Youth Performing Arts Summit
FUSE – National Youth Performing Arts Summit – July 18-20 2022.
Our creative work with, for and/or by young people has become more important than ever before. With young people’s declining mental health, a deep need for an increased connection to story, community and place, and a burning desire to be acknowledged, engaged and entertained, the performing arts offer bridges across some large and growing gaps.
Because, if the broad church that is the performing arts share one common feature, it’s bringing people together.
FUSE 2022: Connect. Share. Advocate.
Over three days from 18 – 20 July, this gathering of national youth performing arts leaders, and stakeholders, offers the most significant in-person event for the sector since the world was changed by COVID. Facilitated by arts advocate, philanthropist and experienced executive coach, Este Darin-Cooper, the event will feature conversations with artists, managers, political decision-makers and research partners – with plenty of room in between for making connections.
The program features a range of formats to ensure there are opportunities to be heard – and to listen – with keynote speakers, panel discussions and world cafe breakout sessions in which delegates can share ideas, think collaboratively and call for action. Developed through nation-wide sector conversations, the program is geared towards connection and the path forward, so participants leave feeling connected, validated and empowered.
This Summit takes place at ATYP’s sparkling harbourside venue at Pier 2/3, Suite 2, 13A Hickson Road, Dawes Point, in the heart of Sydney’s new Arts Precinct.
Covid safe practices will be maintained, including recommending mask wearing and hygiene practice, providing additional on site supplies, and safe catering protocols.
FUSE 2022 Program Overview
Arrivals and registrations start from 9:30am Mon July 18. Speaker and group sessions will conclude at 5:30pm daily, with evening networking events currently scheduled for Mon 18 and Tues 19.
All 3-day delegates receive a complimentary ticket to the Tuesday July 19 performance of M.ROCK at ATYP’s Rebel Theatre!
Day 1 / CONNECT
The aim of this first day is to re/connect with friends and colleagues and to begin by swiftly bringing the room to the same point in time.
- After a Welcome to Country and an opening keynote, ‘Young Creative Australia’ will kick us off with some provocations and inspiration.
- Then Polyglot’s Sue Giles AM (President of ASSITEJ International) and ATYP’s Fraser Corfield will provide a brief national history of the Youth Performing Arts sector outlining the ground covered to date, what has been gained and what has been learned.
- The afternoon will feature networking and open forum opportunities across the ATYP spaces and foyer, led by adviser, executive coach and philanthropist Este Darin-Cooper. Group discussions will unpack burning issues and shining assets, bringing forward unique perspectives, intersecting goals, and potential plans for creative initiatives, collaborations and advocacy.
Day 2 / SHARE
The second day offers shared headspace, then knowledge exchange and professional development. The day begins with space for community contemplation and meditation with Rachael Coopes (Find Your Strength), followed by an inspiring keynote address from Adam Drake, CEO and Founder of Balanced Choice. Then we launch into split sessions geared towards strengthening organisational practice and partnerships towards youth arts recovery. Programming includes:
- #Gifted – an informative session on private sector fundraising and opportunities for youth performing arts led by Christina Chiam at CPA
- #OnTheRoadAgain – new movements in touring models with speakers including Annette Madden from Australia Council, Katherine Conner of PAC, Andrew Threlfall from CPD and Robert Kronk from Flipside Circus
- #TheTrackBack – young and family audience Re-engagement and development research and strategies with speakers including Tandi Williams at Patternmakers, Kate Duncan at The Push, Zoe Rinkel at Melbourne Arts Centre and Amy Maiden of Anthem
- #BackForGood – widening engagement and participation for young people, with speakers including Zoe Scrogings at Corrugated Iron Youth Arts, Zac James who works through the forms of Forum Theatre and Cultural Exploration and Dr Bryoni Alison Tresize, UNSW, talking digital directions
- #NewBornLeaders – unpacking models for supporting young people into leadership roles with Penny Harpham from Western Edge Youth Arts, Tricia Walton from Carclew and others to come
- #WalkWithMe – Dr Anna Moody-Hickey at Vital Arts and Danielle O’Keefe at The House That Dan Built, talking about current skills shortages and how youth arts are innovating in training pathways
Day 3 / ADVOCATE
On the third day, we engage with government, decision makers and lobbyists, to feed thoughts and discussion into ongoing advocacy action.
