Community Development is at the heart of D:create’s work. Building community through the arts and working on projects for social change. Below are past community projects delivered by D:create. Please contact us if you have a community/ project in mind. Below are some of the many different distinct communities that D:create has worked with, and some examples of projects.
International Work
Timor-Leste: Embodied Futures
More on this project to come as it is part of a PhD study awaiting publication.
Brazil Project: Working in the favellas
An 8 month project in the favelas of Brazil, working creatively with the entire community. Based in an NGO in the community, various workshops were set up: theatre with young people` to explore local issues; a multi-art form time for children to play; relaxation and movement for adults; creative development for babies; as well as training and consultation for existing NGO programs. More information here.
Working with Multicultural Communities
Linking Generations
Most recently, D:create partnered with Global Sanctuary to provide mentoring and dramaturgical support for the creation of a Forum Theatre performance at BEMAC. The interactive performance explores intergenerational tensions migrant and refugee communities face in adapting to life in a new culture. Read about the project from the perspective of the emerging Applied Theatre Facilitator, Grace Edwards, here.
Multicultures Project
Multicultures developed to strengthen the culturally diverse community of one of Qld’s most multicultural high schools and its surrounds, by collaboratively developing and implementing creative opportunities for cross cultural communication, learning and understanding, thereby encouraging community cohesion. Find more on the project here.
Somayo: Somali Refugee community project
A 6 month project with the Somali Refugee Community as a way of uniting historically warring tribes. A performance was developed to share the story of migration to Australia. Find more on the project here.
International Students Photography Project
A project lead by students ideas, culminating in an outdoor projected exhibition in King George Square.
Intercultural Youth Work
A series of workshops to empower young people to be leaders in their own communities.
Working with Homelessness
Acting Out a project about reclaiming public space through providing drama workshops in the city centre. A core group of young people emerged through the project who worked together to create a site specific show at the Powerhouse about the “game of snakes and ladders” involved in being homeless. Find out more about the project here.
Working with People with Disabilities and Learning Difficulties
Working inclusively is important in all projects, thinking about inclusive language and accessibility. However some work has been more targeted to people with disabilities and learning difficulties. D:create has designed workshops to adapt to different needs of participants and also supported people with learning difficulties to take the lead in co-running workshops.
Off Limits
A project based at Burnley Youth Theatre in the UK to allow young people with disabilities to participate in creating their own piece of theatre.
Other organisations that Deanna has collaborated with include: Dancesyndrome. A company that supports disabled dancers to be faciliators of workshops for their peers through peer support and mentorship.
Working within Prisons and the Criminal Justice System
Adult Male Prison
A project with Offender Development through Drama (ODD Theatre www.oddtheatrecompany.com ) company in the UK that looked at conflict resolution, victim awareness and substance abuse.
Youth Detention Centre
An intensive summer holiday program for young offenders on warnings and house arrest.
Environmental Focus
Jokers International Day of Action on Global Warming
An interactive theatre event that explored thoughts behind behaviours that are destructive to the environment.
Green Schools a project run through Brisbane City Council, teaching students to run their own environmental campaign in a school.
Working with Young People
Many of the other categories of community work were groups of young people: young refugees, young homeless people, young people with disabilities, and so on. Working with young people has been a focus of D:create’s work for 13 years. Artistic Director, Deanna Borland-Sentinella spent a decade working with the Brisbane City Council Youth Team. Here are some specific project examples:
Straight Out of Brisbane Festival: Indooroopilly youth event
The project first recruited a group of young people to be a management committee and design their own event.
LGBTIQ
Working with the LGBTIQ (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Intersex and Queer) community so this communities voices are not marginalised is important for D:create as a company. Identifying artists can be provided for projects.