The arts expand horizons
Orana Arts' regional youth programming develops opportunities for young people in Regional NSW to engage in the arts as a way of developing skills for life or exploring the arts as a career. Over the next four years, our Youth Learning Engagement & Arts Program (YLEAP) aims to meet the needs of regional youth in NSW keen to learn more about the arts. YLEAP will build on the partnerships, experiences and capacity we have developed in the past four years of our Not a Dress Rehearsal (NaDR) youth performing arts program, the Regional Arts Network’s HORIZONS program, and our work with the young people of Warrumbungle Shire Council.
Youth Connections Collective (YCC)
Youth Connections Collective is about young people leading through the arts.
YCC is a youth-led and youth-driven initiative that strengthens connections, amplifies young voices, and builds leadership skills in the local community. It empowers young people to share ideas, support each other, and take action on the issues that matter most to them. Together, we’re building a stronger, more connected future powered by young people, for young people.
YCC started as a youth program in 2024 with our local government partner, Warrumbungle Shire Council. We’re now working with a group in Coonabarabran on 2025 Youth Week activities. More to come on that.
Do you have ideas about how the Youth Connections Collective model could work in your community?
Contact our Community Curator, Emah to chat.
“We acknowledge the commitment displayed by Orana Arts in many partnership programs we have been involved in to bring the Arts to young people and the broader community of Warrumbungle Shire.”
Youth arts programs create dreams
2024 was a big year for Orana Arts’ youth programming, Not a Dress Rehearsal (NaDR). Our Kumi Taiko Japanese drumming ensemble, who had developed into a tight performing group under the tuition of Kerryn Joyce from Taikoz, collaborated with Dubbo Ballet Studio to create an original performance. CORE was performed in Sydney and Dubbo in late 2024. You can watch some of the preview performance footage in the video below.
Our second annual Summer Drama Camp was held in Coonabarabran in 2024, in partnership with Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) and Coonabarabran High School. Like the 2023 camp, participants and tutors were keen to share why camps like this are so important in Regional NSW.
