Mix It Up - a partnership program     MIX IT UP is a unique partnership project of Multicultural Arts Victoria and the Arts Centre designed to stimulate new work. MIX IT UP reaches potential new audiences in non English speaking background communities and attracts existing mainstream Arts Centre audiences to quality culturally diverse product. Mix It Up is proudly supported by the Australia Council for the Arts (Community partnerships) and Arts Victoria. What is Mix It Up? Mix It Up is a joint project of Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV) and the Arts Centre designed to engage with and reflect the cultural diversity of Victoria. It aims to increase individual and community access and participation in the vibrant artistic and cultural life of Victoria. Multicultural Arts Victoria and the Arts Centre developed a unique partnership during 2006 to create and deliver the inaugural Mix It Up program which has continued to develop to become one of the core program streams at the Arts Centre. During 2007, MAV and the Arts Centre undertook strategic planning to position Mix It Up as one of Australia’s preeminent multicultural performing arts program. As part of the Victorian Government budget process, triennial funding was also secured through the Arts Centre Programming Futures submission, which demonstrates the Arts Centre’s commitment to the program and strategic partnership. In August 2007, a successful application was made to the Australia Council. In 2008 Community Partnerships - Key Partnerships Projects was funded. In 2009 and 2010 Mix It Up! was funded through Community Partnerships - Creative Community Partnerships Initiative. The primary aim of the program is to build access for communities and new pathways for artists from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The new initiative for small stage - The Visible Sessions- was also supported by the City of Melbourne which encouraged the professional development of our artists. Toumani Diabaté - Mix It Up 2010 Vision Engage with and reflect the cultural diversity of Victoria and provide greater representation, participation and visibility for culturally and linguistically diverse artists and communities in the arts. Objectives Mix It Up explores contemporary interpretations of the performing arts from a range of traditions and cultural influences. Mix It Up aims to engage Victorian artists and communities with key national and international artists in creating vibrant and culturally rich events through the year. Specifically, Mix It Up: Builds community access, connection and engagement; Builds new pathways for artists from diverse cultural backgrounds to engage with the main stream; Enables the development of productive and innovative partnerships with leading community and cultural agencies, presenters and touring networks; and Introduces new audiences to contemporary interpretations of the performing arts performed by leading local, national and international artists. Gypsy Queens & Kings - Mix It Up 2009 Mix It Up highlights the Arts Centre's leadership role in community access and engagement, program presentation, audience development, professional development for artists, creative development and advocacy and MAV’s leadership role in developing strategies to engage with diverse communities, artists and ethnic organisations. Reports Mix It Up 2009 Report see also the Mix It Up 2009 Report Appendix. Mix It Up 2008 Report Mix It Up 2007 Report Mix It Up 2006 Report Case Study Developing Audience Diversity through the Mix It Up Project Multicultural Arts Victoria and the Arts Centre Download case study View Mix It Up Slideshow Slideshow of MIX IT UP events Browse Mix It Up Concerts Browse Mix It Up Concerts Aterciopelados - Mix It Up 2009 Partnership with the Arts Centre - Pilot Project 2006 The pilot project employed and presented an extra-ordinary range of local, national and international artists (800 in total) from 23 nationalities over 96 events and attracted a total attendance to major events of 47,000 plus a further 113,000 to the Meeting Place Keeping Place Exhibition - a total attendance of 160,000. MIX IT UP at the Arts Centre has continued, resulting in a diverse range of events enjoyed by a large number of people. www.theartscentre.net.au Project details From the outset, it was the intention to collaborate extensively with Multicultural Arts Victoria and to establish a successful audience development and partnership model that has potential nationally. Mix It Up programming explored contemporary interpretations of performing arts from a range of traditions and influences. It aimed to engage Victorian artists and communities with key national and international artists in creating vibrant and culturally rich events through the year. Mix It Up particularly focussed on performing arts which crossed language and cultural boundaries and offered new pathways for audiences to engage with the Arts Centre. It was a multi-layered program to build connections with communities and creating many entry points to the arts for artists, communities and audiences. The program featured artists in a mix of ticketed and free events surrounded by a unique opportunity for visitors to the Arts Centre to experience the sights, sounds and taste of