM, a leading light in the Australian and international theatre scenes, who grew up in Nangiloc, a small town in the region. George was a driving force in establishing the Victorian Arts Centre in Melbourne and a youth arts and creativity champion.
Councillor Les McPhee, the Mayor of Swan Hill Rural City Council, expressed, "The impact of this event is always astonishing, and we are glad to have it back in person in Swan Hill. Young people may build careers like George Fairfax and change the national and international cultural and creative industries, or they may become more confident and clear in a job interview, school, or community. The impact is immeasurable."
The Fairfax Youth Festival 2023 promises a week of creativity, collaboration, and community. It is an event that celebrates the boundless potential of rural youth and shines a spotlight on the rich creative tapestry of the Murray Mallee region.
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