You may remember a post in November of last year called SAYarts taking the initiative after demise of Urban Myth last year wherein I indicated that the kids of Urban Myth were thrown a lifeline by a new Company called South Australian Youth Arts (SAYArts) with the accommodation assistance from St Augustine’s Anglican Church, Unley.

Well, since then, things have been looking up. SAYArts Manager Bec Pannell, proud of the progress made, has written a letter to the Council’s elected members. The transcript which follows I think is self explanatory

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Dear Unley Councillors, we thought you might be interested to know that throughout school term time across the week, over 100 kids enter the doors of the Old School Buildings next to St Augustine’s Church on Unley Road. Why?

In September 2014, as Unley’s beloved long-standing Urban Myth Theatre of Youth collapsed, a new little company emerged to take it’s place: South Australian Youth Arts.

Currently operating out of the Old School Buildings next to St Augustine’s Church 183 Unley Road, Unley, SAYarts (as we are affectionately known) provided classes for those who had been stranded by Urban Myth – we have come through terms 3 & 4 of 2014 and are here to stay!

Run by former GM of Urban Myth and former Principal of Lincoln College, Bec Pannell and long-term Unley resident and award-winning playwright Sean Riley (My Sister Violet, Beautiful Words), SAYarts offers classes ranging from the young to young at heart – starting at age five. Between us, Sean and I have over 40 years experience working with youth.

So, Unley still has one of Adelaide’s best youth theatre programs operating within its boundaries – led by professional theatre makers and actors, supported by assistant tutors, and structured around games, stagecraft and children’s wellbeing, we continue to provide excellent service for your ratepayers and their kids! But it’s not only your residents who attend – we attract students from as far afield as Gawler, Myponga and Brighton into the heart of Unley.

 

In partnership with St Augustine’s (and help from the City of Unley), we hope to continue to offer classes for another 30 years!

If you have a blog, a website or a Facebook page, we would love you to encourage your residents to check out our webpage or Facebook page to see what we do and what we offer.

Website: www.sayarts.com.au
Facebook: https://facebook.com/TheatreworksSA or search South Australian Youth Arts (please LIKE us!)

 

PS WHAT HAPPENED TO URBAN? We think that Urban Myth is now officially wound up, legally. It is important to note that we are NOT in any way Urban Myth. We just have some similar values when it comes to creating outstanding and supportive environments for kids, and we were lucky enough to have most of their tutors sign on with us!

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This is a good news storey and a great one to start the year. I will keep you up to date on their progress starting with whether or not they secure long term occupancy in space available at St Augustine’s. As your Councillor (elected member) and a Warden at St Augustine’s I am actively involved in helping to bring about a suitable arrangement, and I would hope to report on this sooner rather than later.