By Luke Voogt
Geelong’s budding songwriters and artists will get the chance to enhance their talents with a series of workshops over the next school term.
The workshops would give local kids unique artistic experiences outside their everyday lives, said Bluebird Foundation’s Bron Lawson.
“We’ve gone with things where there is a gap and there is a need for it.
“They’re not something that they’re likely to encounter in their school art and music classes.”
The workshops, which range from street art to journal writing, feature the talents of prolific local artists like Laura Alice.
The artists were “awesome” at connecting with youth, Bron said.
“We’re sharing the amazing talent of artists that already work with us on other projects.”
The workshops follow the foundation’s girls street art tutorials earlier this year, after which participants held an exhibition of their work.
“They sold just about every piece of artwork they had on display,” Bron said.
The workshops would help fund Bluebird Foundation’s work for Geelong’s lower socio-economic suburbs, people with disabilities and new arrivals, Bron said.
“Lots of the work we do happens out in the community in Geelong.”
But the foundation was committed to keeping them as cheap as possible, she said.
“You’d be hard pressed to find anything more affordable than this in the community.”
Cam Plapp was very excited to run the foundation’s first boys street art workshop, while local songstress Rach Brennen will teach the finer points of songwriting.
“They might be looking at refining their skills and taking them to the next level or they may never have written a song at all,” Bron said.The educational workshops would give “kids skills to take into their everyday life”, Bron said.
“When we explore our creative side and find ways to express ourselves there are always benefits.”
For more details visit Bluebird Foundation’s workshops page at www.bluebirdfoundationinc.org.au/workshops.
