The NIDA Open Scholarship program gave 12 successful applicants full scholarships on specified Open courses over the 2018 Spring holidays, including Lily Matthews in Darwin.
Above: Lily Matthews in Darwin.
Created for young people with an interest in progressing or beginning their journey in the arts, the NIDA Open Scholarship program gave 12 successful applicants full scholarships on specified Open courses over the 2018 Spring holidays.
NIDA Open Scholarships are designed to improve access and participation in the arts and were awarded to young people in grades 7-12 in Adelaide South Australia, Newcastle NSW and Darwin in the Northern Territory.
‘These scholarships improve access for young Australians to NIDA Open programs. Our scholarship winners don’t all have previous performing arts experience but what they do have is a strong desire to bring inspirational, practical performing arts training into their life,’ said Tricia Ryan, Head of NIDA Open.
NIDA Open incorporates the rigorous, practice-led NIDA training methods into its open �access courses, inspiring Australia’s future artists to explore their full creative potential in a committed and supportive environment.
Lily Matthews, a young Quandamooka person originally from Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island) was in Darwin during the spring 2018 school holidays. As an aspiring young actor, she took up the opportunity to take part in NIDA Open’s program in Darwin, and was fortunate to win a scholarship to support the place.
The young 15- year old is in Year 10 at school and enjoyed the opportunity to bring her existing performing arts skills to the NIDA Drama School class.
‘I learned lots in the NIDA Drama School course like new techniques such as how to develop a character and properly project your voice,’ said Lily. ‘And I learnt that there is more to acting than I realised, like being able to communicate without words and words aren’t always necessary.’
‘The students and the tutor make you feel comfortable that you can be yourself and encouraged us to consider the acting and performing industry.’
Lily has participated in two musicals in primary school, Oliver and a Christmas themed musical, and danced at Creative Generations, Qld with Bangarra Dance Theatre in 2015. She also performed in two Jazz Dance Concerts, auditioned for the opening ceremony at the 2018 Commonwealth games with Bangarra Dance Theatre and was chosen for a reserve position.
‘NIDA has inspired me to do drama as a subject at school in year 11 and 12 because I now feel more confident in script development. I would also like to join a theatre group when I go home to Qld and participate in more acting classes and audition for shows, movies and musicals in the future.’
The NIDA Open scholarship program runs each year. For more information contact NIDA Open.
