A new nine week music exploration program, ‘Amp it up’, funded by Sydney’s Ashfield Council is helping local young people with a disability express themselves through music. Following the success of the one day music program ‘Play it Loud’ in 2002, Amp It Up is a longer term project made possible by a collaboration between Council, the Summer Hill Community Centre and Accessible Arts.
Ten young people, aged between 15 and 25 years, developed original music pieces during the program and performed them at a celebration on 3 December to coincide with International Day of People with a Disability.
The program will explore music skills in a safe, social setting. It aims to empower young participants with confidence, communication and decision making skills through a series of fun group activities. Ashfield Mayor, Councillor Mark Bonanno, praised the program, saying it was an excellent initiative.
“This is just another example of how Council is trying to improve access for people with a disability to arts based activities in the community,” he said. “Amp It Up is about improving artistic, creative and social access for young people. It complements our other disability access programs currently underway, including a $50,000 upgrade of existing kerb ramps in the Municipality.”
Program facilitator, Sarah Orgias, with assistant, Christine Engels, have been taking the ten participants on a musical journey of exploration on Wednesday evenings during October and November.
For further information contact Joshua MacKenzie, Corporate Relations Officer, on (02) 9716 1906.
