‘Knowing Home’ – No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability 2011
Knowing Home by No Strings Attached, (NSA) Theatre of Disability, is a theatre piece about the place and meaning of ‘home’ in the lives of 16 adult, disabled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (ATSI) performers.
This project has a well-considered process and plans to develop an education component. NSA is also highly regarded for the artistic quality and integrity of its work. NSA was previously awarded the inaugural Fringe Peace award in 2011. This was not considered in the process and while also not part of the criteria this project does fit with the Peace Foundation’s Reconciliation Action Plan. Overall NSA has demonstrated in the past that it produces high quality work and involves members of the community that are often forgotten by the mainstream. The Peace Foundation is proud to use its funds to promote the production of work that meets its objectives of peace, justice and care for the environment through the arts.
Skip Miller’s Hit Songs – Brink Productions 2010
Skip Miller’s Hit Songs is a multi-narrative theater work for African and Australian actors and musicians, drawing on the storytelling traditions of two continents.
Brink Productions had been developing this project for nearly two years. Written by SA playwright Sean Riley, it tells the story of Skip Miller, an Australian photo-journalist who returns home to Australia after a career spent on the African continent. The show premiered at the 2011 Adelaide Fringe Festival. www.brinkproductions.com
Rockin’ the Boat – Vital Statistix 2010
A sold-out hit at the Port Festival, Rockin’ the Boat raises a toast to the docksiders, seafarers, working girls, dreamers and rebels of Port Adelaide and ports around the world. An eclectic night of stories and songs – from Brecht to Guys and Dolls, Nick Cave to Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell to John Lennon – Rockin’ the Boat is a celebration and protest in true Port style! www.vitalstatistixtheatrecompany.blogspot.com
Peace Posters – Breakdown Press 2009/2010
This unique project developed by Breakdown Press producing broadsheet series of 30 wonderful A2 posters exploring ideas about peace. Hopefully these posters will end up on bedroom walls, in workplaces, streets, shopfronts and schools! Artists and designers were encouraged to use writing and statistics from academics, historians, poets, scientists, activists and song writers in their poster designs. For further information visit www.breakdownpress.org
The Academy of DYI – Format Festival 2009
A weekend festival of accessible arts, activism, education and collaboration, designed to facilitate skill-sharing and the development of strong networks amongst artists and activists. The festival was part of the Adelaide Fringe in March 2009 and included panels, workshops, film screenings and exhibitions. The Peace Trust congratulates the Format Festival on their 2010 Ruby award.
ActNow – Street Theate 2008
ActNow Theatre for Social Change, an emerging young people’s political theatre company, based in Adelaide. ActNow aims to empower young people to use theatre as a tool for social change. Peace Trust funding supported the development of two street theatre performances.
East Gippsland Community Peace Project – Commissioned Music 2008
Mallacoota Strum Inc were supported to commission Padma Newsome to compose a piece for Making Music Together for Peace as part of the East Gippsland Community Peace Project. This weekend community music festival in Mallacoota, 26-28th September 2008 included choral, improvisation, instrumental and songwriting workshops.
On the Banks of the Tigris – Documentary Film 2007
On the Banks of the Tigris is an inspiring new documentary film that is timely, uplifting and promotes peace and cultural understanding.
The film celebrates the Jewish contribution to Iraqi music and the cultural bonds that link all Iraqis. When Majid Shokor escaped from Iraq he discovered a hidden history- that many of the songs he and other Iraqis sing today were written by Jews. Determined to know the truth about this beautiful music and the Jewish people who had to flee Iraq in the 1950s, he embarks on a journey to find the composers, performers and stories behind the music he loves. In Israel, the UK, Holland, and at home in Australia, he finds an amazing cast of characters – Jewish, Muslim and Christian – who play marvellous music, tell spellbinding stories, and inspire him to work for peace and reconciliation between all Iraqis.
Marsha Emerman is a documentary filmmaker and lecturer with over 20 years experience making films on peace, human rights and social justice themes.
Majid Shoukor is an actor, playwright and former member of the Iraqi National Theatre. After four years in Lebanon teaching drama and writing, he and his family came to Melbourne in 2001 through the auspices of the UNHCR.
Peace Trust funding helped to enable the filmmaking team to travel to Israel in December ’06 and film interviews with several musicians and songwriters who are more than 80 years old.
Second to None Performance/Installation 2007
The Peace Trust was very proud to be associated with Kurruru Indigenous Youth Performing Arts in Port Adelaide in 2007. Kurruru, meaning ‘circle’ in Kaurna language, is Australia’s only Indigenous Youth Performing arts company. The Peace Trust funded Kurruru with a major grant to support the workshop program leading to the production Second to None, a co-production with Vitalstatistix Theatre Company.
Second to None was an outdoor, history-making performance and installation event including dance, installation, film and the recreation of important Kaurna ceremony. The audience took a bus journey through four significant sites celebrating the past, present and future of the Port.
Brunswick Womens Chior
Brunswick Womens Choir Commissioning of a composer – Jennie Swan – to write a work with the themes of peace, tolerance and reconciliation. The composition had it’s premier performance at the Brunswick Town Hall in October 2006 in a concert entitled Songs of Peace and Reconciliation. The composition will become a part of the extensive repertoire of the choir and will be performed for many months in Melbourne, country Victoria and New Zealand. Listen and Purchase songs at
www.brunswickwomenschoir.org.auNasser Palangi – “I lost everything – Woman during the war”
Nasser Palangi’s project is “I lost everything – Woman during the war”; an exhibition of photographs and sketches of women living through the Iran- Iraq war (1980-1988) including story telling and slide shows about the exhibition. The exhibition was held at the School of Art Gallery at the Australian National University from 18 – 24 September 2006. Email
sofagallery@anu.edu.au for further information. The exhibition was also shown in Adelaide in 2006. Nasser is an Iranian-Australian artist and lecturer at the ANU school of art who was in the war for the entire eight years.
Woodville High School Kaurna Meyuna
Woodville High School Kaurna Meyuna, Kaurna Yerta Education Initiative The Peace Trust is absolutely delighted that the Kaurna Meyuna, Kaurna Yerta public art and trail will be used by Indigenous senior secondary students as part of their cultural and language studies program. Digital technology and visual primary source material will make the walking trail guide available to the students on palm pilots, which we believe will significantly enhance their learning and understanding.
This program has the potential to increase Indigenous-led cross-cultural experiences for a variety of audiences.
