Every Tuesday evening throughout September and October, Vision Australia Radio across Victoria will be bringing you informative, uplifting and inspiring radio programs celebrating the Victorian Seniors Festival.
Back for its 38th year, the reimagined online festival provides an opportunity for older Victorians to enjoy especially curated content that they can watch and listen to.
Since May 2020, to foster a greater sense of social inclusion for seniors, the festival’s organisers have posted weekly video performances and interviews on their website. A selection of this great content will be shared across the Vision Australia Radio network for our listeners across Victoria and Perth.
Vision Australia national audio business development consultant Jason Gipps recognises this year has been a particularly trying time for all Victorians but especially older people, having endured two periods of restrictions making staying connected harder than ever.
“Many of our own Vision Australia Radio volunteers are seniors and the time they give to their important roles is often an opportunity for them to connect and bond with likeminded people.
“Government restrictions across 2020 have meant a limited number of our volunteers are able to visit our studios. Similar to the wider community most are working from home so it’s really important to find new ways to connect with the community online,” Jason said.
The Victorian Seniors Festival has celebrated older Victorians and the valuable contribution they make to our community for close to four decades, not only highlighting the ways in which older Australians contribute to society but also providing a platform for individuals to be a part of something on a bigger scale.
“We’re grateful for the opportunity to play our part in the 2020 festival, we hope it’s the start of working together to support our seniors over the years to come,” Jason said.
Vision Australia Radio Victorian Seniors Festival program line-up
1 September
Hear ‘Stories From the Pier’. A spoken word piece featuring, Lella Cariddi, Adam Ricco and Domenico de Clario.
8 September
Tune in to the first of our radio plays airing across the festival period ‘The Agatha Christie Radio Mysteries’.
15 September
A discussion between Australian poets/spoken word artists, Zii and Soreti, sharing their new works and speaking with journalist Jessica Ankomah.
22 September
Put your feet up and immerse yourself in a musical performance by Jessie Lloyd, an Aboriginal musician who performs a broad collection of Australian Indigenous songs.
29 September
Settle in for the night with award winning screenwriter, playwright, author and theatre maker Christine Grace presenting a storytelling piece ‘Things To Be Getting On With'.
6 October
The first of three features that retell the history of Melbourne’s theatres. ‘At The Picture Palace’ this week shares the story of Melbourne’s Regent Theatre.
13 October
The second radio play airing, ‘Wicked Widows’, produced by Alan Hopgood is adapted from the PhD thesis of Dr Susan Feldman, who interviewed 80 widows for her research.
20 October
Another instalment of ‘At The Picture Palace’, a history of the grand cinemas, their stories and music. This episode shares the story of The Capitol Theatre in Melbourne.
27 October
Our final program for this year’s festival, ‘At The Picture Palace’ shares the story of The Athenaeum Theatre.
For more information on the reimagined Victorian Seniors Festival, visit their website, tune in to your local Vision Australia Radio station across Victoria or Perth at 6pm Tuesday local time and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on the festival.
Vision Australia Radio thanks the support of the Victorian Government and the Department of Health and Human Services for involving Vision Australia Radio in this year’s festival.
