Geelong Arts Centre celebrates Children's Week with signature Poppykettle Children's Festival

MEDIA RELEASE • 8 SEPTEMBER 2022

Geelong Arts Centre’s iconic Poppykettle Children’s Festival returns celebrating 41 years of creativity and imagination, as part of National Children's Week.

With a nod to local literature icon and festival namesake Robert Ingpen, Poppykettle Children’s Festival invites kindergarten and primary aged children from all around the region to enjoy access to professional theatre experiences and workshops as part of Geelong Arts Centre’s Creative Learning program.

Running from 22-30 October, Geelong Children’s Week 2022 follows the national theme based on Article 27 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: “All Children have the right to a standard of living that supports their wellbeing and healthy development".

Since its inception, the festival has continued to evolve to support students across the region with engaging and creative experiences. This year Geelong Arts Centre presents two days of creativity and learning - Kinder & Prep Day and Primary Day - offering important creative learning opportunities to stimulate the mind, engage the body and inspire curiosity.

On Tuesday 25 October at Geelong Arts Centre’s landmark Ryrie Street studios, Kinder and Prep students are invited to take part in Ngarreemeelee-ngitj (To Dance Together), an interactive dance and culture workshop with local First Nations artists and educators, Kristi Watts and Tahlia Dempsey.

Then, on Friday 28 October, primary-aged children will hit Costa Hall for The Alphabet of Awesome Science; an exhilarating performance from professors Lexi Con and Noel Edge (the Word Nerd and the Science Freak) as they voyage through the alphabet with 26 quirky scientific demonstrations.

Booking information, including full billing and specific session times, is available at geelongartscentre.org.au/creative-learning/poppykettle-childrens-festival

Teachers looking for engaging arts education experiences are encouraged to sign up to the Discover Creative Learning e-newsletter at geelongartscentre.org.au/creative-learning

Geelong Arts Centre’s 2022 Creative Learning program is proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria, and Major Artistic Partner, Deakin University.

QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE

“Poppykettle Children’s Festival gives young people access to professional arts experiences that ignite a sense of wonder and possibility. We are committed to dynamic arts experiences such as this to nurture and grow the creative experiences and opportunities of our region’s young people.”

Quote attributable to Kelly Clifford
Geelong Arts Centre Senior Producer

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