Huge winter program announced for the Opera House's new Centre for Creativity

Sydney – Thursday 19, 2022. The Sydney Opera House today announced the full winter program for its newly-opened Centre for Creativity, with a line-up of brand new workshops hosted by the artists and artistic directors behind FANGIRLS The Musical, Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Terrain and Flying Fruit Fly Circus’ Tempo.

The bumper program of 20 events across June, July and August features a mix of free and paid activities for all ages available on weekdays and nights, weekends and during the school holidays, including:

• FANGIRLS Workshop with Yve Blake – learn how to bring your own ideas to life on stage and discover how to write a musical (without playing a musical instrument…) in this workshop for adults and teenagers aged 15+ hosted by Yve Blake, the award-winning creator, writer, composer, and lyricist of smash hit FANGIRLS The Musical;
• In Conversation with Bangarra’s Frances Rings – join incoming Artistic Director Frances Rings, a descendant of the Kokatha people, for this intimate reflection on Bangarra’s performance of Terrain; and
• Let’s Make a Circus Show – a creative workshop with Flying Fruit Fly Circus’ Artistic Director Anni Davey, the brains behind all-clowning musical variety show Tempo, which will teach 8-15 year-olds how to juggle, balance and dive their way into a circus.

Sydney Opera House Head of Children, Families and Creative Learning, Tamara Harrison says: “Since opening the Centre for Creativity in January, we’ve seen more than 5,300 visitors explore their creativity through hands-on experiences, workshops and interactive programs. Our winter line-up encapsulates the new experiences the Centre for Creativity enables, giving audiences the opportunity to learn from the very artists and creators behind the world-class performances presented on our stages.”

The Centre for Creativity’s winter program also includes:

For adults and young people

• Move with B*Boy Taz – explore the fundamentals of break dance – from toprocks to footwork and freezes – in this workshop for dancers of all levels with one of Australia’s best B-boys, Taz (Anastasios Repousi);
• Barra with Nardi Simpson – an afternoon exploring First Nations storytelling, music, song, and language with Yuwaalaraay storyteller and performer Nardi Simpson (Stiff Gins) and Sydney’s innovative instrumentalists, Ensemble Offspring;
• Ribbon Weaving – an introduction to weaving pattern design with artist Fiona Davies, this workshop will see you draw inspiration from the architecture and patterns of the Sydney Opera House sails in the creation of your very own piece of ribbon art;
• BUILD: Life Below Water – the second public talk of the Opera House’s pioneering built environment program Sydney Opera House BUILD delivered in partnership with the Ove Arup Foundation. Featuring industrial designer and founder of the Reef Design Lab, Alex Goad, this talk will explore the ways human and non-human centred design come together for the future of our marine environments;
• Soundbath and Movement for Climate Anxiety – DJ and experienced body/mind practitioner Simon Slieker will explore how our senses, emotions and bodies can positively influence our climate change anxieties through movement and music;
• Architecture Club – for those planning a sustainable home build or renovation, this workshop will uncover your own design aesthetic inspired by the unique genius of Opera House architect Jørn Utzon and his houses in Mallorca and Copenhagen; and
• Free monthly Big Heart Sing – a public choir led by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs for singers of all abilities to share in the joy of community singing.

For children and families

• Free Hands on Art – get messy! In our Creative Play this July school holidays, professional artists will transform your hands into a work of art using abstract patterns and textures. This event is presented in partnership with our Global Goals Partner Dettol, to support children’s learning and encourage hand hygiene habits through the power of play;
• Baby Music Jam – an interactive introduction to music for babies aged 0-2 and their carers, through singing and playing instruments;
• Bulnuruwanha (Taking Flight) – the premiere public season of a dance workshop and performance that explores the Wiradjuri dreaming stories of the magpie, willy wagtail, kookaburra and cockatoo for children 5+ and their families on the occasion of National Reconciliation Week;
• Cardboard Construction – kids aged 10+ are encouraged to unleash their creativity working with recycled cardboard in this workshop inspired by the performance season of Creation, Creation;
• Alien Invasion – a three-hour school holiday workshop and an interactive quest with theatre artist Alison Bennett where 5-8 year-olds will help find a baby alien that was left behind at the Opera House; and
• Free Sunday morning creative experiences for 7-11 year-olds and their families led by Australian-born artist of Laotian heritage Anney Bounpraseuth, including becoming an orchestra conductor for the day with Mini Maestros, creating fabulous Opera wigs, making Sydney Rock Lobster claws and drawing the Opera House’s mascot, Benny the seal.

For all ages

• Free monthly Draw the House: The Sketchbook Tour examines the Opera House and its surrounds through the eyes of an artist, and encourages different approaches to drawing, from traditional and observational to experimental and abstract.

Bulnuruwanha is a DirtyFeet production commissioned by the Sydney Opera House, as part of New Work Now, enabled by The Wolanski Foundation.

Thank you to the NSW Government for enabling the Opera House’s Decade of Renewal; our Global Goals Partner Dettol; and our Centre for Creativity major donors: the Yarranabbe Foundation; Ove Arup Foundation; Turnbull Foundation; Boyarsky family; and The Greatorex Fund.