ROOKE circus company launches arts mentorship program

Launceston-based contemporary circus company ROOKE has launched an initiative to support young, emerging artists in bridging the gap between school and the professional realms.

The ROOKE Emerging Artists Program (REAP) was born out of the company's desire to "engage young practitioners with professional performing institutions and tutors".

ROOKE co-founder Freyja Wild, a world-class athlete with credits in Circus Oz, said REAP's goal is to give time, space and support to developing artists who might feel they have to leave Tassie to have these opportunities.

"We are aware that, particularly here in Tasmania, there's a real trend in performing arts of really great programmes in school up until the age of 18," Ms Wild said.

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"And then there's an amazing, thriving professional arts community, but there's a gap in between."

Ms Wild said that when students finish year 12 and look to a performing arts degree in Tasmania - which she said "has been pretty stripped over the past few years" - they have two choices: "leave the island or find a new career aspiration".

"This year's REAP is a pilot where we're trying to create an alternative pathway to those two options," she said.

The program aims to support young people interested in a career in the performing arts and began in early July, opening Australia-wide but with a Tasmanian preference.

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Depending on the participant's interests - musical, technical, performative or design - the program varies, catering its offering for the particular end-goal of the young artist.

Three Tasmanian and one participant from Canberra have been selected, each being allocated a mentor to guide them through the six-month program.

REAP is both online and in-person and has invited its participants to be part of ROOKE's performances, one of which is Launceston's Grady Lynch.

Mr Lynch will follow ROOKE this week as they perform in Hobart for their circus show Interloper, before returning to Launceston for its July 20th performance at the Princess Theatre.

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"I think it's difficult in Tassie and especially in a smaller sub-sect of performance like the circus to really break into the arts," he said.

"To have a back-stage experience with a company as unique and world-class as ROOKE is such an incredible opportunity."

A professional wrestler with Tasmanian Championship Wrestling, Mr Lynch has an interest in the high-flying aspects of performance and said REAP was perfect for that.

"There's a stigma in Tasmania that the only type of theatre is Shakespeare or musical theatre, but there is so much more to performing arts," Mr Brady said.

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"There's a spotlight to share for everybody and a program like REAP can help any performer but has so much to offer for the circus and the acrobatic side of theatre.

"I think this is the beginning of hopefully more and more mentorship programmes like this from other companies."

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