The Centre for Creativity’s 2024 Autumn Program Announced

Sydney — Tuesday 23 January 2024

Sydney Opera House Head of Children, Families and Creative Learning, Tamara Harrison says: “In 2024, the Centre for Creativity enters its third year having so far welcomed 15,075 audiences and visitors from all walks of life to this dynamic, purpose-built space for creative experiences. This autumn, we present our regular favourites plus exciting new events including a Pacific Islands cultural dance workshop with Matavai Cultural Arts, a songwriting workshop with an ARIA-nominated artist and a Korean-inspired theatre show for our youngest audiences.”

Autumn program highlights include:

For all ages

• Pacific Islands Cultural Dance Workshop || 13 and 14 April (NEW) – an insightful and uplifting intergenerational dance workshop led by Matavai* Cultural Arts where audiences will learn about Pacific Islands of history, cultural knowledge, dance technique and choreography.
  *Matavai promotes the teaching of positive fundamental aspects of Pacific culture through dance, music, language and creative arts. Re-connecting the Australian-Pacific community with their history and ancestors is a key goal of Matavai, which is achieved through the passing down of ancient traditions and art forms.

For young people & adults (12 – 18+ years)

• MISC. || 23 March, 20 April, 18 May – a new series of multidisciplinary workshops curated by award-winning filmmaker Claud Bailey, where emerging and established queer artists will mentor a group of LGBTQIA+ teenagers and their allies (ages 15-19). Participants can learn to write a song with ARIA nominated singer/songwriter Alex the Astronaut, explore the journey of movement with Fetu Taku and design a zine with mystic artist imbi.
• Dreams of Benny || 15 April –  an immersive four-hour workshop created for people aged 16+ living with a disability, by recognised arts leader Sarah-Vyne and a team of artists with disabilities. Participants will go on an imaginative journey using Sydney Opera House mascot Benny the Seal as inspiration to create a performance installation.
• Shadow Puppets || 24 April – internationally renowned theatre-maker and visual artist Jumaadi leads a journey of storytelling through the traditional art of wayang kulit (shadow puppetry) from Indonesia – one of the oldest forms of theatre-making in the world. For audiences aged 12-16.

For children and families (4 - 11 year-olds)

• The Magic Garden || 18 and 19 April – a music making and song writing workshop for 4-9 year-olds and their families, featuring vocal warm-ups and harmonies with Ru Barb and song writing secrets from Aspara Gus and Sir Paul McCarrotney – The Vegetable Plot supergroup.
• Bare Your Bones || 21 April (FREE) – in this workshop led by artist Anney Bounpraseuth for 7-11 year-olds and their families, audiences will discover the proper names of bones whilst creating a fluoro, wearable and moveable skeleton that glows in the dark.
• Opera Rose Bouquet || 12 May (FREE) – artist Anney Bounpraseuth will help children 7-11 years-old become a floral artist for the day, transforming everyday kitchen items into a special rose bouquet, complete with a rose petal ceremony photo booth.

For babies (aged 6 - 16 months)

• Obang || 14 - 19 March (NEW) – babies and toddlers aged 6-16 months are invited to a Korean grandmother’s house for a multicultural theatre show for early years. This immersive, multi-sensory experience features puppetry and storytelling as children explore the traditional Korean concept of Obang, which includes cooking, washing, bathing and sleeping.

Thank you to the NSW Government for enabling the Opera House’s Decade of Renewal; and our Centre for Creativity major donors: The Yarranabbe Foundation; Ove Arup Foundation; Turnbull Foundation; Boyarsky family; and The Greatorex Fund.