Street Serenades: At Our Place invites the neighbours over for a get-together like no other

Brisbane Festival brightens up the suburbs in 2021, partnering with eight neighbourhood and community centres across Brisbane to present 64 workshops in music, dance, circus and performance skills.

Street Serenades: At Our Place builds on the success of 2020’s Street Serenades pop-up suburban performances by engaging local communities, teaching them the tricks of the trade and, in some cases, turning the spotlight on their newfound talents.

Street Serenades: At Our Place is funded by a $350,000 grant from by the Queensland Government through the Department of Communities to support the engagement of community members in arts and cultural practice, in collaboration with artists, organisations and eight neighbourhood centres across Brisbane.

Minister for Communities and Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said Street Serenades: At Our Place is one of the most exciting and innovative productions that was created out of last year’s COVID-19 restrictions.

"The Palaszczuk Government is investing $350,000 for Brisbane Festival’s Street Serenades: At Our Place to support collaborations through 8 neighbourhood and community centres across Brisbane.

"This important program will engage hundreds of locals through workshops and performances and employ hundreds of artists who will use their expertise to connect communities, families and individuals through the joy of music and movement. 

"Street Serenades will bring together people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities while showcasing neighbourhood and community centres as places of welcome, connection, inclusion and story-telling."

Many of the workshops culminate with a live performance where community members can show off their skills for friends and neighbours as part of 2021’s Street Serenades program.

Belong Community Centre at Acacia Ridge hosts an Indigenous language singing workshop with First Nations artist Dr. Shellie Morris. People of all ages and abilities can collaborate on an original song that reflects their community and be immersed in a bespoke and intimate performance by Shellie on 17 September.

In Inala, the HUB Community Centre taps into the popularity of its ukulele classes with internationally renowned musicians RakoPasefika hosting musical workshops. These culminate with a family gathering and performance by the artists during the school holidays on 23 September.

St David’s Neighbourhood Centre in Coopers Plains formed the inaugural St David’s Community Choir with singer-songwriter Emma Dean conducting the choral workshops.

Emma partnered with Lydia Brown, director of The Sing To Beat Aphasia Choir, and its talented minstrels, all of whom have aphasia – the inability to understand or produce speech because of brain injury. 

They also joined forces with the Upbeat Arts Choir, previously known as The Choir of Hard Knocks (Queensland) and welcomed members of the local community to join them in the new St David’s Community Choir.

The heartfelt ensemble is rehearsing over Zoom as they work towards their debut Street Serenades performance alongside Emma Dean and Camerata at St David’s on 4 September.

Neridah Waters of Common People Dance Project hosts fun dance classes at YMCA Cannon Hill Community Centre to encourage locals to connect with the new centre and try something creative.

A returning Brisbane Festival favourite, Common People Dance Project runs dance workshops for people of all ages and abilities, with no experience required. The classes draw on a variety of styles to teach dancefloor-ready moves to the world’s best pop songs.

“My work is a unique combination of acting, dancing, comedy, physical theatre and cabaret, so I feel I’ve made a pretty unique and specific kind of job for myself,” Neridah says.

YMCA Cannon Hill Community Centre then welcomes the neighbours to the Common People Dance Party on 5 September with dance demonstrations, a sausage sizzle and kids’ activities to get the party started.

Elorac Place Community Centre in Ellen Grove hosts hip hop and circus skills workshops for upper primary and lower secondary school kids, run by Mad Dance and Casus Circus, with the young performers showing off what they learnt on 18 September.  

Vulcana Circus runs a women’s-only circus workshop at Northside Connect in Nundah for survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Nundah will then be treated to the strong Yalanji woman of song, Deline Briscoe and Vulcana hosts circus for everyone at the park on 25 September.

Picabeen Community Centre at Mitchelton partners with All The Queens Men to engage the local LGBTIQ+ community and allies through workshops for storytelling, fashion and costume design. Babushka and Barbie Banks get the party started at Picabeen Park on 3 September.

At Wynnum RSL, Queensland Ballet conducts ballet workshops for seniors of all abilities who are then invited to join an open class on 11 September at George Clayton Park, Wynnum. Everyone will be treated to a unique Queensland Ballet performance with our very own Moreton Bay as the sparkling backdrop.

Brisbane Festival Artistic Director Louise Bezzina says Street Serenades: At Our Place brings people together and creates positive community connections.

"This is a brand-new initiative, and I would love to personally invite Brisbane to get out and explore what’s happening in their neighbourhood," Louise says.

"The workshops have been chosen by the centres in consultation with members of their community, and we are so excited to see how people engage with the activities on offer."