ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROJECT
Download the Lights Out Curtains Up ebook
The 2010 project involved students from five secondary schools working on the production Fugitive. The students had the unique opportunity to spend time in the rehearsal room watching the actors developing their character, the director shaping the production, the behind the scenes trials and tribulations of taking the script from the page and transforming it into an exciting and engaging performance. Windmill artists also visited the students in their schools to run workshops on various different elements of theatre making including directing, designing and performing.
A Behind the Scenes teaching resource was developed as part of the project. The resource includes a DVD and book. The DVD shows interviews with each of the creative team highlighting their role in the production and aspects of their individual careers. The accompanying book links the DVD to SACE studies, but also provides background material for primary teachers of drama. Click on link for order form.
In 2011 the project included students and teachers from the primary education sector working on a performance production that was part of the 2011 Come Out Festival.
The four primary schools linked with the production for Escape from Peligro Island were:
- Eden Hills Primary
Design by Learning PDF - Gilles Street Primary
Design by Learning PDF
Interview with classroom teacher PDF - Mannum Community School
Design by Learning PDF - Seaton Park Primary
Design by Learning PDF
Curriculum Links
Escape from Peligro Island Research Report
SACSA - Curriculum Standards Example
Australian Curriculum - General Capabilities
Australian Curriculum - Cross Curriculum Priorities
Escape from Peligro Island Teacher Notes PDF
School newsletter, student article (school newsletter) PDF
Theatre seating plan (Seating map) PDF
Impact of workshops on students PDF
Assessment examples:
Student art response
Performance mindmap
Assessment student outcomes
Review writing example PDF
Student journal, artist workshop PDF
ICT – green screen process PDF
School performance program PDF
Student group story plan PDF
Student’s cultural story PDF
Artist in Residence school watching Escape from Peligro Island

Research was conducted by Dr Janet McDowell from the Education facility at University of South Australia exploring the links with performance, technology and literacy. If you would like a copy of this report email Julie on julie.orchard@windmill.org.au.
In partnership with the DECD New Media and Virtual Environments team an E-book resource has been developed. This resource illustrates the links between technology and the arts and provides a model of good practice linking arts curriculum (SACSA), assessment strategies with the General Capabilities and Cross curriculum connections. Contact Julie for details on accessing the resource.
A third successful application for the 2012 Artist in School funding will see the production of Pinocchio linked to students from the remote Mimili Anangu School on the APY Lands.
Windmill’s Artistic Director, Rose Myers commented on the funding opportunity saying, “The AIR Project provides an invaluable opportunity to expose students to the artists’ thinking and process at a very refined level. It encourages fantastic performance literacy and a deeper engagement with the arts amongst the participants. The mutual benefit sees the artists having their creative imaginations inspired by the dynamism and creative capacities of the students and this feeds back into Windmill for the future.”
Arts SA representative Alex Reid said, “Windmill was an excellent choice for the initial pilot project and subsequent projects as they are already very engaged with arts educators and school students, through Education links to their theatre seasons and previous project work such as the Children’s Voices Research. Windmill’s initiative offers a genuine ‘hands-on’ opportunity for students to be involved in a unique and exciting creative process with highly talented theatre professionals.”
The project has the potential to be rolled out as a national model for Arts Education following on from this pilot program.
The projects are managed by Julie Orchard, Windmill Theatre’s Arts Education Manager. Julie is seconded to Windmill from DECD and works to make meaningful links between the education sector and the arts industry to further develop teaching and learning in the arts.
