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News and Events - Read the latest Crossing Divides Newsletter online.
What is Crossing Divides?
The Currumbin Crossing Divides Project is a Creative Industries program that allows young people aged 15-26 to realize their potential create career pathways and provide skills and abilities support for the art industry.
In 2006 Access Arts was invited by the Parents & Citizens management committee of the new Currumbin Community Special Education School (SE QLD), a state of the art $33 million facility, to work in partnership with them to develop the school as a facility for use by the wider Gold Coast community. Community consultation with young people, families and agencies followed, as well as a forum at the school, using Access Arts' Sound Circles™ program as a creative catalyst to promote active imaginative participation.
Through this process, the primary objective evolved to develop the school precinct as a community hub for post-school activities, where sustainable innovative Creative Industries based pre vocational training and life-long learning programs could be offered, meeting the needs of all young people, including those experiencing disabilities and disadvantage, and in cooperation with the families and agencies that provided services for them. It was agreed that the programs developed would prepare participants for entry into wider social, educational and economic opportunities.
The pilot project has been funded by the Westpac Foundation for two years to produce an innovative, reproducible and scalable Creative Industries HUB model that could be successfully transferred and implemented in a range of communities.
Crossing Divides is funded by the Westpac foundation and approved by Disability Services Queensland
Staff Profiles
Jessica Townsend
Jessica Townsend is a creative and passionate arts worker with 10 years experience in the arts and cultural sector both locally and internationally. Jessica is a graduate of QUT Creative Industries majoring in Performance Studies and also completed a Minor in Indigenous Studies through cross institutional studies at JCU Cairns. Jessica has worked as a respite carer, behaviour support worker and coordinator of community programs for adults and children with disabilities in the Brisbane region and in the UK. Jessica has been a private Speech and Drama teacher for ten years and an enthusiastic Director of Children's theatre. Jessica is the Assistant Artistic Director of Butterfly Theatre Company who specialise in Black-light puppetry and physical theatre. Jessica has performed with Butterfly Theatre Company at many festivals around the world most recent being Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (UK) and the Woodford Folk Festival. Jessica loves a creative challenge and is excited about being a new member of the Access Arts Team.
Kandy McCouat
Kandy McCouat is a freelance artist, sculptor and art therapist who works in a range of creative roles within the Brisbane and Gold Coast communities. Kandy has qualifications in Arts and Social Work and has exhibited as a visual artist for the last 8 years across South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales. Kandy is currently working in a support role with the Crossing Divides Theatre Group and enjoys the dynamic and spontaneous nature of theatre as an expressive tool for young people participating in this new and exciting Access Arts initiative.
Sam-Simon Tracy
Sam-Simon is facilitator and advisor to the Hip Hop projects of Crossing Divides and Access Arts 'Keepin it Real' projects. Having been involved in the music/film industry for ten years Sam-Simon brings experience in Mc’ing, Dj’ing, live performance of multiple instruments, recording, filming, editing and music/video production. Having joined Access Arts to implement the 'Keepin it Real' project, Sam-Simon now continues the program at Currumbin helping to co-ordinate showcases and produce music/video to gain exposure for the participants.
Heather Matthew
Heather Matthew moved from Victoria in 2008 where she has been working in the disability arts field as an oral historian and drama facilitator for the past ten years. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree (Deakin University) majoring in writing and has written and directed numerous plays for community theatre.
Heather has produced several short film documentaries including a film about mapping indigenous heritage in Mansfield, Victoria and a community delegation to East Timor to establish a friendship town. She was the local film facilitator for Club Wild’s Wild Tribe project in Benalla, Victoria. In her working life Heather has also been a journalist, bookseller, storyteller, librarian, poet, community artist and film maker. She believes that everyone has a story to tell and can do so in a unique and creative way through the arts.
She is currently completing a Diploma of Visual Arts at North Coast Institute TAFE and is excited to be a part of the Crossing Divides project with Access Arts.
