Fine Arts - Making A Mark

The Futures Art class has been working hard this term to form a bold and colourful body of work. Each participant’s personalities and interests have been expressed through a variety of mediums including painting, collage, fabric art and felt tip drawing.

The art class is a very social group where participants enjoy catching up with each other, while coming together to make art.


Participants are currently working towards a collaborative project with the Futures Music group called “Hung Up!”

The group will hang up creative work inspired by stories shared within the group to form an installation at the Arts Education Studio as part of the Convent Open Day.


Jane Joske (Instructor- Fine Art)

Getting Into The Act

Toby Crook has been in various Advocacy roles over the past few years. He has a natural talent for public speaking and being a voice for others. Toby does not follow a script nor plan what he has to say; his words naturally flow and speak to the heart of everyone in the room.

Toby has recently been invited to join the Valid Eastern Client Network Committee, where he will attend monthly meetings at The Ringwood Federation Estate commencing on Monday 21st June. This is an exciting opportunity for Toby and he is looking forward to discussing the current challenges and successes in the sector and generally advocating for people with disabilities.

Drama participants received a sneak peak of Toby’s recent performance in ‘Getting into the Act’, a DVD created to explain the Disability Act. Toby joined forces with actors from Reinforce Advocacy Drama Group to make the film. The DVD features an animated character that leaps out of the Disability Act and onto the shoulders of actors to explain the different parts of the Act.

Toby and other performers gave a great performance, acting with an animated cartoon. All the participants gave Toby a rousing round of applause at the end of the DVD and joked that he should be signing autographs!

Puppetry Performance

First year Drama participants have enjoyed a Puppet Making and Performance Program at Ringwood Federation Estate led by Cherie Murray.

Participants have spent the first part of the year creating hand puppets and devising their own script for the end of year puppetry performance called ‘The Heart of Hollywood’.

The production sparkles with the glamour and gliz of Hollywood excess and displays a strong social conscience. Creative work is well underway with participants busy making costumes, sets, rehearsing songs and dance routines.

The story revolves around the central character called ‘Big Bird’ (who is close to extinction) and a motley crew of rock ‘n’ rollers, who rally together to save the big birds of the world. The piece is a comical and moving tale, revealing an unlikely love story between Mary Poppins and the famous ‘bad boy’ Eminem.

The piece is sure to rock audiences in their seats and take them on a ride of their life!

Cherie Murray (Instructor- Dramatic Arts)

Drama Program Update

Drama program has had a twist in the plot this term, with the inclusion of a Self-Advocacy training course.

The course was facilitated by the Self Advocacy Resource Unit (SARU). Participants used their drama skills to explore role plays and improvisations around their rights, responsibilities and avenues for self-advocacy.

Participants completed the course on 18th June and received certificates of achievement, and celebrated their graduation with a suitably upbeat party.

Meanwhile, progress toward the annual drama performance continues with gusto. The drama group has been work-shopping their ideas and honing their characters each week. Without giving away the magic, we can tell you that this year’s production will feature the characters of Pink, Juliet, Robin Hood, Thomas Rogan, Duke Nukem, Aden Jeffries, Elvis and Belle from Beauty and the Beast in all manner of outrageous scenes, culminating in an exciting conclusion.

Friday’s Drama program is a social and creative end to the working week. We have enjoyed working from our new base at Ringwood Federation Estate, and look forward to taking our ideas to the stage (and the world!) later in the year.

Julia Sutherland (Instructor -Drama)

Music Festival - International Day for People with Disabilities

Photography by Gary Radler

'The Holy Snail' photography by Gary Radler

Music Festival

Thursday the 3rd of December is International Day of People with Disability Day, and this year we'll be celebrating it at Macleay Park at a huge outdoor music festival. The day will feature heaps of music, films and activities in a great outdoor setting.

It will also be your first chance to catch the musical stylings of Sector 5 Extreme, the new band formed by the students of Interact's Interart & Bright Futures programs. The band have been producing some amazing sounds whilst in rehearsal at the Abbotsford Convent and are itching to take it to the masses.

More details click here. Entry is free. Come on down!