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EDITORIAL There were many different ways Lowdown video, computer graphics and electronica could have celebrated its twenty{irst birth- for its young, media-savvy audience. A day. l've opted for a very'Lowdown' youth arts organisation using drama for the approach - to celebrate our birthday by cel- social development of young people in the ebrating Australian youth performing arts, '70s may now use young people as its through profiling a longstanding company or guides in a constantly changing world in organisation in every State and Territory. order to remain on the cutting edge of cre- Rather than grab centre-stage with a ative endeavour. Lowdown retrospective, I wanted to keep the Trina Parker, in her article on Arena Theatre, focus where it should be, on the practitioners points out another important characteristic of and companies who have created and re- has managed 'keep created our industry every day since one company that to on Lowdown started. keeping on'. A successful company usually has a strong board of rnanagement - people The theme is'Living Journeys', and the issue with a knowledge of youth arts, a range of looks at how the youth performing arts skills and experience that support the full- industry has responded to the challenges time staff, a willingness to back exciting but and changes of the last twenty-one years. possibly untried artistic directors and the Together with some thoughts from AYPAA good sense to know when to step in and and YPAA presidents, along with past and when to hold back. present Lowdown editors, I wanted to focused issue explore some of the unique characteristics In having such a tightly I do few regrets. There were many, many of Australian youth performing arts. have a people who have made outstanding contri- Some characteristics of companies who butions that we don't mention here. ln select- have negotiated years of change are easy to ing only one longstanding company from determine. They include significant youth each State and Territory I have also omitted ownership, a willingness to boldly experi- some of the most exciting companies in the ment with form, the building of strategic part- country. I offer my sincere apologies to those nerships, the provision of access to all companies and individuals and acknowl- Australians and not just a particular socio- edge that, in conveying an impression of the economic demographic, and the ability to change that Australian youth performing arts respond to social and technological change. has undergone, important parts of that living So a youth theatre company doing text- history are missing. Hopefully someone will based theatre in the 'BOs may now be a remedy the situation by writing the history of youth arts company offering a range of cre- youth performing arts in Australia, a book ative activities in a venue or over the internet. that should and must be written soon. A TIE company producing educationally hope you this look at our past, our sound and morally didactic in-school shows I enjoy present with minimal set and props in the late '70s and our visions for the future. may now be a TYP company producing con- Cheers fronting in{heatre shows blending theatre, Tony Mack Editor Tony Mack Marketi n g/Advertisi n g/Lay-out Leigh Mangin Design/Lay-out Jason Rowe Printing Douglas Press Pty Ltd Geoffrey Brown Deborah Heithersay Andrew Bleby Rachel Healey Roger Chapman tetgh Elllott Helen Rickards Darelyn Gunzburg lan Chance Bellnda MacQueen fo Shearer Letgh Mangln Anna Dollard Tony Mack 2 lowdown june 2000 Lowdown looks at the past, present and future through the eyes of influential AYPAA and YPAA personnel and Lowdown editors. A CERTAIN KIND OF contact with as many people as possible, arts that the future lies and it is quite ENERGY to present the findings in open seminars possible that they will be unlike the arts to The connection began in Adelaide 1972 al and to provide a final report with which we have grown accustomed...' inaugural Administration recommendations. Anne Godfrey-Smith the Arts A year later, during the first Canberra Conference presented under the auspices (Edgeworth) was appointed to undertake Festival, we became duly constituted this huge task. Anne gave tremendous a of the then, Australia Council for the Arts. body, with state branches (or With representation from all states, several service, journeying on our behalf, far representatives), a new name The participants meeting each other for the afield, into regional centres and remote - Australian Youth Performing Arts first time realised they were concerned areas. Her key recommendations Association and a regular newsletter. with arts activities for children and young focussed on the need to develop people - so an informal group So there we were! Number one was formed. Naomi Marks, recommendation - a Diana Sharpe and myself were communication service. The intrigued to discover that each AYPAA newsletter, developed had started a group or company, by Margaret Leask, was