Lighting a FUSE in the youth arts sector

Lesley Graham summarises the themes and conversations at FUSE, the National Youth Performing Arts Summit, recently held in Sydney.
A woman with dark bobbed hair and wearing a green knitted vest leans forward, her hands animated, photographed mid-discussion. Other people sit behind and around her though they are not in focus.

FUSE 2022 recently gathered 90 youth performing arts leaders and stakeholders at the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) headquarters on Pier 2/3 in the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct.

This well organised national event, coordinated by ATYP Advocacy Officer Bec Clarke and team, allowed delegates (representing 65 delegate companies and 40 speakers and panellists) from all around the country to connect face to face. The organisations and artists included those whose practice focuses on creating work ‘by’ youth and those whose theatre is created ‘for’ youth. Many organisations seemed to work in both areas and some through multiple artforms.

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Lesley Graham has been active in dance and dance education for over 30 years. She is a regular reviewer for ArtsHub and Dance Australia, a curriculum consultant, and represents Ausdance National on the National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE).