Northern Territory Government partners with NIDA to boost skills in creative industries

The Northern Territory Government has partnered with Australia’s leading performing arts educator, the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) to boost skills across the Territory’s creative industries.

The partnership cements the Territory as a world class destination for major screen productions and a collaboration between Screen Territory, Arts NT and NIDA will provide subsidised training opportunities for Territory creatives and support industry growth and employment.

The program will present a series of face-to-face NIDA training courses in specific areas designed to fill skills shortages and build the talent pool of Territory creatives. This includes screen practitioners, theatre and live events staff, performing arts, publicity and promotion workers.

A number of one-day courses for Territory high school students will also be run in conjunction with the workshop program, focused on providing NT youth with a taste of future study or a career in the screen and arts industries.

The training program will commence in early April, with 11 focused training workshops subsidised by both Screen Territory and Arts NT. These include Producing for Stage and Screen, Writing for the Screen, Acting Technique, Acting Technique for Screen, Directing Actors for Screen, Make-up and Hair Essentials, Costume Design Essentials, Props Making, The Confident Voice, Screen Acting on Location, Audition Preparation and Screen Tests.

Screen Territory is offering a limited number of Travel Support – Skills Development grants while Arts NT is offering Quick Response and Professional Development grants for Territorian practitioners who are not based in Darwin. 

For more information on the NIDA courses on offer and scheduled delivery please visit www.screenterritory.nt.gov.au and to enrol in a course go to https://www.open.nida.edu.au/skillsnt.

Northern Territory Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Chansey Paech advises “the creative industries sector has a key role in the Northern Territory that will be strengthened by this collaboration.

“This is very exciting news for us because we have a huge pool of talent across our urban, regional and remote regions ready to take up opportunities across all areas of screen and theatre production.

“NIDA’s national and international reputation for excellence is well known, so it is a major coup for Territory creatives to be able to partake in this program where they will learn from the best.” 

NIDA Chief Executive, Liz Hughes shares “I applaud the strategic initiative and ambition of Screen Territory and Arts NT to support the development of the creative industries as a central pillar of economic development in the NT.

“NIDA’s training is perfectly positioned to realise this exciting ambition.  We are looking forward to commencing practical skills training for NT storytellers across a range of disciplines. Many super-talented, creative individuals are from the NT, including a number of successful NIDA alumni, and we are excited by the potential of this program to provide a pathway for emerging creatives.”

NIDA Graduate and Award-winning actor Rob Collins added "NIDA provided me with an outstanding base for building my craft and launching a career in both Screen and Arts, and I am excited for my fellow Territorians to have access to the world-class facilities and training of NIDA through this program.

“The Northern Territory is rich with storytellers and talented creatives who, with access to this kind of in-person training, will have greater networks and opportunities to realise their potential. I look forward to working with them in the future!"

 Image: Territorians Rob Collins and Miranda Tapsell are prominent alumni of NIDA.