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Raising the curtains on a creative career

28 October 2024

The lights go up on the theatre stage and the opening notes of Beauty and the Beast begin. Year 8 student Trey is nervous but the excitement kicks in. Singing and dancing with the rest of the student cast, his self-assurance takes over. His confidence and skills have grown through our out-of-school SmArts program, and now it’s time to show it.

“Honestly, it felt great just being up there,” says Trey. “I loved the performance I put out, and I think I really showed my energy. We performed well.”

For many students experiencing disadvantage, there are barriers and challenges in accessing learning opportunities. Through SmArts, students can connect with creative careers and with industry networks. They learn more about a career in the arts – and may even decide they want to pursue it. It’s the kind of opportunity a student living with disadvantage may not otherwise get.

For Trey, it meant he was able to connect with a talent he and his mum had always suspected he had.

Your support for SmArts helps students to remove the barriers to a career in the arts. For three days, Trey and 20 of his classmates practised drama and took workshops to learn about performing careers. They also saw the professional Beauty and the Beast musical and had the opportunity to ask the cast questions.

The Smith Family Program Coordinator, Deb, explains how these experiences can help students reach their potential.

“The students change and grow during these opportunities. It opens doors for students to be able to go on to tertiary education and careers in the arts. A previous student who participated is now a costume designer for the Australian Ballet,” Deb says.

I first developed an interest in acting about a year and a half ago when my mum said I was very dramatic and thought I’d be good at acting.

Trey, year 8 student

Participating in this SmArts workshop, supported by Disney, gave Trey the chance to explore how his interest in acting could fit with his future.

“Now that I’ve done the workshop, I’m considering acting as a profession! I want to start drama because I loved it. I got a lot of things out of the SmArts program, such as a big confidence boost and a boost to just be who I am – a big, silly person.”

Thanks to your support for programs like SmArts, students like Trey can build confidence in themselves, and bring out the star within.

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