Northcote Town Hall reimagined by emerging artists as an interactive art scape and a post-colonial paradise of social resistance and celebration

After the sensational success of its first iteration, LET’S TAKE OVER, is back for another year! LET’S TAKE OVER gives 10 talented young people, aged between 16 and 25, the opportunity and the skills to take over the entire Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre building for a one night only arts festival on Saturday 22 February.

Activities on the night include workshops where visitors can learn about Indigenous cultural practice, an interactive theatre piece focusing on smell and the memories they trigger, video art installation reflecting on our relationship to waste, youth panel discussion about ‘young adulting’, performance about young women’s anger, subversive youth art market in the civic square, visual art exhibitions, live music and much more.

Inspired by the Young Producers program at Battersea Arts Centre in the UK, the Melbourne team have been given professional development through a series of guest speakers over 16 weeks, a budget and support to create and produce their own monumental one-day festival.  All participants are paid and develop skills covering marketing, budgeting, programming and curation.

Participants, who have come from different worlds with their own unique skill sets, art forms and life experiences, include Ivy Luo, Fardowza Yussuf, Dashiel Agar, Yasmin Rose, Lauren Sheree, Brittney Hodges, Tallulah McKenzie, Edwina Green, Al Lindeberg, and Ashleigh Morris.

“It’s so rare to be in a generously funded arts program with full creative freedom, especially as a young person. Sessions have been really eye-opening and I’ve loved every second getting to know this interesting group and watching us all grow together,” said participant Tallulah McKenzie.

The event is the first cab off the rank for the 2020 Darebin Arts Speakeasy season. The 2019 season was an overwhelming success and the 2020 Darebin Arts Speakeasy season will be announced shortly, featuring a program of premieres and performances bigger than ever before.

Let’s Take Over is a free event running on Sat 22nd Feb at the Northcote Town Hall.

For more information please visit the Darebin Arts website.