- With support from the Ian Potter Foundation, Tandi Williams and Holly Davison of Patternmakers will share how we can further communicate value through sector storytelling and other really good research resources.
- In panel discussion, we’ll explore potential cross-portfolio partnerships and pathways, with speakers including Professor Emerita Robyn Ewing.
- In the afternoon, Australia Council CEO Adrian Collette will join us in conversation.
InterGENERATION program
Before, throughout and following the Summit we are making place for young voices to join, grow and influence this vital, Australia-wide creative conversation, as, with and supported by professional youth arts company leaders and organisations.
Initiatives include:
- Young Creative Australia, an online questionnaire and virtual meet-up and mini-workshop with 13-26 year old Australians, that’s recorded and edited and fed into national Summit conversation (see left Tab for more)
- THE GENerator Room, a youth-led production studio for in-Summit interviews with delegates and speakers
- Zine&Heard, a youth-led zine for capturing, curating and sharing all the action on the ground
Stay tuned for further updates!
Speakers at FUSE: 2022
More speakers to be announced.
CHRISTINA CHIAM
Christina is the State Manager of NSW & ACT for Creative Partnerships Australia. She was previously the Head of Development at Sydney Film Festival, leading the sponsorship team as they navigated through the dramatic impact brought about by COVID-19.
Her extensive career spans business development, fundraising strategy, stakeholder relations and event management, including as Director of Development for the Australian Youth Orchestra where she oversaw significant growth including tripling of annual giving revenue and securing AYO’s largest single private gift at the time. As a senior member of the Sponsorship team at Toronto International Film Festival, Christina shared supervision of over $8M in corporate revenue while living through five long, bracing winters.
Christina has deep appreciation of the different operating contexts across the sector, having worked across small-to-medium and major companies.
ADRIAN COLLETTE AM
Prior to his role as Chief Executive Officer at Australia Council for the Arts, Mr Collette held the position of Chief Executive of Opera Australia, Australia’s largest performing arts company for 16 years.
He also worked in book publishing for a decade, including as Managing Director, Reed Books, a Division of Reed Elsevier. His previous role of Vice-Principal (Engagement) at the University of Melbourne included the oversight of the University’s museums and galleries and its many arts sector partnerships. He served on the Australia Council Board since 1 July 2013.
He was made a member of the Order of Australia in 2008 for service to the performing arts particularly through executive roles with Opera Australia, as a mentor to young artists, to publishing and to the community.
KATHERINE CONNER
Katherine Connor has worked as a performing arts presenter, producer and arts planning consultant in Australia for over 20 years.
Katherine was previously a project director at a venue management and consulting firm where she was also the venue manager at The Hills Centre for the Performing Arts (2002-2005) and has undertaken a variety of producer roles, working on major productions including Leader of the Pack, The Boy From Oz, Hills for Hope, Smoky Dawson: A Life Remembered and CONNECTED. Board and other appointments include City Recital Hall Angel Place and the Hills Cooperative Limited, directorship of Theatre Services, Associate Producer at Leader Entertainment and director of Theatre One Productions and Management Services.
As an independent consultant she has also assisted many organisations in securing project and operational funding for arts facilities and touring work.
Katherine is the Executive Director at PAC Australia, delivering the organisation’s sector development, capacity building and advocacy priorities including the Australian Performing Arts Exchange.
RACHAEL COOPES
Over the past two decades, Rachael has written, produced and performed in film, television and theatre in Australia, the UK and the US. She’s danced on the Play School stage for thousands of ecstatic toddlers and starred in Australia’s most loved dramas, developed engaging television for kids, and written award-winning theatre for the complex brains of teenagers.
She’s shared the movement and philosophy of yoga and mindfulness with stressed out urbanites, explored the incredible stories of young people in the remote Northern Territory, and used both the creative, and mindfulness practices, to inspire and educate leaders in the corporate space.
