SpArtA, Verve’s annual Training Awards went off with a bang again this year!

we were lucky to have the involvement of so many students, training providers and employers to share in the fun. Thank you also to our generous sponsors, especially to TITAB for making the event possible. Below is a full list of winners and finalists. We thank all those who nominated and all finalists will be sent a Certificate shortly in acknowledgement of their fantastic achievements in this increasingly competitive event. Next year we will be making the on-line application process slightly less complicated and will post nomination forms on our website in early 2009.

Once more, good-bye to our effervescent CEO, Cindy Tschernitz who made her farewell at the Awards Night and hello from Genevieve Wearne, our new CEO. More news from Genevieve shortly.

Please click here to view information regarding all our awards winners!

SpArtA Masquerade – the Line Up!

This year’s SpArtA Awards looks set to sizzle with a fantastic line up that includes MC Andy Muirhead best known as host of the Collectors, Dancers from Dance Factory and Actors from the Australian Academy of Performing Arts and MBCTA. Our musical backdrop will be provided by Box-Hill Institute of TAFE’s the Soul Tappers. More information on the entertainers below.

The Line Up:

With a rapidly growing comedy career, a breakfast radio posse and a national TV show on the ABC, Andy Muirhead is a busy boy.

Andy performed his first stand up gig in the Raw Comedy competition held by Triple J and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and ended up representing Tasmania in the 2003 national final in Melbourne. From there he went on to do successive Hobart Comedy Festival appearances and countless guest spots in clubs around the country. In 2005 he was selected by the Melbourne International Comedy Festival as one of the rising stars of Australian Comedy and given a highly prized spot in the 2005 MICF Comedy Zone season.

In February 2005 he was asked to audition for a new ABCTV program called Collectors. Collectors put Andy in front of half a million people across the country every Thursday night at 6:30 for 36 weeks. In 2006 the show graduated to the 8pm Friday timeslot, extended to 42 episodes, and expanded to take in collections and collectors from all over the country. Over a million people now tune in to watch Andy and the Collectors team every Friday night.

While television is an unexpected career move for Andy, he is making the most of it and loving every minute. The mix of live comedy and presenting Collectors has lead to diverse gigs and appearances over the last 12 months including ABC and commercial radio, performances at music festivals, live shows and a range of press interviews and articles. And most recently he's started to get up very early in his new role as ABC Radio's Breakfast host in Hobart.

Stand up remains Andy's passion and interacting with a live audience his forte. His comedy is light hearted, original and creative. Reviewers have called Andy:

"Fun-loving, innocent and willing to face life's challenges head on...Full On!" - Adelaide Advertiser 2006

"An incredibly talented stand up comic" - The Pun, Melbourne 2006

"Perky" - The Weekend Australian 2005

For more information about Andy, check out www.hobartcomedy.com and www.abc.net.au/collectors

The Soul Tappers

SpArta welcomes back Jarrah Whyte and his talented team of musicians to this year’s event. Last year Whyte and his band entertained guests as the Chameleons and this year have re formed into the funky new outfit, the Soul Tappers. All members of the band are studying music at Box-Hill TAFE’s Performing Arts Centre as well as performing regular gigs around Melbourne. The Soul Tappers look set to provide a musical landscape that all can relax and enjoy and some bold enough may even wish to dance to….

Actors

SpArtA is fortunate to have the talented Intermediate students from MBCTA Youth Theatre and the Australian College of Dramatic Arts as entertainers at this year’s Awards. The students have adapted work performed as part of their two strands of skills development - stage and/or screen. This talented group of teenagers is led by Merilyn Brend, 2006 SpArtA VET in Schools Excellence award winner. Merilyn will be ably  assisted by Kacey Hocking, 4th year Rusden student (drama/dance) who choreographed some of the entertainment.

Dance Factory

Victoria’s longest established performing arts course and centre continues to offer the highest level of training, preparation and professional graduate employment in Australia, due to the professional experience, quality and ongoing commitment of the teaching staff and the range of classes on offer.All major Australian Musicals of recent years have been a showcase for the talents of DANCE FACTORY students including Fame, Chicago, Grease, Fiddler on the Roof, Sweet Charity, Miss Saigon, West Side Story, Cats, Crazy for You (Broadway & Aust.) , Beauty and the Beast, Smokey Joe's Café, Joseph, A Chorus Line and Dancin’ Man.

SpArta Awards Night Thursday 19 June 2008

SpArta, Verve's annual Awards night with a difference will be held on Thursday 19 June at last year's venue, CQ (Citiclub on Queen). The Awards night is a chance to celebrate and promote the achievements of those excelling in the cultural and recreation sectors as students, teacher/trainers, employees and employers. Profiles of last years winners can be found at SpArtA Awards page. Nomination forms for the 2008 awards will be available on our website from mid February and we encourage you to start thinking about potential nominees early.

SpArt

As a result of feedback indicating that people would prefer a series of shorter, industry relevant workshops over a full day conference, Verve will not be holding the SpArt conference this year. Instead Verve will host four workshops, some in partnership with industry. A full list of sessions will be posted on the website soon. In the meantime, you are welcome to contact us if you are interested in partnering with us or sponsoring an event. Any enquires can be directed to Genevieve on 9614 5566 or email genevieve@verve.org.au