MOREE East Primary School (MEPS) students wrapped up a year-long cathartic pursuit for a better understanding of cultural heritage on Friday night when the curtains were drawn back for an all student showcase that explored the intrinsic connection between culture and art.
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The Festival of the Brolga showcased culturally inspired works from students across a variety of art mediums, including music, dance and visual arts projects that encouraged students to undertake a close study of local culture and cultural underpinnings in the community.
Armidale community art and development organisation Beyond Empathy had been involved in the long-term project since its inception, bringing together groups of professional artists to run intensive workshops with students throughout the year, and executive director Kim McConville said fevered applause from nearly 600 attendees on Friday evening proved the project’s success.
She said artists from across the region came together throughout the year to share their experience with the students, using artistic expression and practical engagement as the conduit to understanding culture and national heritage.
“I don’t even see them as two separate things. Art and culture are one and the same and culture drives art and art drives culture,” she said.
“And certainly what the Festival of the Brolga program did by providing numerous art opportunities for kids, they could explore culture from a whole range of different dimensions.”
The program took a practical approach to the popular teaching philosophy replacing the tradition ROTE learning in favour of a more hands-on approach that encourages students to engage with concepts, and apply independent analysis and criticism, rather than traditional learning by memorising set principles.
“It’s immersive learning. It’s actually being in it,” Ms McConville said.
"It was kind of like community art and cultural development at its best in Moree over the year. The thing that makes me feel really proud is that we bring in a team of artists who are all professional and performing artists in their own right outside of what we do with Beyond Empathy and they all come in with this absolute total commitment and integrity to providing their skills to move those kids forward.
“The artists become the transmitter, if you like, or the translator for young people to be able to get up on stage and share their stories back with the community.
“Art was the tool by which they could investigate and go deeply into exploring all that there was to explore about their cultural connections.”
Ms McConville said the students responded well to the brief and hoped the principles of the project would translate back into the classroom, encouraging students to continue engaging with their studies.
“It was outstanding. The audience was so moved by what they saw,” she said.
“And the other thing is, creativity turns peoples’ brains on. When you’re in a creative space and you’re focusing on all the things that someone can do, the potential for picking up on learning outcomes, we believe is really increased.”
The Festival of the Brolga was a collaborative effort with local cultural educators Matt Priestley, Bronwyn Spearim and Muriel Kelly, who have worked extensively throughout the year, overseeing the students’ progress.
Last week, Mrs Kelly described the showcase as only the start of efforts to encourage a high level of cultural awareness among the younger generation.
