Wilcannia Central School

River of knowledge and learning | Ngurtaana Paakna-na

Telephone08 8091 5801

Emailwilcannia-c.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Creative and performing arts

Creative Arts

In creative arts, students discover a variety of art forms through a study of dance, drama, music and visual arts where they learn to appreciate, compose, listen, make and perform.

Each art form has its own unique knowledge and skills, elements or concepts as well as a capacity to inspire and enrich lives.

Students must study 100 hours of both music and visual arts during Years 7 to 10. They also have an opportunity to further develop their knowledge and skills in other art forms through elective subjects including drama, dance, photography and visual design. Students can then select from a range of courses in Years 11 to 12.

Creative arts is mandatory for students from Kindergarten to Year 6. 

Visual Arts (Secondary – Stage 4)

The study of visual arts enables young people to develop an interest in and enjoyment of investigating the world through the ideas, aesthetic and contexts of artists and their work in a broad range of forms, media and styles. Through critical reflection and acquiring understanding, knowledge and skills, students respond by creatively developing their own ideas and artworks. More information about the Visual Arts 7–10 Syllabus can be found on the NESA website.

At Wilcannia Central School, learning in Visual Arts is centred around student interest. In Stage 4 students explore their culture through a variety of artmaking mediums and subjects including, portraits, landscapes, skateboard deck designs, public art, ceramics, sculpture, photography and collage.

Wilcannia Central School works in collaboration with Artists, including Badger Bates, Eddy Harris and Justine Muller, as well as Art Galleries, including Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), Museum of Contemporary Art and Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, to provide students with rich learning opportunities. This includes the 2018  and 2019 Djamu Indigenous Art Program run by AGNSW.

Students are provided a number of opportunities to exhibit their artwork to the wider community. In the past, these have included:

Students have also sold jewellery and printed textiles through gift shops at Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery and S. H. Ervin Gallery.

Visual Design (Secondary – Stage 5 and 6)

Visual Design provides students with opportunities to explore the links between art and design by designing and making images and objects in which aesthetic qualities and symbolic meanings are as important as utilitarian function. Students learn to inform their own design work through critical and historical study of designed images and objects made by others. More information about the Visual Design Stage 5 and 6 Syllabus can be found on the NESA website.

Tracks design enterprise 

Tracks design enterprise is an up and coming platform for young people in Menindee and Wilcannia to market their designs. Senior students and Menindee and Wilcannia Central Schools have worked collaboratively to design and print textiles and streetwear that celebrate the cultural diversity of their communities. As Tracks evolves and grows, it will offer increased opportunities for artists and designers of Menindee and Wilcannia to have a presence in the Australian fashion and design market. Tracks products are currently available at Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery.

Northern Territory Art and Design Tour

In 2019, Wilcannia and Menindee Central Schools came together for a Northern Territory Art and Design Tour. The experience provided students with experiences and opportunities that empowered them to become active community members, using their creative skills to share cultural knowledge. The tour included opportunities to visit Aboriginal Art collectives including Walkatjara Art and Tiwi Designs, where students were supported to develop their own art process. While in the Northern Territory, students had the opportunity to see culturally significant sites and to learn from the diverse cultures of Aboriginal peoples and the way history and culture can be communicated through the arts.

Music

The study of music’s forms, styles and ideas enables young people to develop an interest in appreciation and enjoyment of  music. Through critical reflection and acquiring understanding, knowledge and skills, students respond by creatively developing their own musical ideas, compositions and performances. More information about the Music 7–10 Syllabus can be found on the NESA website.

Stage 4 and 5 students are supported through individual and group music lessons before and during school hours. In 2020, students have formed bands and written their own songs that have been performed to the community.

In 2016 and 2018, Desert Pea Media partnered with Warra Warra Legal Service, NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and NSW Health to promote positive change and create awareness and conversation around caring for country.