KickstART Festival 2022 – Poster illustration by Studio Kiin
Due to growing concerns about COVID-19 and the anticipated continued spread of Omicron across our communities in Boorloo (Perth) and Western Australia, the Propel team has decided to pivot towards digital and hybrid formats for the delivery of the Youth Week WA KickstART Festival this April.
We have not made this decision lightly and are aware that many artists, staff, volunteers, and the extended community will be affected. While we would love to commit to our original plan of delivering key KickstART activities in person, the uncertainties regarding public safety over the next few months are too great for us to continue with these plans.
This is a proactive decision to help minimise potential health risks and keep our artists, audiences, and stakeholders safe.
Our plan is to use the remaining time and resources we have in preparing for this year’s KickstART Festival, to work towards delivering an online program that provides certainty and safety to those involved in the planning process. We are already discussing alternative delivery formats with each artist, venue, and stakeholder currently involved in KickstART.
The theme for Youth Week WA 2022 is Courage to Change, Booraka Korangan-ak, and was created in consultation with our Youth Week WA Planning Committee.
Courage to Change – Booraka Korangan-ak is a call to action, to boldly and with care imagine a future grounded in regenerative solutions and mutual healing, to take those difficult first steps together. The theme refers to cycles of healing, growth, and regeneration on multiple scales; from the long-term work of nurturing communities, the patience of attending to your arts practice, and the fungal networks that exist beneath soil and roots.
As we continue to navigate uncertain presents and futures, we hope that Courage to Change resonates with you, and grounds us in the places we live in and the communities we serve.
To be clear, this year’s Youth Week WA KickstART Festival is still going ahead. We are committed to spotlighting and working with the wonderful young artists that have been part of the process so far, and we can’t wait to share a reimagined version of KickstART with all of you from 8-16 April 2022!
In the meantime, please allow some time as we continue to address these changes. We will have further updates on this year’s KickstART Festival within the next month.
We acknowledge that there are challenging times ahead and encourage everyone to look after themselves and each other, and to stay informed about how to remain safe.
Thank you for your understanding and support.
The Propel Team