Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/131994
artspace Accessible arts Arts Centre Melbourne believes no student should miss out on the world of performing arts. Kate Kunkel discovers how the centre engages students through its education program. It's difficult to put a price on an arts education, but one thing is certain: the more affordable it is, the better. That's why Arts Centre Melbourne (ACM) places great emphasis on its education program, which helps students and teachers access the creative output of city cultural institutions – with ease and at a reasonable price. Since it began in 1983, Arts Centre Melbourne's multifaceted Education Program has enabled many thousands of regional students to view professional performances handpicked for their age group. Over three decades, the program has become bigger and better. Today's students can join in an array of arts workshops to gain insights and experience from industry professionals, while the centre's digital hub lets them access information and explore new technologies in the performing arts. "We curate our program for a range of performing-arts experiences that students can benefit from," says Hannes Berger, program manager, Access and Community at ACM. "We bring in local, national and international productions that offer great, high-quality work specifically for young audiences." This year's Education Program includes productions such as hit British comedy One Man, Two Guvnors, and Circus Oz, a mix of acrobatics, atmospherics and circus mayhem. Students and teachers can attend these performances at discounted prices, thanks to the centre's partnerships with disadvantaged and regional schools that would otherwise find it difficult to afford tickets and transportation to city cultural centres, or face other barriers to accessing the arts. "Our programs are innovative," claims Hannes. "They provide support and development for XVIII teachers of the performing arts while also offering cultural experiences for students, [some of whom] may not have been to a theatre before." Arts Centre Melbourne strives to attract new audiences every year, he notes. And teachers attending shows and workshops for the first time typically leave with refreshed enthusiasm for teaching. After hearing about Arts Centre Melbourne's outstanding cultural education program at a teachers' conference, Genelle Lentini, a drama teacher at Cranbourne East Secondary College, wasted no time taking advantage of the opportunity. She used funding through the centre's First Call Fund initiative to take her Year 9 students to Impro Melbourne, which specialises in improvised theatre. Lentini's class also attended a workshop with an Impro Melbourne comedian, who taught them tips for communicating as actors, how to improvise on stage, and the importance of developing a confident stage presence. The students loved the entire experience, says Lentini. In the process, they learned skills they can apply in the classroom and everyday life. Thanks to extensive onstage experience, the actors at Impro Melbourne were able to teach Lentini's young students in a way she couldn't. The workshop was also a useful teaching tool for her. "When we got back from the trip, the students were begging me to incorporate the games they learned into the classroom setting," she recalls. "They also shared their knowledge with other students, telling stories about their experiences that day. They thought it was one of the most fun things we've done this year." An upcoming show ties in perfectly with her students' curriculum, so Lentini plans to take the