further in the mid-sixties, within months enlivened by Geoffrey Brown of each other. The companies (first Editor of Lowdown). Our were Childrens' Arena Theatre umbrella base moved from the (Melbourne), Australian Theatre Trust to the Sydney University lor Young People (Sydney) and Theatre Workshop, thanks to Childrens' Activities Society Derek Nicholson and Robert (Perth). Lesley Hammond, then Love, then to Carclew and the with the Australian Marionette energies of the late seventies in Theatre, undertook a network Adelaide. role and whether the Australian I well remember the impact the Elizabethan Theatre Trust quite hand delivered realised it or not, it provided a first time I Lowdown to the members of the continuing network and international committee of communication link. ASSITEJ. lt seemed few other Calling ourselves the National countries had a publication Youth and Children's Pedorming devoted to young people's Arts Association and with performing arts. Several increasing numbers of contacts, Australians had made personal another person working at the contact with this international Trust in Sydney, Margaret Leask, body (ASSITEJ) in earlier years became the vital link. and Margaret Leask attended the Berlin meeting in the mid- ln 1973 the Australian Council seventies using our AYPAA panels for the Arts had three of name perhaps for the first time. meeting the Theatre Board, I went, as the lone Australian, to monthly. I was on the Drama Madrid and formally made a bid Panel for several years and with to join ASSITEJ. A year later I colleagues on the Dance and was invited to the committee panels, pleased Puppetry was meeting in Washington DC it push - when our for a separate was magic being able to deliver Youth Panel was agreed to. lt an impressive magazine style had a strong group representing publication under their hotel each state and several forms of room doors before breakfast, endeavour and as the panel met along with the morning paper. frequently and in a ditferent state each provide And thanks to the name which came from time, it provided an ideal opportunity for communication services to up to (and Maggie Wilde-West 'well, give 'em the plot prosper. date information to the field aboui the - the new association to and lowdown kid'... it did and still is! With Barbara Manning, Murray Foy, Jenny field), to look into the longer term Blocksidge, Ken Conway and David Young possibilities of using film, TV and new Thanks everyone for not allowing involved in a number of ways, we were up media to assist the exchange of Lowdown to lie down. away. 1974 Youth Panel information and to bring regional arts and ln the JOAII POPE received a grant to engage someone to personnel together in lace to face lnaugural National President, AYPAA undertake a nation wide survey to make conferences and festivals. Some of Anne's words proved prophetic: 'lt is with youth lowdown june 2000 3 towDowN Wonderful stuff. After a few issues of FROM THE UNKNOWN - THE EARLY YEARS Lowdown, National AYPAA accepted an TO THE KNOWN The 'pre-launch' issue appeared in early offer it couldn't refuse from the SA The key person to world recognition of '1979 and the first issue in July. Lowdown government to be based within the Australian youth performing arts practice was up and running. glamour of Carclew and away from the is Roger Chapman. As Director of the support offered by Derek Nicholson and Carclew Youth Performing Arts Centre in I had been appointed by'National AYPAA' Theatre Workshop at the University of the 1980s he ensured the full support of (the national body of the then Australian Sydney. Their support for National AYPAA the national centre of ASSITEJ Australia, Youth Performing Arts Association) as with its main role to their'National Consultant' from July present the national 1978. For the previous six months, I interest at had been Administrator for the Toe international levels. Truck Theatre Education in This was based on Company, based in Sydney, having his own experience graduated from the University of that Australia, while NSW end 1977. My at the ol unknown to the world involvement in youth arts was, to at that time, had a say the least, limited. great deal to offer in Here I was, though, working with an the quality of the work executive group of state delegates and the calibre of its who were at the forefront of youth artists. He believed arts development at the time: Joan ,,4{JSTRALIA'S CLJLTURAL that Australia, Pope from Perth, running CATS; through its Graham Scott, involved in the multicultural, diverse Victorian Youth Theatre Association rAL and original work, and the Education Department's *t#w t]# Tt-{f,Y was a model for many drama activities; Andrew Bleby, from countries seeking the Come Out festival and the contemporary Adelaide Festival Centre; Robert practice with which to Love from Toe Truck TIE in Sydney; engage the interest of as well as Peter Wilkins (ACT), their young Brian Haslem (Tasmania), Bernice audiences.

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