ExpressWay Arts

ExpressWay Arts developed a roving performance titled “Perspective” under the guidance of Artist, Eliza Lovell as part of DreamBIG Children’s Festival in 2023.

Eliza is a performer, theatre maker, arts educator and creative entrepreneur. She has a diverse background exploring narratives and needs with varied communities.

Check out what some of the ExpressWay members had to say about their experience at the festival!

Taking place between July 2021 and August 2022, the ExpressWay Arts ensemble embarked on a significant skill Building Project through a series of weekly workshops delivered by professional artists to build specific skills, and gain insights, experience and industry connections. Disciplines included directing, filmmaking, stage combat/physical theatre, voice work, and writing and performing music.

The group investigated stories within their own local community and worked towards small-scale performance outcomes.

The Skill Building Project 2021 was supported by the South Australian Government through Arts South Australia.

ExpressWay Arts’ project LOCKDOWN, was an exploration of ensemble members’ experience of peer-pressure, bullying and risk-taking in schools. The project resulted in a live performance as part of the Adelaide Fringe 2021 and a radio play accompanied by teacher resources for the DreamBig Festival.

Radio Play

DURATION: approx 15mins
Available online March – May 2021
Listen here

Warning: some low-level course language, themes that involve bullying, peer pressure, risk taking, aggression and confrontation

ExpressWay Arts’ proejct The Space Between is a short film written, directed and performed by young people from the southern suburbs of Adelaide.

Over 10 months, Carclew’s Expressway Arts ensemble engaged in weekly filmmaking sessions with award winning filmmaker, Craig Behenna. They have been investigating and planning their own short film exploring the theme The Space Between; the space between being a child and an adult; the space between high school and university/employment; the space between the online and real worlds; the space between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour; the space between positive and negative mental health and wellbeing; and any other issues that are identified by the group.

Ramsay Place Residency

Building on the work of the Ramsay Place Working Group and 2015 ExpressWay Arts project Express Collective, multi-form artist Brienna Macnish was the artist in residence at Ramsay Place in Noarlunga Centre from 17 – 21 February 2016.

During her residency Brienna explored ‘Third Places’ and the myth of their accessibility by recording interviews with young people who inhabit Ramsay Place.

Ramsay Place is a third place where young people come together to socialise, connect, escape and just be.

Third Places are welcoming and open to anyone and everyone, they are the places we go to meet with the people we know and perhaps with people we don’t. But what happens when individuals or communities don’t have the social, cultural or financial capital to feel comfortable in these Third Places? What happens when people – especially young people – try and create Third Places for themselves? – Brienna Macnish

Using her observations and the audio from interviews Brienna created a 25 minute audio work to be experienced in Ramsay Place .

Kids Against Humanity represented a long relationship with a performance ensemble of young people aged 12-19 in Adelaide’s Southern suburbs.

It began in 2014 with a project called Run Zombie, Run before turning into a performance ensemble called Kids Against Humanity in 2015. Kids Against Humanity presented their first project outcome Zombie Gauntlet in 2015, followed by their second – the very ambitious Losing Faith in Unicorns as part of the dreamBIG Children’s Festival in May 2017.

From the original protest songs of the civil rights movement to charity singles raising money for those in need, musicians have inspired change through their songs for decades. ExpressWay Arts’ Songs for Social Change 2015 project invited young artists aged 15 – 26 years with an interest in song writing to come together in writing and recording their own songs to make a difference.

Seven young artists spent time working with The Emu Tree’s Chris Teusner exploring and developing their song-writing voice. Local climate change activist Jamie Dunn offered local, national and global provocations for the participants to respond to.

Four participants completed and recorded one or more songs each on CD with two participants also performing at the Southern Youth Week Launch in Ramsay Place, Noarlunga.

Songs for Social Change was presented as part of ExpressWay Arts DISCOVERY project in 2015. The Department for Communities and Social Inclusion contributed funds to the DISCOVERY project.

Run Zombie, Run was a cultural mapping and volunteering project by ‘stealth’, using the mechanism of creating an interactive zombie theatre experience to work with participants in exploring their own community (and its resources) and how they can create opportunities for themselves and others.

From November 2014 – May 2015, young people aged 11-18 worked with facilitator Claire Glenn to create and present the Zombie Gauntlet.

The participants of Run Zombie, Run are continuing to work together (along with some new faces) as the Kids Against Humanity Ensemble.

Run Zombie, Run and Zombie Gauntlet were presented as part of the ExpressWay Arts DISCOVERY project. The Department for Communities and Social Inclusion contributed funds to the DISCOVERY project.