Her kid’s series “Moodies”, explores big feelings in little people, is available on ABC iView. She is a regular contributor to Wellbeing Magazine, and has just released her first book “Find Your Strength”- practical advice to survive life’s battlefields, brings ancient yoga and mindfulness philosophy to the modern world. She is currently working on her second book “Paris For Beginners” due to be released in 2023.
She believes in facing life’s challenges with creativity, humour and mindfulness practices.
FRASER CORFIELD
Fraser is a director, dramaturge and the Artistic Director of the national youth theatre company Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP). With over 20 years’ experience running youth arts companies he is recognised as a leader in the development and presentation of theatre with and for young people.
Fraser is a passionate advocate for new work and has commissioned and developed over fifty productions. His work has challenged perceptions of ‘youth theatre’ in Australia, receiving the nation’s highest awards for excellence and securing a place for young artists alongside flagship professional companies. His productions have been presented in every state and territory in Australia as well as the UK, Canada, South Africa, the USA and Japan.
Fraser regularly sits on industry panels and advisory groups for all levels of Government, Foundations, advocacy organisations and peak bodies. He lives in Sydney with his children, Eva and Dylan.
HOLLY DAVISON
Holly is Patternmaker’s Research Analyst. She joined last year while finishing off her double Honours theses in psychology and English literature. Her dual studies in the sciences and humanities have taught her the value of critical thinking and clear communication alongside her analytic abilities. She is passionate about research and has insight into the creative industries from her three years working as an administration coordinator at BMG, a record label. She is working on the COVID-19 Audience Outlook Monitor in Australia.
ADAM DRAKE
Adam Drake has 25 years’ experience working with youth, has been involved in the theatre industry for over 20 years and is also a trained actor and director. He has a degree in Theatre from Griffith University. Adam was nominated for Australian of the Year NT in 2019 for his work with young people in the youth justice system and his work in the adult system and providing a through care model with the Balanced Choice Program. The program which Adam founded in 2014 uses theatre, fitness and hope theory to build pathway thinking alongside young people. Adam worked with Backbone Youth Arts, Zeal Theatre, Corrugated Iron Youth Arts, ATYP, Queensland Theatre Company. Adam now spend most of his time running the Balanced Choice Program and facilitates workshops in Communities throughout the Northern Territory.
KATE DUNCAN
Kate Duncan is the CEO of youth music organisation The Push. Leading the organisation, Kate oversees the strategic direction, focused on giving every young person the opportunity to participate and thrive in Australian music. Prior to working at The Push, Kate spent several years in local government developing a range of award-winning youth music programs, as well as working for the Victorian Government Office for Youth, managing the National Youth Week grants program. Kate is a recent scholarship recipient for Melbourne Business School’s For-Purpose Executive Leadership Program. She is also a member of the Victorian Arts Industry Council, RMIT Music Industry Advisory Panel, and previous member of the ABC Advisory Council.
PROFESSOR EMERITA ROBYN EWING AM
Robyn Ewing AM is Professor Emerita, Teacher Education and the Arts and Co-Director of the Creativity in Research, Engaging the Arts, Transforming Education, Health and Wellbeing (CREATE) Centre. Robyn is passionate about the Arts and the role quality arts experiences and processes can and should play in the lives and learning of all children and young people. Robyn is Honorary Associate at Sydney Theatre Company where she has worked in partnership on the teacher professional learning program ‘School Drama’ since 2009. She is also a Visiting Scholar at Barking Gecko Theatre and a former member of the Council of the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS).
SUE GILES AM
She is an advocate for the sector in Australia as a Board member of Theatre Network Australia, and internationally as President of ASSITEJ International – the global association of theatre for young audiences. In 2018, Sue received the Green Room Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in the Australian arts industry, and authored a Platform Paper for Currency Press titled Young People And The Arts: Agenda for Change. In 2019, she received a Theatre Fellowship from the Australia Council for the Arts for her work in advocacy, and she was appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant service to the performing arts as an artistic director, and to theatre for children.
