QPAC’s Out of the Box Festival of Early Childhood: A Case Study Examining Engagement and Participation by Children

Brennan C¹*

1. Festival of Early Childhood, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

The Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) established the biennial Out of the Box Festival (OOTB) of Early Childhood in 1992. From its’ inception, the event has maintained a focus on enriching the cultural lives of children aged 3 – 8 years. The work undertaken by OOTB has been recognised nationally and internationally as a leader in work for and with children. Most recently, OOTB won the 2004 Premier’s Award for Excellence in Public Sector Management – Engaging Communities Award.

The case study presented will examine OOTB as a model for enabling quality engagement and participation by our youngest citizens. Specifically, the case study will focus upon the festival’s positioning of children as active citizen’s contributing to culture now. QPAC acknowledges that childhood is a changing construct, constantly impacted upon by the rapid changes occurring in today’s society. This dynamic social context demands a sophisticated approach to the engagement and participation of our youngest citizens.

The OOTB festival demonstrates that effective engagement and participation emerge through approaches that are responsive to social, political, cultural and economic factors impacting upon children. Some areas impacting upon children’s engagement and participation that will be considered include: workplace cultures; public spaces; public responsibility for children and childhood; support for child rearing; and, acknowledging children’s rights and agency.

The OOTB case study will provide an insight into creative and rigorous approaches to quality engagement and participation by children. It will encourage delegates to reflect upon their own relationships with children in policies, programs and services aimed at building community engagement and enabling participation.