A performance project featuring local singers, musicians and community members has been given funding support to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Childers Palace Backpackers Hostel fire.
Produced by writer Rod Ainsworth, THE PALACE: A Commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of The Palace Backpackers’ Fire in Childers is a collaborative work featuring stories in concert.
Brisbane-based composers Topology were awarded a Bundaberg Regional Council Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) grant for $30,000 to compose original music for the performance.
Topology’s Creative Director Christa Powell said the award-winning quintet had a long history of community projects in the Bundaberg Region and were thrilled to be collaborating with Rod on the project.
“Topology’s composer John Babbage is working with Rod’s words to create a sound world that transports you to Childers – the town, the people, the country, and The Palace,” Christa said.
“The music is the emotional narrative.
“There is such beauty in Childers – the people, the town and how the community came together in the face of this tragedy.
“In this work, there are moments of reflection, sadness and heartache along with the joy of community spirit and the resilience of this beautiful town.”
Topology Composer John Babbage was in the region recently, meeting with schools and music teachers about a collaborative approach to writing music for the project.
“With the schools, the workshops I do, I talk a little bit about my process and how I come up with ideas and then I leave the kids to their own devices, and say ‘alright, come up with an idea’,” John said.
“Whether it’s a little melodic line or a rhythm, or just some sounds even, and then I’ll record those ideas, we’ll workshop them and put together a piece of music using those ideas.
“I would like to plant a little seed for generating their musical ideas of what it means to live in Childers, to be part of this community, and what makes it special.”
Instrumental Music Teacher Kerryn Haaksma said the process of creating music with professional musicians was inspiring for the students.
“All of what we play at school has been written down already and we don’t do a lot of improvising or composition,” Kerryn said.
“So, this is something really new for them and it really inspires some of them who are more that way inclined to see what they can do.
“They really feel a lot of ownership because they’re playing the piece that they’ve written, or their friends have contributed to, and it’s their piece.”
There will be two public performances of THE PALACE: A Commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of The Palace Backpackers’ Fire in Childers in June, with booking information to be released closer to the date.
Regional Arts Development Fund
The Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) is delivered locally as a partnership between the Queensland Government, through Arts Queensland, and Bundaberg Regional Council.
Minister for Education and the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said RADF had an impressive track record of supporting local arts and cultural programs across Queensland communities.
“Each year, RADF programs reach more than one million people across Queensland, securing local arts experiences and cultural tourism opportunities in regional areas, as well as supporting local artists in the lead up to Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” he said.
“For 34 years, Arts Queensland has partnered with regional councils to co-invest in local arts initiatives that generate jobs, community engagement and help boost local economies.”
Further information, and how to apply for a RADF grant, can be found here.
