Barking Gecko Theatre Company hosted the Perth launch of Currency House’s Platform Paper 26 – Not just an audience: Young People Transforming Our Theatre.

"We were thrilled at the opportunity to launch Platform Paper 26 in Perth and the timing is perfect as Barking Gecko moves forward to redefine our artform and validate our audiences as future makers of our society" said John Sheedy, Artistic Director of Barking Gecko and panellist at the launch.

Platform Paper 26, demonstrates how young people are leading a demand for change in the arts and want to rock the balance of power. Young people are no longer prepared to be passive participants and want a voice in decision-making.

Young people are vital to the health of the theatre, their imagination is fearless and their networks can make or break a performance.

"There is definite talk amongst students about the quality of theatre, it needs to break boundaries" Nick Doig, John Curtin High School Student.

Facilitated by Jessica Machin, CEO of Country Arts WA, the panel presented their perspective on changes necessary for the industry. Industry panellists included Platform Paper 26 Author Mary Ann Hunter, Yirra Yaakin’s Artistic Director Kyle Morrison and Verity Softly, currently involved in Curtin University’s Laramie Project.

”We really wanted the paper to be the beginning of the conversation not the end of the conversation,” says Author Mary Ann Hunter, “we want people to look to the future of theatre and talk about the now”.

Currency House’s Platform Papers, are a series of essays by arts practitioners
providing background and proposals for change on topical artistic, ethical and
political issues relating to the arts. Small, friendly and authoritative, they are aimed at
engaging the reader in areas ranging from theatre and dance, film and television to
cultural policy, employment, censorship, the digital world and the creative economy.
Platform Papers have become a significant feature in the landscape of our national
conversation.