Today, eight of South Australia’s leading youth arts organisations launched a new report highlighting the essential role of creativity in the lives and wellbeing of children and young people.
The Youth Arts Collective, comprised of Carclew, Slingsby, South Australian Circus Centre (Home of Cirkidz), Patch Theatre, Adelaide Youth Orchestras, Windmill Theatre Company, Riverland Youth Theatre and D’Faces of Youth Arts, unveiled Tomorrow Starts with Creativity: South Australian Youth Arts Today.
South Australia is known for its commitment to youth arts, and the report is a snapshot of the Collective’s impressive impact and potential. The research, conducted by Culture Counts, shows that together these organisations:
generated almost 480,000 engagements in a single year,
supported 886 jobs, and
delivered a $3.41 return on every $1 of government investment.
With the nation-leading ban on social media for under 16s soon to take effect, the Collective posits that to take something away you must give something better in return. This state-wide group of companies connects families, schools, and communities with inspiring, affordable and accessible opportunities across music, theatre, circus, dance, writing and visual arts. The Collective positions youth arts as a vibrant alternative to social media culture through providing vital points of connection, self-expression and fulfilment.
Actor and Director, Tilda Cobham-Hervey grew up in South Australia experiencing and participating in many of the productions and programs the Collective has to offer.
Tilda Cobham-Hervey says, “I feel so privileged to have grown up in a state that had so many opportunities to engage in arts and creativity as a young person.
“I have personally engaged with many of the incredible companies in the Collective and I can vouch for the huge contribution they made to my sense of identity, confidence, belonging and imagination as a child and now as an adult”.
Evidence shows that our children are engaging less and less with the world around them and belonging is more important now than ever. Tomorrow Starts with Creativity research found that 89% of parents surveyed believe creativity is a crucial skill for their children’s future but there has been a generational decline in engagement with children now 5% less likely than their parents to participate in the arts.
The Collective calls on bipartisan support for our Youth Arts Companies to ensure youth arts viability, growth and increased contribution to our children’s creative lives, imaginations and wellbeing.
This report is the first of many projects and reports that will bring South Australia’s funded youth arts organisations together to tell a powerful story. With over 280 years of collective history, strong South Australian, national and international reach, these organisations are proof that when it comes to shaping the future, we are stronger together.
Quotes
Tilda Cobham-Hervey
I feel incredibly privileged to have grown up in a state with so many opportunities to engage in the arts as a young person. I was lucky to experience extraordinary work from companies like Windmill, Patch, and Slingsby—artists creating stories for and about people my age. Knowing that these artists were from my hometown, supported by my hometown, was such a gift for a young person interested in the arts.
My career began at Cirkidz. I call it a career because, at age nine, I was invited into the performing troupe, where we were treated as professional artists. We were encouraged to share our ideas and devise circus-theatre shows in collaboration with our directors, teachers, and mentors. That sense of empowerment led me, at fourteen, to co-found Gravity and Other Myths with eight other young people. What could easily have been a failed experiment has grown into one of Australia’s most celebrated circus-theatre companies—made possible only through the artists and mentors in Adelaide who supported and encouraged our wild dream.
While working with Gravity and Other Myths, I discovered my true passion: devising and making work. Unsure how to pursue this, I was fortunate to receive a Carclew scholarship, which allowed me to travel internationally, meet artists and theatre companies, and learn how they created their work.
All these skills helped me begin a career in film, and I’ve since had the privilege of working and creating all around the world—something that would never have been possible without my creative upbringing in Adelaide.
Because of that foundation, whenever I’ve had the chance to make my own work, I’ve chosen to do so in Adelaide, where I’ve always found my creative community. Over the years I’ve created a solo show, a participatory headphone work that toured internationally, contributed to large-scale events like Barrio, and, more recently, begun making films.
In 2018, I wrote and directed my first short film, A Field Guide to Being a 12-Year-Old Girl, in Adelaide. It went on to win the Crystal Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, which led to my first feature-length film this year. I chose to shoot that project in Adelaide as well, because it is home to the creatives and the culture I want to work with—a community built and nurtured over the last two decades.
Supporting these companies, our creative community, and our artists is essential.
Mimi Crowe, Acting Commissioner for Children and Young People and (returning) CEO of Carclew:
"In my time as Acting Commissioner, I’ve seen how urgently young people are asking for safe spaces to belong, create, and express themselves. The Youth Arts Collective has the depth, trust and reach to deliver incredible outcomes for children and young people across the state. This is just the beginning. Together, we are telling a united story, drawing on our history while shaping the future of wellbeing, work and community. Tomorrow really does start with creativity.”
Andy Packer, Slingsby Artistic Director and CEO
Storytelling is how we articulate and understand ourselves, our world and our collective futures. Slingsby is proud to be part of the Youth Arts Collective and excited to support the launch of Tomorrow Starts with Creativity — a celebration of art and a reminder of the importance of investing in young people's imagination and creative capacity.
Josh Hoare, Artistic Director, SA Circus Centre - Home of Cirkidz
Circus with Cirkidz changes you, growing artistically, physically and socially. It’s not a ‘what,' but a ‘how'; Circus is a practice to change your world and what you think is possible.
Geoff Cobham, Artistic Director, Patch Theatre
At Patch we place the child at the centre of everything we do. Creativity in the early years is essential, not optional. Studies show live theatre offers awe and connection that build confidence, empathy and resilience — things digital spaces alone cannot provide. Every child, no matter where they live or their background, deserves access to these experiences.
Nic Jeffries, Executive Director, Adelaide Youth Orchestras
At Adelaide Youth Orchestras, we see every week how music creates a sense of belonging for young people. In an orchestra, listening is as important as playing. It teaches collaboration, empathy, and respect. Through our work in schools, particularly in low-socioeconomic areas, we’re creating meaningful engagement and connection for children who might not otherwise have access to live music-making. These opportunities help young South Australians feel seen, valued and part of something bigger than themselves.
Clare Watson, Artistic Director, Windmill Theatre Company
As a Collective, we represent and amplify South Australian stories on a global scale. When we invest in youth arts, we invest in voices on stages, screens, at home and across oceans. At Windmill, we see first-hand the capacity our work has to reach young people and their families. The jobs our work creates and the impact on young people cannot be understated.
Sam Wannan, Artistic Director, Riverland Youth Theatre
Young people all across the state deserve access to the arts and we see the ways that safe creative spaces transform the lives of young people. There are so many barriers to young people in Regional Australia to access the arts, but through the work of the Collective we have seen the lives of many young people transformed.