‘We are very excited about the opportunities this project brings and the skills and knowledge our groups … gain from your experience and direction.’

Kirsten Gillard, Special Events Co-ordinator, Marketing and Communications Department, Hume City Council

Peter Mousaferiadis was brought in as Artistic and Music Director to develop a new community performance for Hume City Council’s Hume Winter Music Festival. Peter consulted with the community, developed the concept and produced the event.

Hume is home to a rich mix of cultural groups, many of whom had been involved in the Hume Winter Music Festival and other festivals managed by Council and had expressed interest in a collaborative performance opportunity. The project created an original one hour performance piece drawn from music and dance styles from a range of cultural traditions from the community. The creative process was strongly collaborative, the source of inspiration being the cultural expression of the groups. The work reflected the unique blend of people in the Hume municipality.

Outcomes from the project included:

• Music and performance development for local cultural groups and artists.
• The participants gained skills from working with a professional director, and widened their repertoire through exposure to different musical styles.
• Skills in Artistic Direction for key leaders in participating cultural groups:
• Through a mentorship approach to the project, key leaders in the cultural groups developed new skills in the area of artistic direction and performance, which then were used in later performances and events.
• Audience Development:
• Audiences in Hume had the opportunity to experience a new and ground breaking creative piece, with its roots in the local community.
• Enhancing the Hume Winter Music Festival Program:
• The creation of a new piece for the festival enhanced the 2005 program, but increased skills for local cultural groups for their participation in subsequent years.
• Enhancing skills of Hume Cultural Programs staff:
• Working on a creative project such as this with a professional creative director developed the skills of people involved in the project.