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International and national speakers, including John McGrath, founding Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Wales and Lee-Ann Buckskin, Manager of the Aboriginal Arts Development Programme for Carclew Youth Arts in Adelaide, provided insights into how to increase young people's participation in the arts; the educational and social benefits of involving young people in the arts and developing young audiences at this week's Creative New Zealand sixth National Arts Conference.

Introducing the conference, Creative New Zealand Senior Manager, Arts Policy, Capability Building and International, Cath Cardiff explained "Creative New Zealand's annual arts conference provides a vital forum for our artists, arts practitioners and organisations to share ideas and insights.

"This year's theme, young people and the arts, is of crucial importance to the future of the arts in New Zealand."

The invitation-only event was held at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau on Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th June.

International speakers at the conference included:

John McGrath is the founding Artistic Director of National Theatre of Wales. His company has won awards for their landmark, large-scale, site-specific productions (The Persians, Coriolan/us, The Passion) as well as intimate events in a variety of spaces including a domestic house, a beach, and a forest; always rooted in local communities and often making use of digital technologies.

Lee-Ann Buckskin is a Narungga, Wirangu, Wotjobaluk woman from South Australia and Victoria and the first woman to chair the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Arts Board of the Australia Council. She manages the Aboriginal Arts Development Programme for Carclew Youth Arts in Adelaide, where she works closely with indigenous communities across South Australia. On four occasions Lee-Ann has produced Blak Nite, South Australia's leading Indigenous Youth Arts showcase, as part of the Come Out Festival.

Dean Merlino is a lecturer at the Centre for Cultural Partnerships at the University of Melbourne. He is a researcher in music and sound and the role of arts in the community.

A wide range of New Zealand arts organisations also shared their ideas and work, including The Mixit Project, an Auckland community arts project that uses creativity to empower young refugees and innovative Auckland theatre company, Massive.

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