ZOE SCROGINGS
Zoe Scrogings is Executive Producer at Corrugated Iron Youth Arts; an arts manager and creative producer with over two decades’ of working in cross cultural collaborations, major events, and business development. Her local knowledge of the Top End comes from her previous roles as Business Development Manager with the Yothu Yindi Foundation, Garma Festival and Development Manager at Darwin Festival stewarding a significant portfolio of corporate and philanthropic partnerships. Zoe has produced and developed social circus projects for young people with Rock n Roll Circus, Circa, Vulcana Women’s Circus and has produced a range of arts, digital activism and cultural exchange projects in Thailand, Timor Leste, Indonesia, India, and China. Zoe has held positions in leading youth arts companies as Executive Director Backbone, and Artistic Director and CEO of Contact Inc in Brisbane, Queensland as well Lecturer and sessional academic at QLD College of the Arts, Griffith University.
DR BRYONI TREZISE
Bio to come. More info here.
PENNY HARPHAM
Penny is the CEO of Western Edge, where she was previously the company Co-Artistic Director and Associate Director.
She has an extensive body of work as a freelance director, actor, and youth arts facilitator, and also co-founded and is co-Artistic Director of the independent theatre company, She Said Theatre. She Said Theatre is committed to the inclusion and promotion of women and other underrepresented artists and since 2012 they have created and produced forty seasons across Australia and New Zealand of seven new works.
Her passion for new writing, experimental performance and community development has taken her throughout Australia, Berlin, Seoul, the UK and New Zealand with companies and venues such as Footscray Community Arts, The Bowery Theatre, Wyndham Cultural Centre, the Substation, Melbourne Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre, Bell Shakespeare, Hothouse Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Red Stitch Actors Ensemble, Darwin Festival, Brisbane Festival, the Seymour Centre, BATS (Wellington), Mullae Arts Space (Seoul), Platoon Kunsthalle (Berlin) and regional theatres and remote make-shift venues.
PROFESSOR ANNA HICKEY-MOODY
Bio to come. More info here.
ZAC JAMES
Zac, a TO Wongi, Yamatji man, studied at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, specialising in acting and performance. Bio to come. More info here.
ANDREW JOHNSON
As Advocate for children and young people here in NSW, Andrew listened to over 30,000 children and young people and was present for 10,000 face to face consultations. His consultation with young people doing it tough including experiencing homelessness was central to working with ATYP.
Andrew brings 30 years of experience at a senior level at the national and international level. He was the UN Representative and Head of New York Office for Save the Children (USA); Director of Public Policy and Advocacy on Children in Crisis and Emergency (Washington DC), Lead on Save the Children’s global strategic plan on child protection (Sweden), Head of Programs Effectiveness, Policy and Advocacy for Plan International (UK); Deputy Secretary General and Secretary General for ChildFund Alliance (USA). Here in Australia, he held the position of CEO in the Australian Republican Movement, Australia Council of Social Service, and the Reichstein Foundation as well as the inaugural NSW Advocate for Children and Young People.
In developing global strategic plans and their accompanying business plans for Save the Children, ChildFund Alliance and Plan International, through a process of consultation and inclusion drawing upon participatory mythologies and human rights approaches.
As a trainer and mentor Andrew has worked across the globe and conducted training in advocacy, campaigns, human rights approaches and child rights and child safety. He was adjunct Professor at New York University developing and teaching courses on child rights, Human Rights, and on the history and development of NGOs.
ROBERT KRONK
Robert is the Creative Director and CEO of Flipside Circus and is a co-founder and director of debase (winner Gold Matilda Award 2018).
He was Director of Programming and Director of Operations at Metro Arts until 2008 and has worked extensively as a dramaturg, writer, director, and producer for companies including; La Boite, Brisbane Festival, Queensland Theatre, HotHouse Theatre, and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
He is an award winning writer whose credits include: All Other Places (2000), Lovejunk (2001), Snagged (published by Playlab 2009), Ithaca Road (nominated for an AWGIE Award and published by Playlab 2009), Fly-In Fly-Out (2012) (shortlisted for the 2012 Rodney Seaborn Award and published by Playlab 2014), We That Are Left (nominated for an AWGIE Award 2016), and The Longest Minute with Nadine McDonald-Dowd commissioned by Queensland Theatre and JUTE (winner 2018 Matilda Award for best mainstage production) and We Live Here (winner 2018 Matilda Award for best circus/physical theatre).
