Empire Theatre Projects Company
Enriching and empowering our community through the performing arts
In 2009 the Empire Theatre established its Projects Company to increase the breadth and depth of the community’s connection with the performing arts in the Toowoomba Regional Council area.
Since then the Projects Company has launched a number of initiatives to bring this about and, at the core of this, is creating opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds throughout the Toowoomba Regional Council area to engage with the performing arts. This video, produced by Arts Queensland, highlights a number of these initiatives.
Empire Youth Arts
In 2010 the Empire Theatre Projects Company established Empire Youth Arts to house a variety of youth related arts programs including term classes, holiday workshops, in-school and regional 
workshops and specialist programs.
The program is headed up by Empire Youth Arts Director, Claire Christian, a qualified Secondary Teacher and award winning playwright who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position.
Professional Development
A wide range of other initiatives also sit under the Projects Company banner including extensive Professional Development courses for teachers, community performances and artist development opportunities.
Homegrown Series
In 2012, the Projects Company will present a series of shows in the newly renovated Empire Studio space. A mixture of new works, scripted plays and independent productions will open your mind to the possibilities and the talent located right here in Queensland. Read more about the 2012 Homegrown Series.
National Youth Week
The Empire Theatre was successful in their application to National Youth Week 2012, Queensland Grants Funding Initiative to help fund a project called Film Out Loud.
This project aim was to both develop the skills of young people in filmmaking techniques and give them a mechanism for communication to the world.
Over the course of 5 weeks, a number of drama and film making workshops were conducted by Empire Youth Arts Director Claire Christian and Toowoomba born, Brisbane based videographer Craig Wilkinson with the Year 12 English class at Flexi School. Craig’s workshops taught film making techniques from conception to shooting and Claire’s workshops helped to create the content of the film and helped the students to figure out what they would like to say to their friends, parents, teachers, community and the world.
The result was a ten minute documentary premiered in the Empire Church Theatre during National Youth Week. Here is the result of their work:
Indigenous Dance Project
In 2011 the Projects Company established its inaugural Indigenous Dance Project, offering hip
hop and contemporary dance workshops to youth in the Toowoomba region. The workshops were facilitated by members of the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts in Brisbane. The Oakey Reconciliation Group, Whaddup, Rockville State Primary and Harristown State High Schools all participated in the workshops.
This year, Brisbane-based choreographer, Gabriel Comerford, has been working with all the students at Rockville State Primary School.
For more information about the opportunities and initiatives currently being undertaken by the Empire Theatre Projects Company contact Projects Manager Jeanette Wedmaier on 07 4698 9900 or jeanette@empiretheatre.com.au.
The Empire Theatre Projects Company has received financial assistance through Regional Stages, a joint initiative of Arts Queensland and the Australia Council for the Arts.
