from YAPRap September 2007
by Lam Huynh
Speak to any emerging actor or script writer and you'll often hear similar accounts of the difficulties that they face in trying establish themselves as artists. If you are young and an emerging artist, getting your foot in the proverbial door is even harder.
Not to be overwhelmed by this challenge, Daniel Fenech, a young western Sydney-based director and his Harrington Park Youth Arts (HYPA) team decided to create their own opportunities.
Successfully tendering for Youth Participation Grants, HYPA decided to use the funds to hold a short play performance festival celebrating the talents of local emerging writers and actors.
The result was an event called Young Shorties. The idea was for local young writers to submit their scripts and have their work performed live by a group of young actors. The organisers focused on the process of developing the skills of both the writers and the actors, so they tried to create as supportive an environment for young people to showcase their artistic abilities as possible.
Using the skills and experience that he had gained from his involvement in this project, Daniel is now working on a film production with critically acclaimed Vietnamese Australian director Khoa Do, the creative force behind films such as The Finished People, and Footy Legends.
more information
YAPA's Youth Participation Grants Project
