As we stand at the crossroads of a new era in education, Drama NSW invites you to join us in a momentous celebration of 50 years of advocating for the power of drama in our schools. In this time of curriculum transformation, we come together to reclaim our curriculum, reignite our passion, and reimagine what drama can be for the next generation. Inspired by the words of Maxine Greene, ‘The democratic community, always a community in the making, depends not so much on what has been achieved and funded in the past. It is kept alive: it is energised and radiated by an awareness of future possibility.’ Together, let’s explore how we can infuse our teaching with renewed energy, creativity, and purpose, reclaiming our role as dynamic, passionate educators who shape the future of drama in NSW.
Key Themes:
· Reclaim Voice: Advocating for Drama in a Changing Curriculum: Asserting the importance of drama education and advocating for its place in the evolving syllabus.
· Reignite Passion: Cultivating Joy and Inspiration in Drama Teaching: Celebrating what drew us to drama and reigniting the passion for teaching, performing, and creating.
· Reimagine Pedagogy: Embracing New and Traditional Approaches: Reflecting on tried-and-true methods while exploring contemporary techniques to engage and inspire today’s learners.
· Reclaim Identity: Honouring Our Unique Stories and Perspectives: Celebrating diverse voices, stories, and cultural experiences to ensure they remain central in our teaching practices.
· Reignite Connection: Building Communities through Drama: Exploring how drama fosters relationships, empathy, and understanding within our classrooms, schools, and communities.
· Reimagine Space: Creating Dynamic Learning Environments: Discussing how to make our classrooms and performance spaces places of innovation, safety, and creativity during times of change.
· Reclaim Resilience: Empowering Students and Teachers in Times of Change: Using drama education as a tool to build resilience, adaptability, and emotional intelligence for both students and educators.
· Reignite Innovation: Reimagining Drama for a Digital Age: Addressing how technology can be integrated into drama education, including the blending digital tools with live, embodied experiences.
· Reimagine the Past: Reflecting on 50 Years of Drama NSW: Looking back at the history of Drama NSW to inform how we move forward, drawing inspiration from our journey to reclaim and redefine our craft.
Keynotes
Initially a primary teacher, Robyn Ewing AM is Professor Emerita and Co-Director of the Creativity in Research, Engaging the Arts, Transforming Education, Health and Wellbeing (CREATE) Centre, University of Sydney. Passionate about the role that the Arts can and should play in transforming our lives and learning, Robyn particularly enjoys working alongside educators, artists and arts organisations interested in innovative, artful professional practice. From 2009 until 2024 she worked in partnership with Sydney Theatre Company on the School Drama program to develop teacher confidence and expertise in using drama-rich processes and strategies with quality literature to nurture learners’ imaginations, confidence, English and deep literacies. Teacher education, especially the experiences of early career teachers and the role of mentoring, early literacy development, sustaining curriculum innovation, reflection in professional practice, and the use of arts informed inquiry in educational research are other current research interests. Robyn is also co-director, Big Sky Stories and co-convenor of the Foundation for Learning and Literacy. She is a former council member of the Australian Film Television and Radio School and past President of the Australian Literacy Educators’ Association and the Primary English Teachers Association Australia.
Zoe Hogan (she/her) is a teaching artist, writer and researcher based in Sydney on unceded Wangal land. Her artistic practice focuses on socially-engaged storytelling and drama. She has worked in Australia, Timor-Leste, Greece, and the UK, with migrant and refugee communities, people with lived experience of homelessness, and young people who are incarcerated. Alongside her freelance projects, Zoe is currently a facilitating artist with Milk Crate Theatre and education consultant with Australian Plays Transform. As former Director of Education and Community Partnerships at Sydney Theatre Company, Zoe initiated and co-developed the award-winning Connected program, working with refugee and migrant communities. A book on the program, Connecting through Drama: Drama and literacy for learning English as an additional language, co-written with Victoria Campbell, was published in 2022. Zoe received her PhD from The University of Sydney in 2024. Her thesis focused on drama and Arts-rich learning with Community Languages teachers. Zoe is the recipient of The Lloyd Martin Travelling Scholarship for Emerging Arts Leaders from Sydney Opera House.
Performance: FUEL by Shock Therapy Arts
Shock Therapy Arts is a Not for Profit Social Enterprise, based on the Gold Coast. Shock Therapy Arts has strategically established itself as a leading company in the delivery of high quality, relevant, multidisciplinary performance, and a leader in the Arts and Culture sector on the Gold Coast and in South East Queensland. The company aims to continue this growth to become a leading Arts Organisation Nationally and Internationally. Company founders Sam Foster and Hayden Jones have a wealth of industry experience, artistic vision and enthusiasm that drives the ethos of the company. They have recruited a team of the industry’s most experienced artists, designers, accountants, lawyers, strategic advisors, administrators and producers to help them achieve their vision to create Transformative Arts Experiences. Shock Therapy Arts have won multiple industry awards, have published multiple scripts, and been programmed by major festivals and venues nationally and internationally.
Member 1 day (Early Bird): $299
Presenter /Life Member 1 Day: $100
Rural 1 Day: $200
Non-Member 1 Day: $449
Member 1 Day: $349
Member 2 day (Early Bird): $399
Presenter /Life Member 2 Day: $200
Rural 2 Days: $400
Non-Member 2 Day: $590
Member 2 Day: $490
Registration for conference will open shortly.