His directing credits include the remount/tour of Chasing the Lollyman for debase, and Statum and Dogs in the Schoolyard for Flipside Circus.
ANNETTE MADDEN
Annette Madden is a senior arts leader, creative producer and programmer. She is currently Head of Theatre at the Australia Council for the Arts. Previous roles include Executive Producer of Perth International Arts Festival where she oversaw programming and managed theatre, circus, dance and large-scale events programs; Downstairs Theatre Director at Belvoir where she curated the B Sharp program; and a member of the National Artistic Team at Queensland Theatre. She has also worked in arts management roles with organisations including Shaun Parker & Company, Playwriting Australia, The Seymour Centre, Theatre Kantanka, Melbourne Festival, Performance Space, Stalker & Marrugeku and Marguerite Pepper Productions; and has served on a variety of boards and advisory committees. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Charles Sturt University (Communication – Theatre and Media).
AMY MAIDEN
Bio to come
DANIELLE O’KEEFE
Danielle is founder and CEO of The House that Dan Built, the joyous company that does. Danielle consistently confounds contemporary expectations and understating of what potential pursed by young women can sound like. Passionate about passion, Danielle is an interdisciplinary contemporary artist whose site-responsive work with young female singers is being recognised and awarded internationally. Her work has been featured in collaborations with organisations and Festivals such as ATYP, The Cad Factory, Melbourne Festival and Dark Mofo. Most recently The House ensemble performed with Sydney Chamber Opera in their acclaimed production The Howling Girls touring Japan and were featured at the Venice Biennale in renowned Australian video artist Angelica Mesiti’s work Assembly.
The House that Dan Built creates platforms for the female voice. We do this through songwriting workshops for girls in Sydney and regional and remote Australia, producing an emerging artists festival and commissioning a female composer to write a full length opera each year.
ZOE RINKEL
ANDREW THRELFALL
with fellow CDP Director Yolande White. Andrew has led the development, production and touring of many new small to medium sized productions, including extensive touring to regional and metropolitan Australia and New Zealand and internationally to Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the US. He is also a member of the Executive Council of Live Performance Australia.
TRICIA WALTON
Tricia Walton is the Executive Director of Carclew in North Adelaide, South Australia. Bio to come. More company information here
TANDI WILLIAMS
Patternmakers’ Founder and Managing Director Tandi Palmer Williams is an experienced consultant, evaluator and audience research specialist. She is a highly collaborative arts leader, with a clear communication style and focus on finding solutions. Accredited as a Qualified Professional Researcher (QPR), Tandi was Research Manager for the Digital R&D Fund for the Arts in England up until 2015, and was previously Research Manager for the Australia Council for the Arts and Senior Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers. She leads the Audience Outlook Monitor in Australia – a national project with over 130 partners – and is passionate about using data to grow Australia’s cultural life.

Young Creative Australia Call Out – CLOSING SOON
*Deadline and meet-up dates now extended
Before, throughout and following our 2022 National Youth Performing Arts Summit, the InterGENERATION program will make place for young voices to join, grow and influence this vital, Australia-wide creative conversation, as, with and supported by professional youth arts leaders and organisations.
Young Creative Australia is an online questionnaire and virtual meet-up and mini-workshop with nation-wide participants, aged 13 to 26.
Please feel free to share this call out with all the 13-26 year old creative champions you know! We want to know all sorts of views on arts, culture and creativity.
+++ GO HERE to answer a very brief 5-10 minute questionnaire. You can also tell us your availability and register to attend an early July online meet-up and mini-workshop. Final closing date is July 8, or as soon as space allocations are full, so get in ASAP!
If you only do the questionnaire, that’s also awesome, as your thoughts will be folded into provocations and inspiration for the Summit.
MORE INFO BELOW
What is Young Creative Australia?