different cultures through an extensive range of public programs such as performances, classes, demonstrations, culinary experiences, exhibitions, workshops, master classes, forums, and post-show talks. Jali Buba Kuyateh - Mix It Up 2006 Mix It Up comprised: A Mainstage Theatre Program Presentation of major international performing arts companies featuring dance, contemporary ballet, physical theatre and circus: Dance Brazil, Cloudgate Dance Theatre (Taiwan), Complexions Contemporary Ballet (New York) and Les Sept Doights de La Main (7 Fingers) (Montreal). Public programs associated with this program were: master classes and a workshop assisted by a partnership with Ausdance; post show talks and education performances. A Music Program Seven specially curated events featuring international and local artists presented in a range of venues including Hamer Hall, Spiegeltent, Fairfax Studio, Playhouse and Blackbox also utilising foyers and exhibition spaces. Key projects included: Africa, Sing Sing, Pulse Heartbeat, Vive La Fiesta, Visible, Cariba, Our Backyard. Extensive free public programs were associated with these events throughout foyers and ancillary spaces - foyer performances and activities, workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions, marketplace. A Major Exhibition Meeting Place Keeping Place - featured the commissioned work of local cultural diverse artists exploring issues of identity and place. The exhibition was attended by 113,212 people. An Artist in Residence program included in the Arts Centre’s Full Tilt program, five groups of emerging artists from diverse cultural backgrounds explore and develop their work in a supportive environment: 15 Scenes/15 Songs, Xing, True Story of Toto Nakamura, Rice Trilogy, 3-A, The Call. An Education program Dedicated Mix It Up schools performances were held by Hinepau, Dance Brazil and 7 Fingers. Audience development MIX IT UP has attracted significant new and diverse audience and visitors, including: A significant increase in attendance by non-english speaking visitors from the general Arts Centre attendance of 14% to 24%; Twice the normal attendance at the Arts Centre in the 25-44 age-group; A significant increase (from 16% to 31%) of attendance by young households of families without children as well as families with children (from 32% - 40%); A significant increase in attendance by infrequent visitors to the Arts Centre - up from 27% to 37%; Has supported and presented an extra-ordinary range of local, national and international artists (800 in total) from 23 nationalities over 96 events; Has extensively documented all events for publicity & marketing, as well as future collections and exhibitions purposes; and has worked collaboratively across all units of the Arts Centre to achieve an all-of-Centre multi-layered approach. Media Quotes Vive La Fiesta! sells out Hamer Hall, the Arts Centre’s superb Mix It Up music program (The Age 26/8) utterly entrancing (The Age August 11, 2006 ) The 7 Fingers. Hallmark of Great Entertainment (the Age August 3, 2006) Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Sample Artist Quotes "A big thanks to the Arts Centre and MAV - being part of MIX IT UP has given my group Diafrix a great deal of confidence - we had never imagined we would get the opportunity to perform at the Arts Centre. Being commissioned to create new work was unreal- we bought the traditional African sounds of Jali Buba Kuyateh and King Marong and mixed them with hip hop. The music and partnerships created through MIX IT UP has opened many doors for us ..." ...Khaled Abdulwhab Diafrix Thanks for the opportunity to have been part of Our Back Yard... People like me and many others are fighting to maintain alive our traditions, against all odds. We get disappointed, sad, but I believe that events like the one you organized give us hope to continue with our work. Thanks again for your support. Thankfully - Paulina Fuentes Mix It Up Research MAV and the Arts Centre worked in partnership with Deakin University to research and evaluate the MIX IT UP program. Download MIX IT UP Project Report: Building New Audiences More Information For more information, contact Events & Operations at Multicultural Arts Victoria on (03) 94176777 or Email events@multiculturalarts.com.au.

"A big thanks to the Arts Centre and MAV - being part of MIX IT UP has given my group Diafrix a great deal of confidence- we had never imagined we would get the opportunity to perform at the Arts Centre. Being commissioned to create new work was unreal- we bought the traditional African sounds of Jali Buba Kuyateh and King Marong and mixed them with hip hop. The music and partnerships created through MIX IT UP has opened many doors for us"... Khaled Abdulwhab Diafrix. more. Mix It Up Slideshow Slideshow of MIX IT UP events Browse Mix It Up Concerts Browse Mix It Up Concerts Awards   Excellence in Multicultural Affars Arts Portfolio Leadership Award   Winner Multicultural Marketing Award 2008 Multicultural Arts Victoria has received four Awards for leadership and contribution to the community for our unique MIX IT UP! program. The Awards identify and celebrate significant contributions which shape the future of Melbourne and inspires others...more. Gypsy Queens & Kings - MIX IT UP 2009