Festival Of Colour Initiates Schoolfest

Festival Of Colour Initiates Schoolfest

School children from the Southern Lakes region of Otago will have access to Festival of Colour events and workshops at special student rates thanks to the new Schoolfest initiative launched by the Festival this year.

Designed to make high profile New Zealand artists accessible to both primary and secondary school students, the programme will give children a valuable insight into the worlds of art, music, theatre and writing.

During Schoolfest students can attend special matinee performances of two of the visiting theatre shows. Writers Oscar Kightley and Dave Armstrong will give a talk to secondary school students while writer and illustrator, Gavin Bishop will work with primary classes under the New Zealand Book Council Writer in Schools scheme. Story teller, Tanya Batt, will go into schools to weave her stories for primary students. Three leading New Zealand artists will take up residence in different schools in the region. Each will work with a group of students to construct art installation pieces to be installed in Wanaka for the duration of the Festival of Colour. Michel Tuffery and Lonnie Hutchinson will work with primary and intermediate age groups while ceramics artists, Wi Taepa will work with secondary school students.

A music workshop by two innovative Australians from The Lab is available to budding secondary school musicians and Lauren Pelon’s schools’ programme incorporates music and instruments from ancient civilisations and contemporary times. The Lab is also one of the two special matinee performances, the other being Odyssey, a comedy based on the story of Greek legend, Odysseus.

Special curriculum packages for all levels are available for the giant outdoor photographic exhibition, Earth from Above. This powerful exhibition provides a springboard into a number of curriculum areas such as environmental education and visual language.

Kay Turner arts co-ordinator from Wakatipu High School said the experience would be invaluable for students and teachers alike.

“It’s so hard for us to travel to see any kind of theatre or art on this kind of scale,” she said. “During Schoolfest, the students will get top quality residencies and a chance to see quality productions without having to leave the area. This is an international Festival in a close knit community offering our children international opportunities and I don’t think you can get that anywhere else in the country. It can only help give them that extra tenacity when they go out and explore the wider world.”

Schoolfest is funded by Festival of Colour and the Community Trust of Otago allowing schools access to high profile artists normally outside of their budget. Schools from Arrowtown, Queenstown, Tarras, Hawea, Cromwell, Makarora and Wanaka are eligible.

The Festival of Colour runs from April 24 to 29 featuring six days and nights of art, drama, music, comedy and dance from national and international artists and performers, set against the autumnal backdrop of Lake Wanaka. For further information, visit www.festivalofcolour.co.nz.

ENDS

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