Outer Urban Projects
Performing arts organisation that collaborates with young people and their communities in Melbourne’s culturally diverse, artistically starved, outer northern suburbs.
Outer Urban Projectsaim to create art that has maximum social impact by providing ongoing employment, social and creative engagement, mentoring and education opportunities for young people.
2014 Pitch
Funds raised: $20,300
OUP presented at TFN’s June 2014 collective giving event in Melbourne and raised $20,300 (including $10,150 in matched funding from Creative Partnerships Australia). The funding has been used to employ a part-time Social Enterprise Coordinator for Urban Events, OUP's gigging social enterprise - an investment in dedicated talent management that is connecting young artists with remunerated gigs and galvanising high calibre talent into rewarding employment.
The impact...
Celebrated philanthropist Andrew Carnegie believed that “every act we have ever performed since the day we were born was performed because we wanted something”.
Performing for purpose is something the folks at Outer Urban Projects understand well - and they know what they want: educational opportunities, sustainable employment and social and creative engagement for young people in Melbourne’s disadvantaged outer suburbs (where youth unemployment can stretch as high as 50%). Working in neighbourhoods as culturally diverse as they are vocationally challenged, OUP collaborates with young people to deliver performing arts for maximum social impact.
The funding has been used to employ a part-time Social Enterprise Coordinator for Urban Events, OUP's gigging social enterprise - an investment in dedicated talent management that is connecting young artists with remunerated gigs and galvanising high calibre talent into rewarding employment.
Over 7 months, OUP artists performed in front of combined audiences of 3300 people and the social enterprise created 29 performance opportunities for OUP program participants, 25 opportunities for emerging artists and 9 opportunities for professional artists in paid work.
Performers need a stage and an audience, whether that performance is in the front room or Carnegie Hall. An effective agent preserves space for their artists to practice and perfect of their craft - and like Carnegie himself, OUP recognises teamwork as the fuel that enables common people to attain uncommon results. The Urban Events team has enjoyed immediate returns from investment in coordinated advocacy and resource management – the thrill of each booking, the validation of paid employment and the bourgeoning opportunities to showcase these energetic and talented young performers.
Through its TFN experience, OUP has realised financial and psychic endorsement, along with opportunities and networks to sustain its programs this year and beyond. Capitalising on key learnings in preparation for the June 2014 event, OUP has activated supplementary donor networks and credits TFN pitch coaching with an additional $10,000 funding secured during the past 12 months.
Read their Impact Report
Learn more about Outer Urban Projects.
Supporting Sustainable Development Goals:
