Vision Australia Radio has joined forces with Creativity Australia to strengthen communities and build bridges between people from all walks of life.
The new partnership will see the organisations support each other across 2019, educating the community on the great things both Vision Australia Radio and Creativity Australia are doing in the community space.
Creativity Australia recently provided seed funding grants to three community groups to start inclusive community choirs, as part of the With One Voice movement.
They’re on a mission to provide a further seven grants with applications open until 30 June 2019.
This year’s recipients – Kickstart Arts in Glenorchy, Tasmania, St Paul’s in Burwood, NSW and Paul Woodd from Croydon, SA – will establish inclusive community choirs open to all community members, regardless of whether or not they have singing experience or ability.
With One Voice has more than 600 choir members aged nine to 90 years old in 25 volunteer-led choirs across Australia, with membership growing weekly. A further seven choirs are expected to be launched by mid-2019.
Creativity Australia founder and CEO Tania de Jong said the new choirs will create positive impact in their communities.
“Neuroscience proves that singing make people happier, healthier, smarter and more creative and when we come together in song, we start to see rates of loneliness, depression and anxiety decreasing.
“We can’t wait to see these three communities positively impacted by their new With One Voice choirs,” she said.
Vision Australia Radio national audio business development consultant Jason Gipps said the partnership will have huge benefit to both organisations.
“I’ve admired the work Creativity Australia have done in this space for years.
“Events such as With One Voice bring the community together, connecting sometimes isolated people, similar to what Vision Australia Radio does daily,” Jason said.
“A community can look like many things, but a good one is built on support. That’s what we hope to provide to Creativity Australia through this partnership, promoting their initiatives and events to our audience of 701,000 monthly listeners.”
There are no auditions to join the choirs, everyone is welcome regardless of age, life situation, first language, culture or ability.
You can find more information about the choirs on the Creativity Australia website, or contact Creativity Australia’s program and marketing coordinator Lydia Griffiths on [email protected] or (03) 8679 6088.
