We foster a supportive, collaborative and trusting environment where young people can take creative risks, feel comfortable, and make work they’re proud of.

In our workshops, we:

• improvise and play theatre games

• write, create stories and build new worlds

• experiment with movement, composition and dance

• build atmosphere through music, voice, rhythm and sound

• design and make props, objects, costumes and set elements

Young people can contribute in the ways they feel most natural to them — performing, writing, drawing, designing, building, composing, or supporting and shaping the ensemble’s ideas.

Throughout the term, participants can expect to:

• invent characters, scenes and worlds

• experiment with form — not just what a performance says, but how it works

• collaborate, problem-solve and make new friends

• build, refine and rehearse material toward showings and performance outcomes

Above all, this is their space: a place to have fun, laugh, grow in confidence, and feel supported as part of an ensemble.

All groups share the same UNDERARTS approach — collaborative performance-making — but the structure and level of independence is tailored to each age range.

Thursdays | Brunswick (Balam Balam Place) 4-6pm: 7–10 year olds

A high-imagination, high-support room. Lots of theatre games, fast improv, story-building and hands-on making — with clear frameworks that help young artists turn wild ideas into scenes.

Thursdays | Brunswick (Balam Balam Place) 4-6pm: 11–15 year olds

More autonomy, more experimentation, more refinement. We play too — but we also edit, shape and compose: performance structure, atmosphere, sound, movement, text, objects and design. A great fit for pre/teens who want to make work that feels original and “theirs”.

Note: The two Brunswick workshops run simultaneously in separate rooms with different teachers

The Term 2 UNDERARTS workshops are led by Allison Wiltshire and Noemie Huttner-Koros — two performance-makers, dramaturgs and facilitators with extensive experience across Australian and international arts contexts. Allison leads the 11–15s and Noemie leads the 8–10s, together bringing backgrounds in theatre, writing, experimental performance, dramaturgy and community arts practice. Their work spans major festivals, independent performance scenes and youth arts contexts in Australia and overseas, including Next Wave, Arts House, Melbourne Fringe, HAU Hebbel am Ufer and Berliner Festspiele.

Their workshops are collaborative, imaginative and inclusive, inviting young people to create original performance work through theatre, movement, writing, design, puppetry and play. Together, Allison and Noemie create a space where participants can build confidence, form friendships, take creative risks and contribute to something bold, surprising and entirely their own.

UNDERARTS is for creative and curious young people who love stories, characters, making, performing, and imagining new worlds.

It’s for those who enjoy drawing, acting, writing, crafting — or simply want to try something different. Our workshops are designed to support a wide range of creative strengths, and no prior theatre experience is needed.

We welcome young people of all abilities, identities, and backgrounds, and are committed to creating a space where disabled and/or neurodivergent participants, LGBTQIA+ young people, and those from culturally diverse communities feel safe, seen, and supported.

Just bring imagination, curiosity, and a willingness to have a go.

Term 2 Fees
9 workshops + final performance

Full fee: $350
Concession: $250
Sibling discount: 10% off the total booking

We want UNDERARTS to be accessible to as many young people as possible. If cost is a barrier, please contact us at hello@underarts.com.au.

What age group are the workshops for?
We offer two weekly workshop groups:
7–10 years — Brunswick, Thursdays 4–6pm
11–15 years — Brunswick, Thursdays 4–6pm

Each group is facilitated in an age-appropriate way, while keeping the same UNDERARTS approach: collaborative performance-making with many different ways to contribute.

Do participants need any theatre experience?
Not at all. UNDERARTS is designed for all experience levels. Whether your child loves acting, drawing, writing, crafting, sound, or simply imagining new worlds, there is a place for them.

Can my child try a class before enrolling?
Yes. We offer a free trial class for new families. Register your details and we will be in touch to arrange a trial before you commit.

What do participants need to bring each week?
A water bottle and comfortable clothes they can move and create in, including clothes that can get a little messy. We will let families know if there is ever an optional costume or prop item to bring from home.

What about food?
We provide light snacks each workshop, usually fruit and bread, and sometimes a sweet treat. During registration, we ask about allergies and dietary requirements and plan snacks with this in mind.

What do you provide?
We provide core creative materials for devising and making, including craft and prop-making supplies, as well as basic costume and set elements.

What are the facilities like?
Our workshops take place at Blam Balam Place, a welcoming, well-equipped community arts spaces with modern facilities, including heating, cooling, and accessible amenities.
Next Wave (The Brunswick Mechanics Institute), where the final performance takes place, includes a professional theatre within a community-focused arts venue.

How big are the groups?
We cap groups at 16 participants, with two facilitators, to support a safe, connected ensemble and strong facilitation.

Is there a performance outcome? Can families attend?
Yes. Term 2 culminates in a fully staged presentation of the original performance created by the ensemble, shared in a professional theatre with lighting and sound. Families, friends, and community are warmly invited to attend.

What is your approach to child safety?
UNDERARTS is a Child Safe Organisation committed to providing a secure, respectful, and inclusive environment. All facilitators hold current Working With Children Checks and follow child-safety and duty-of-care procedures, including risk management, supervision, and consent protocols.

My child has access needs — can they take part?
We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment, and we will do everything within our capacity to make UNDERARTS accessible to young people with a range of access needs. We ask families and caregivers to contact us before enrolling so we can discuss your child’s needs and work out together whether we can provide the right support for them to participate safely and meaningfully.