mental health

Special Screening of Our Home Holiday Town

OUR HOME HOLIDAY TOWN

Age 12+

YAC, 1 Gilmore Crescent, Byron  Bay

Thursday September 29th : 7.30pm

Tickets: $25

All proceeds go towards future youth productions

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/our-home-holiday-town-film-tickets-411645772587

Byron Youth Theatre (BYT)  thought provoking, poignant social action theatrical production called Our Home Holiday Town which had to end its production last December early due to a COVID scare is back!

Fortunately the Company’s performance was filmed with eight cameras crewed by  SAE Creative Media Institute students Lee Collier, Phoenix and Jovian Batchelor supervised by experienced local filmmaker SAE Animation Lecturer, Nigel Haslam.  This has enabled BYT to hold a special screening in Byron for those who missed out in 2021.

“ It was devastating when we had to close the production early last December” shared Director Lisa Apostolides, “ We’d spent a lot of funding on bringing in a substantial lighting rig, creating a large main set and reorganising the venue space  for the show and obviously many many hours of rehearsing!”

Feedback from community members, who did get to see the first two performances was outstanding! Local lawyer and Councillor Mark Swivel was one of the lucky ones!

  ‘Super engaging, fun treatment of a tough topic. Our kids will cop the worst of our housing crisis and policy fails. Bravo Byron Youth Theatre!’ 

This production was  the result of a collaborative research project  between BYT and the Centre for Children and Young People at Southern Cross University (SCU).  Director of BYT, Lisa Apostolides and the cast members worked closely with Dr. Antonia Canosa, Dr. Catherine Simmons and Dr. Peter Cook to uncover tourism-related issues in the Byron Shire and the mental health concerns for young people.   Trained as co-researchers during a series of workshops, cast members conducted interviews and surveys with their peers and community members to understand the effect of the impact.

The research revealed young people care deeply about their community, particularly when witnessing the negative impacts of tourism activity, including littering, anti-social behaviours, housing affordability, homelessness, and disrespect for Aboriginal sacred sites.

  “It’s been an absolute privilege to work with Lisa and the cast at BYT. I am delighted that the screening is going ahead as my colleagues and I were among those who had booked last year and were extremely eager to see the finished result. This was an empowering experience for the young people who want to be actively involved in lobbying for more socially and environmentally just forms of tourism in their community” said Dr Canosa.

The project received funding from Regional Arts NSW ( CASP), Northern Rivers Community Foundation , Southern Cross University and sponsorship from The Regent Cinema , Mullum Hire ,Byron4kids, local psychologist Peter Chown, Liz Terrancini and Christina Gobet-Freeman and supported by Byron Youth Service,  resulting in ä play that is raw, dynamic, engaging and critical for our times.

The special screening will be held at Byron Youth Service’s ( BYS)  Youth Activity Centre (YAC)  in the heart of Byron. 

“It is great for The YAC to be able to host BYT’s film of this powerful production and support the poignant and meaningful work that they are presenting. I’m constantly impressed with the talent and creativity among young people in our community. It’s very important and exciting work.” comments Christian Tancred, Manager of BYS.

There will also be information about the Byron Way Pledge which was inspired by the production which seeks to promote responsible tourism.