ART - SOCIAL INNOVATION - ACTION
Founded in 1996, Slippry Sirkus is a not for profit arts and community cultural development organisation with unique and in depth knowledge of regional, rural and remote diverse communities across Australia and a new outreach strategy into Cambodia.
Slippry Sirkus has worked with over sixty communities and formed an associate team of skilled artists and community workers to deliver arts strategies which produce notable experiences that affirm the valuable role of art to effect social, health, educational and environmental outcomes
Slippry Sirkus offers strategies, programs and projects to communities and organisations plus mentoring & training to emerging artists, community workers, service providers & agencies; providing opportunities to work at a grass root level alongside Slippry Sirkus in a skill exchange that provides practical ‘hands on’ experience in community cultural development and arts engagement practises
An Australian Bureau of Statistics report noted that arts and cultural activities are disproportionately more significant to the quality of life of Australians in the 14 to 24-year-old range. The report documents participation rates of around 68 per cent for this age group, higher than any other group. For young people attempting to resolve complex social problems, artistic participation and expression can provide a valuable mechanism for bringing about positive outcomes in health and wellbeing.
A number of programs throughout the country have successfully engaged young people, particularly with regard to mental health, at the community level. Young People and the Arts Australia (YPAA) is the national peak body for organisations and practitioners engaging young people in the arts.
The Artful Dodgers Studios and Slippry Sirkus have both had significant impact on health outcomes. The Young People Prevention and Early Intervention (YPPI) project has successfully used flexible creative arts, rather than arts therapy, in the process of recovery for young people with first-episode psychosis . Both Tutti Ensemble and Restless Dance Theatre work with disabled and non-disabled young people in theatre, music and dance performance. .’.. www.disseminate.net.au/arts_and_young_people
n.b. image by Glenn Campbell