Prior to the national Summit, we’re collecting views from 13-26 year old creatives in an online questionnaire. Then, a highly experienced ATYP Teaching Artist, and Summit facilitator Este Darin-Cooper, will lead a one hour virtual meet-up with young, nation-wide participants in play, conversation and collective dreaming to exchange ideas about youth arts and a creative Australia.
A survey report and a video edit of the virtual meet-up will be shared with industry leaders at the Summit in July at ATYP in Sydney’s Walsh Bay Arts Precinct. It also may contribute to arts advocacy in follow-up for the Summit.
Why be involved?
The change-making bit – This is one way to contribute your voice to a creative, national discussion and to have the chance to be seen and heard in Sydney at our national Summit. If you opt in for follow-up, we’ll connect back with you, and let you know how it all goes.
The fun, creative bit – If you’re in the virtual meet-up, you’ll get to connect with people from across Australia who love performing arts like you do. You’ll get to do some fun exercises with our great Teaching Artist and you’ll then be guided in conversation by Este Darin-Cooper, who’s an advocate and facilitator who’s done this sort of thing a lot!
Plus – everyone who completes the questionnaire goes into a draw to win a prize pack, including a copy of M.ROCK by Lachlan Philpott and an ATYP tote bag.
Who can be involved?
- Young Australians aged 13-26.
- To align with the FUSE Summit focus, participants will need to outline their connection to a professional youth arts company in order to apply to join the conversation. Participants may connect to youth arts companies as students, artists, teaching artists, advisory group and Board members, associates, administrators and leaders.
- We strongly encourage applications from First Nations people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people from Disabled and d/Deaf communities, and people from LGBTQIA+ communities.
- We may need to cap the number of participants to ensure a successful online meeting. Applicants will be chosen for national representation across states and territories, and we’ll be looking to involve young people connected to attending company and independent Summit delegates.
How do I apply to be involved?
- Go Here to answer the brief questionnaire, outline availability and register interest to attend the virtual meet-up.
- If you’re interested in the meet-up, we will let you know if a timeslot has aligned for you, then send an invitation link.
- The meet-up will take place on a day in early July at approx. 5:30/6:30pm AEST. Date and time will be confirmed via email.
Please direct any questions to Georgia at [email protected]
Cost & Subsidies
Ticket and travel subsidies are available thanks to the support of The Ian Potter Foundation, Create NSW and the Australia Council for the Arts.
A letter of confirmation can be provided on request to support delegates’ own grant applications for their attendance. Please contact [email protected] to discuss any additional needs or considerations.
Ticket Subsidies
For Tier 1 companies/orgs (those with a turnover of 1.25 million or above) tickets are $400 per delegate.
For Tier 2 companies/orgs (those with a turnover of less than 1.25 million) tickets are $300 per delegate.
There is a $5 booking fee.
Travel Subsidies
Regional NSW | Travel subsidy of $250 per company/org for Tier 2
Outside NSW | Travel subsidy of $400 per company/org for Tier 1 and $550 for Tier 2
TO CLAIM YOUR TRAVEL SUBSIDY:
- Create invoice payment amount (no GST added), name and contact details, ABN number (where applicable) and bank account information for payment – Please add Tier number and number of delegates for faster processing
- Email your invoice to [email protected]
- Processing may take up to 2 weeks or longer in some circumstances
Accommodation
Partnership with Sofitel
The FUSE Summit has partnered with Sofitel Sydney Wentworth to offer you a 20% booking discount with breakfast included.
Discounted rates for a Classic Room are:
$285 per night for 1 person, inclusive of breakfast for 1.
$315 per night for 2 people, inclusive of breakfast for 2.
This discount is available to use with bookings made before 02 July.
Book before Monday 27 June for your chance to win a free overnight stay inclusive of breakfast.
To access the booking discount, please email [email protected] prior to booking and we’ll provide you with a special code.
Stay NSW Vouchers
NSW residents can apply for 1 x $50 voucher to use towards the cost of accommodation bookings. Sofitel accepts Stay NSW vouchers.
For voucher information and registration see here.
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Address:
61-101 Phillip Street Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2000
Speaker, program and other other updates to come!
Please call us on (02) 9270 2400 or email [email protected] with any questions, ideas and feedback.




