The Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA) is a national Australian institution for the

culturally sensitive Cultural sensitivity, also referred to as cross-cultural sensitivity or cultural awareness, is the knowledge, awareness, and acceptance of other cultures and others' cultural identities. It is related to cultural competence (the skills needed for ...

training of

Aboriginal Australian Aboriginal Australians are the various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, such as Tasmania, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island, the Tiwi Islands, and Groote Eylandt, but excluding the Torres Strait Islands ...

and

Torres Strait Islander Torres Strait Islanders () are the Indigenous Melanesian people of the Torres Strait Islands, which are part of the state of Queensland, Australia. Ethnically distinct from the Aboriginal people of the rest of Australia, they are often grouped ...

people in the

performing arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perform ...

. Founded in 1997, it has been located in

Fortitude Valley Fortitude Valley (often called "The Valley" by local residents) is an inner suburb of the City of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. In the , Fortitude Valley had a population of 9,708 people. The suburb features two pedestri ...

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

, since 2017.

History

The proposal for a national training institution for

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...

performing arts first arose in 1994, as part of the federal government's national arts policy, "Creative Nation". In 1997 the

Queensland Government The Queensland Government is the democratic administrative authority of the Australian state of Queensland. The Government of Queensland, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy was formed in 1859 as prescribed in its Constitution, as amended fr ...

engaged choreographer and dancer

Michael Leslie Michael Leslie (born 28 January 1993) is a former Scottish professional snooker player. Leslie turned professional in 2012 after winning the 2012 EBSA European Under-21 Snooker Championships and gained a two-year tour card for the 2012–13 ...

to establish the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts, and in 1998 classes were first held at the Metro Arts building in Edward Street, Brisbane. ACPA moved first to

South Brisbane South Brisbane is an inner southern suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , South Brisbane had a population of 7,196 people. Geography The suburb is on the southern bank of the Brisbane River, bounded to the north-west, ...

, then to Kangaroo Point. In January 2017, ACPA moved again, to the

Judith Wright Arts Centre The Judith Wright Arts Centre, formerly the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, is a visual arts, visual and performing arts centre in Fortitude Valley, Queensland, Fortitude Valley in Brisbane, Queensland. The venue was renovated and re- ...

in Fortitude Valley, where greatly improved facilities include purpose-built studios for music, acting and dance.

Description

The organisation teaches Indigenous and non-Indigenous acting, music and dance. It has won several national awards and is nationally accredited as a

registered training organisation A registered training organisation (RTO), in Australia, is an organisation providing Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses to students, resulting in qualifications or statements of attainment that are recognised and accepted by indust ...

. ACPA receives funding from the

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

and

Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Au ...

governments, as well as from the private sector.

Funding and governance

The Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and the Department of Education and Training. ACPA's education partners include the

Brisbane Arts Theatre Brisbane Arts Theatre refers to both an independent theatre company in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and the building in which it resides. __TOC__ Theatre company history Brisbane Arts Theatre was founded in 1936 as Brisbane Amateur Theatr ...

, the

University of Tasmania The University of Tasmania (UTAS) is a public research university, primarily located in Tasmania, Australia. Founded in 1890, it is Australia's fourth oldest university. Christ College, one of the university's residential colleges, first pro ...

and

Queensland University of Technology Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is a public research university located in the urban coastal city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. QUT is located on two campuses in the Brisbane area viz. Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove. The univ ...

. Its corporate supporters include the

, the

Queensland Performing Arts Centre The Queensland Performing Arts Centre (also known as QPAC) is part of the Queensland Cultural Centre and is located on the corner of Melbourne Street and Grey Street in Brisbane's South Bank, Queensland, South Bank precinct. Opened in 1985, it ...

, the

National Institute of Dramatic Art The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is an Australian educational institution for the performing arts is based in Sydney, New South Wales. Founded in 1958, many of Australia's leading actors and directors trained at NIDA, including Cat ...

, and Ausdance Queensland. The current CEO is Wesley Aird.

References

External links

* {{authority control Australian tertiary institutions Drama schools in Australia Dance education in Australia Educational institutions established in 1997 Education in Brisbane Indigenous Australian education Indigenous Australian theatre Australian vocational education and training providers Organisations serving Indigenous Australians Kangaroo Point, Queensland 1997 establishments in Australia