The Stellar Company
The Stellar Company is unique in the ACT.
Founded in empathy, respect and the clear vision that community dance arts can and do bring life changing experiences.
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We offer quality, professionally produced and presented community arts programs.
We run programs that generate new ways to source and receive income.
We seek and create connections in the business worlds to delight and explore new ways of seeing the world.
Stellar builds on the foundations laid in 2006 when Jolanta Gallagher established the Australian Talented Youth Project. Over 80 dancers from across Australia were brought to the capital city to receive mentoring in an array of art forms including music, film, dance and voice. Liz Lea acted as Artistic Director for 3 of ATYP’s national mentoring programs before she was gifted the organisation and Jolanta retired.
Slowly but surely Liz and the team have built the organisation to expand it’s focus, refresh the Constitution, re brand as The Stellar Company and nurture a series of stunning, inclusive and innovative projects for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
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As a team we looked to the stars, reached out to colleagues and artists and saw the change that was needed.
Our programs are steeped in an inclusive, caring and generous approach that engenders the huge support we have received from supporters, funders and participants.
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The Stellar programs were founded in a time of quiet, reflection and enforced stillness. They now gently grow forward and the core funding we are applying for will ensure this investment will bring forth a slew of innovative, business and arts opportunities for the ACT and her artists. This work was undertaken in kind, as an investment in our team. For the organisations to flourish and our artists to fully blossom we seek the core funding that will allow these programs to develop and become embedded in the ACT arts landscape – shining a beacon to the rest of Australia as the arts capital.
We are not in a rush. ATYP has grown up – 16 and coming of age, reaching for the stars that our programs are named after.
We reach for the stars and we invite you to also.
Mission Goals Values
MISSION
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To enrich the culture of Australia through the mentorship of artists of all abilities, ages and backgrounds
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To advocate for the access to and accessibility of Arts in contemporary living
GOALS
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To develop artistic capacity and cultural leadership skills of young artists of all backgrounds and abilities.
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To encourage collaboration across all art forms – music, dance, visual arts, creative writing, film production, and drama.
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To develop and expand artistic networks.
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To support artistic endeavours and celebrate effort and achievement.
VALUES
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Excellence – fulfilment of artistic potential
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Diversity – of art forms, artists, ideas, cultures and places
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Connectedness – artistic identity within diverse communities
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Celebration – bringing the creativity and achievement of young emerging artists together into the Nation’s Capital.
ARTISTIC VISION 2022-27
The Stellar Company began life in 2006 as the Australian Talented Youth Project. We are a multi-arts dance company providing mentoring programs for emerging artists across Australia with a strong focus on First Nations artists.
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We aim to activate professionally produced, quality arts practice through a lens of cultural equity, embedded accessibility, social inclusion and sustainability. Stellar/ATYP has a 16 year history of excellence in nurturing artists of all backgrounds. Directed by Liz Lea, we are broadening our vision to work in a full inclusive, intercultural and intergenerational capacity to bring the social, physical and mental benefits of arts practice to all members of our community. Our community reflects the face of Canberra. We run projects that speak to and serve people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.
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Our Vision for 2022-27 speaks to the core values of the ACT Minister’s Statement of Ambition;
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Stellar Creates – stunning, professional quality, innovative and insightful new work and new programs. We embed current programs with new levels of access and inclusion. We work across generations, across abilities, across cultures, across Canberra, Australia and the world. We run 8 stunning programs which range from well established (BOLD) to completely new (Pleiades). We are forever creating, adjusting, encompassing and we thrive.
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Stellar Develops – new approaches to arts practice which speaks to the communities we spring from. We develop connections between people, art forms, generations, abilities and cultures. We develop science and technology based work alongside good old fashioned joyful dancing. We develop upskilling, reskilling and employment opportunities and we do it in style and in fully accessible fashion.
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Stellar Promotes – Our reputation for quality community arts garners immediate attention and respect, which in turn engenders interest and rising support for what we do.
Australia’s only dance Festival for elders delivered in accessible formats? BOLD Access - Check!
Canberra’s first inclusive dance company? Chamaeleon Collective - Check!
International mentors and connective programs? Gemini - Check!
Australia’s first disability focused dance film festival? I Dance - Check!
Business, dance, arts and mentoring in one program? Pleiades - Check!
Performances programmed across the ACT by leading community dance groups reflecting our community audiences? Stellar Productions - Check!
Putting the A into STEM for STEAM? Sirius - Check!
Supporting Canberra’s newest First Nations dance company? Project Dust - Check!
