Special Workshops

Melissa Robertson

The creative life began for Melissa Robertson in Melbourne. She learned the complexities of the industry from admin positions at Handspan Theatre, Flying Pig Theatresports, and Mainstreet Theatre (Mt Gambier).

She has extensive work experience in project management, having worked as an event manager at the Adelaide Festival and Mulderi Productions. She has produced cultural programmes for community choirs, and large-scale long-term community arts projects that attract government and philanthropic funds.

Relocating to Far North Queensland in 2002, she began working with Arts Nexus, a capacity building agency which supports the arts, cultural and creative industries.

Since 2010, she works independently as a trainer, Communications Officer and Arts Consultant in regions that include the indigenous PBC groups with North Qld Land Council and various island communities in the Torres Strait.

Workshop on Volunteer Management

The participants will begin by determining the kind of volunteer involvement required for an event, the reciprocal benefits, associated costs and legal issues related to the health and safety of the volunteers.

They will also consider the factors that motivate people to volunteer for certain roles. Recruiting volunteers is a skill that requires consideration and thorough planning.

What are the rewards and incentives, resources and conditions required to retain volunteers? They are more than just a workforce, they are the vehicles for marketing and a gauge for how a project or event is executed.

Workshop on Google Everything

A dynamic and interactive workshop where participants discover the depth and breadth of the internet and how new technology is available freely and accessible. Gaining search and research skills, participants are empowered to learn how to follow leads to discover inspirational case studies, resources and links to support their project development, grants, funding opportunities, awards and exhibition opportunities.

They will the opportunities of open source programs and ways of managing a team or a project via online programs. “Google Everything” is a holistic workshop and embraces those with little or no computer and internet skills.

Efterpi Soropos

Efterpi Soropos is an artist and designer with a background in performing arts design.

Efterpi became passionate about creating space and artistic experiences for the dying and vulnerable after the personal experience of losing her mother to breast cancer in 1995, a process which both devastated and enlightened her. For years, her work has focused on developing interactive artworks using video, sound and colour light in non-theatrical performance spaces such as hospitals and palliative care units to guide audiences through spectrums of emotion and sensation.

Workshop on Creating Sensorial Spaces

In her practice, Efterpi develops multi-sensory engagements with the audience in order to get to know them better.

The process involves memory, place, space, image, colour, scent and other elements that can be used to create a personal expression.

As a preliminary task, the participants will be asked to bring something with them that they can share and talk about with others. They will then undertake different activities such as photography in order to create a personal artwork.

The session will be infused with music ensuring an enjoyable and relaxing experience.

Greeny Francis

Greeny Francis graduated from the National School of Drama in 2016, with specialization in Design and Theatre Techniques. She went on to teach for a year at the Acting Department in Whistling Woods International, Mumbai, before moving on to producing original work. Since 2018 her work has been centered around producing and performing movement-based work.

Christine Devaney

Glasgow-born Christine Devaney trained at London Contemporary Dance School and has been performing, choreographing and teaching throughout her extensive career. She was a founding member of Dundee Rep Dance Company (now Scottish Dance Theatre) and for nine years performed with the internationally acclaimed V-tol Dance Company where she became Associate Director and played a key role in developing their highly respected education work.

Christine’s performance and choreographic work spans across theatre and dance where she has worked with companies including: Tag Theatre, The Kosh,The Unicorn (London), Theatre Gargantua (Toronto), Frantic Assembly, Graeme Miller, Benchtours, Freshmess and Yolande Snaith Theatre Dance.

She is currently an Associate Artist with Imaginate and founded Curious Seed in 2005. The vision of the company is to create engaging, thought provoking, uncompromising performance work with physical expression at its core.