Crossing Divides 2009 Workshop Program
Go to the Crossing Divides 2009 Term 4 Program
Go to the Crossing Divides 2009 Term 3 Program
Go to the Crossing Divides 2009 Term 1 Program
Go to the Crossing Divides 2008 Program
Quick Links - Select the 
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Coming up in 2009
Important Information
Crossing Divides Inc
ABN:70 263 902 599
Contact Details:
General enquiries - 5535 1271
Jess: 0450 182 023
crossingdivides@accessarts.org.au
Expressive Grounds
End of Tallebudgera Drive
Elanora Q 4221
PO Box 297
Burleigh Heads Q 4220
Workshop Costs
$30.00 per day / $15 per half day
$250.00 per term (10 weeks – full days)
Please Note:
Workshop program corresponds with term dates
Half day sessions are available.
Healthy morning and afternoon tea are supplied to all – please provide lunch.
For individuals/families experiencing financial hardship please contact the Project Coordinator to discuss your options.
If you require support with personal care, please contact the Project Coordinator to discuss your support needs.
Crossing Divides on YouTube
Crossing Divides now have our own profile on YouTube. You can view "Blues Town - Live at the Loft" and other performances by The Bandits, subscribe to Crossing Divides Channel or read comments and leave your own.
The link: youtube.com/user/CrossingDivides.
Term Four Workshop Program
Performing Arts Workshops
Day: Wednesday
Time: 10am – 3pm
Venue: Expressive Grounds (End of Tallebudgera Drive, Elanora)
| Session | Workshop | Times |
|---|---|---|
|
Session 1 |
Music |
10am - 12pm |
|
|
Lunch |
12pm - 1pm |
|
Session 2 |
Theatre |
1pm - 3pm |
Art Facilitators: Claire Cottone, Jessica Townsend, Jolie Hertzberg
Cost : $30 per day or $250 per term
Jam Sessions
Day: Tuesday
Time: 5:30pm – 8:30pm
Venue: Expressive Grounds (End of Tallebudgera Drive, Elanora)
| Session | Workshop | Times |
|---|---|---|
|
Session 1 |
Jam Session |
5:30pm – 8:30pm |
Session Facilitators: Sam Tracy, Claire Cottone, Boyd Luadaka, Jolie Hertzberg
Cost : $5 per session
Creative Circle
For Murwillumbah Links For Life please call Cheryl: 0401 587 448
Music Workshops
The Bandits have launched their debut EP! Continuing on their live show successes, the band performed at the Burleigh Winter Solstice Festival on the 20th June. With a big line-up of 10 performers, this band is ever-growing with members expected to swell with the new Jam Sessions in Terms 3 & 4!
Theatre Workshops
Exploring modern expressions of theatre; combining multimedia, music and art into an exciting program designed by the participants! Every session we leap into the afternoon with wild ideas, energetic renditions and creative collaborations.
Professional Development
1:1 Creative Mentoring
Established in 2008, this program assists young emerging Gold Coast artists who are experiencing disabilities and disadvantage to become more widely known in the professional industry and to develop professional skills for creative employment. The program is currently assisting emerging and professional artists through offering networking and training opportunities that increase the participant’s confidence in their chosen creative field. Participants in this program are also assigned a mentor to assist them on building their creative careers
How to Apply: Contact Sam Tracy on 0424 622 154 or Jess Townsend on 0450 182 023.
Links for Life
Links For Life is a Crossing Divides ‘Creative Circle’ project based in Murwillumbah, Northern NSW. Links for Life caters for the Youth, providing visual arts workshops, 3D painting and pottery. If you are interested in participating in any of these workshops, please contact Cheryl Gardner on 0401 587 448.
Coming Up in 2009
Avant Card
At the end of the year, Avant Card will be sponsoring a 10,000 postcard print-run down the East coast of Australia for the Crossing Divides project. Throughout Term 4, visual arts students will be creating artworks to go in the running to feature on the postcards.
ArtBox
You may have noticed a Gold Coast-wide project that has employed artists to paint Traffic Signal Boxes on all the main Roads. The Crossing Divides participants have been employed to paint one of these boxes with on the corner of Townson and 19th Aves in Palm Beach, right near the project headquarters.
Access Arts Inc ® (Queensland) receives financial assistance from the Queensland Government through Disability Services Queensland
and Arts Queensland; from the Federal Government through the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and
Australia Council for the Arts; from the Westpac Foundation; and from the Mental Health Council of Australia.
