Start Your Own With One Voice Choir

Do you want to make a MASSIVE difference in your community?

Creativity Australia have created a series of How To Guides, videos and resources to assist any local community establish a With One Voice choir, enabling you to change lives and build healthier, happier, more inclusive and stronger communities.

By establishing a local community choir under the auspices of Creativity Australia (as a registered charity) you hold a licence that enables the choir to raise funds to support projects and initiatives at a local level.

If you would like to establish a choir in your local community, submit an Expression of Interest outlining who you are, your community and the need. The first round is now open and entries close 5pm (Victorian time) on 23 November 2016. We will hold subsequent rounds in 2017.

Please find the Expression of Interest information here.

7 Days of Sing for Good

There are only 7 days left of Sing for Good 2016!! It has been wonderful to see all the fantastic entries and generous donations this year. Most importantly it is so delightful to see how much fun people are having in their entry.

We want to keep spreading this joy and all entries as they deserve to be seen. In these 7 days think about your community, think about your friends think about your neighbour, think about the difference you could make in your life and theirs by supporting social inclusion programs like this one.

Sing for Good donations goes towards running With One Voice choirs. They are community choirs that encourage people from all walks of life to come together and unite with singing. Go to our gallery and watch some of the incredible entries. You are guaranteed to have a laugh and definitely smile. Pick your favourites and donate to them. They all have a target, and some are so close to reaching it. Once you have donated a share, the videos with your friends and family.

Grants available to start your own choir

Would you like to make a MASSIVE difference in your community to change lives?

Creativity Australia welcomes all communities from across Australia to apply for seed funding to create a With One Voice community choir and be part of the solution to building stronger communities and reducing loneliness, isolation and disadvantage in their community.

Did you know?

• 8 in 10 Australians think our society is becoming lonelier, while 6 in 10 say they often feel lonely (Lifeline 2016).
• Lacking social connections is as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and people experiencing social isolation have an average of 29% increased mortality (Holt-Lunstad, 2010 & 2015).
• Mental health impacts ~27% of Australians.
• Real unemployment and underemployment continues to increase (~26% over the past 11 years) and approximately 1 million Australian households (nearly 3 million people) experience financial stress.
• Approximately 640,000 Australians (~5%) experience multiple and complex disadvantage leading to increasing levels of social exclusion.

The With One Voice program has been proven to enhance wellbeing, create greater social inclusion and increased community support with 98% of participants experiencing less stress, 91% improved social bonds and 66% less depressed. Furthermore, 79%  of participants have learned new things and gained new skills for work and life, and 60% have gained increased understanding & appreciation of diversity.  The program has also been named in Anthill’s SMART 100 social innovations in 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013.

Deadline is Wednesday 23 November 2016.

Find more information and apply for a grant.

Download the media release.

With One BIG Voice Sing for Good Finale

Change a life today!

Yes, the end of the financial year is near, and at Creativity Australia, we are turning lives around.

Loneliness is the global epidemic of our times. More than 2 in 5 people feel socially isolated and unheard. This leads to mental and physical health issues and economic disadvantage.

You can change this by donating to our life-changing With One Voice program this financial year.

That’s Amore!

Altona Meadows Primary School and With One Voice Altona Meadows Singing Together in Harmony

Last week Benetas St George’s hosted An Afternoon of Dean Martin, a collaboration of students from Altona Meadows Primary School and the members of With One Voice Altona Meadows.

Conducted by With One Voice lead conductor Kym Dillon, the With One Voice Altona Meadows group includes residents of Benetas St George’s Aged Care Facility as well as friends, family and community members. Over several weeks the students of Altona Meadows Primary, lead by Gregory Hall, visited the facility to rehearse with the choir. The students incorporated their musical instrument skills into the songs, and the two groups learned to sing in harmony.

Age proved no boundary, as the two groups delivered a stellar performance to a jubilant crowd at Benetas St George’s on Wednesday.

Click below to see some footage of the event:

Many thanks to Altona Meadows Primary School, and Benetas for hosting. We look forward to more songs and laughter from Altona Meadows!

All are welcome, join With One Voice today.

With One Voice St Kilda performs at Tobin Brothers Art for the Heart Exhibition Opening

With One Voice St Kilda were proud to perform once again at Parliament House, for the opening of The Tobin Brothers Art For the Heart Exhibition.

Art for the Heart is an art exhibition held by Tobin Brothers Funerals that honours the use of creativity as a powerful source of healing and expression during the process of grief. It offers a space for people to tell their stories of loss, love & hope in new ways and to bring the community together to share the often hidden experiences of grief and depression. Many of the artworks were donated for auction to raise money for The Compassionate Friends Victoria.

Head to Youtube for videos.

With One Voice Geelong at Wesley Uniting Church

Creativity Australia is thrilled to announce the new permanent venue for With One Voice Geelong;

The Wesley Uniting Church

As of Monday 16th May 2016, With One Voice Geelong will be held at:

Wesley Uniting Church,

100 Yarra St, Geelong

All are welcome to join, with no need to book ahead or audtion, every

Monday evening from 5:30pm.

Join us in song, in Geelong!

With One Voice Melbourne Has a New Home!

With One Voice Melbourne Has a New Home as of May 10th: The Assembly Hall of The Scots’ Church, Melbourne.

We are delighted to announce that as of Tuesday 10th May, With One Voice Melbourne will have a new location.

The Assembly of The Scots’ Church Melbourne is located on the corner of Collins and Russell Sts, in the Melbourne CBD.

With One Voice Melbourne meets on Tuesdays 6:00pm – 7:15pm.

No singing experience necessary, everyone is welcome. Join Now!

New Conductor for With One Voice Swinburne Boroondara

Creativity Australia is proud to welcome maestro Anthony Barnhill (A.Mus.A., L.Mus.A. distinction) to With One Voice Swinburne Boroondara.

Anthony is a versatile multi-instrumentalist, composer and conductor. As a pianist, his performances have been described as ‘heroic’ (Wilma Smith, concertmaster MSO), ‘sensitive and intelligent’ (ArtsHub review), and displaying ‘incredible showmanship’ (Tina Arena).

Anthony’s credits span live radio (3MBS), national television (Young Talent Time), as guest concerto soloist with MYM, and as Musical Director for the musical ‘Funny Girl’ (winner – best musical direction, 2016 theatrepeople people’s choice awards). He is accompanist for professional entertainers Pot-Pourri, and is currently serving as MD for the musical ‘Disney’s The Little Mermaid’  (June season, Drum Theatre).

Anthony was recipient of Monash University’s Joan Earle Prize in classical piano and recently won the prestigious Margaret Sutherland Bursary.

With One Voice Swinburne Boroondara meets  on Thursdays 5.30pm – 7.00pm, followed by supper. There are no auditions and no singing experience is necessary. Everyone is welcome. Join Now!

Learn to Sign and Sing!

We are very pleased to announce WOV Footscray will be holding a Learn to Sign and Sing workshop on Thursday 03 March 2016.

Join WOV Footscray’s musical director Jane York and Auslan teacher Medina Sumovic in this two hour fun filled workshop to broaden your musical horizons.
Both beginner singers and signers welcome, no experience necessary.

WHEN:  Thursday 03 March 2016,  5.45pm for a 6.00pm start – 8.00pm

WHERE:  African Australian Community Centre, 30a Pickett Street, Footscray

COST:  Free  –  Supper by gold coin donation.

This workshop has been made possible with support from Seddon Community Bank Branch

Please feel free to share this event with colleagues, friends and family!

Kicking off 2016 With One Voice

The With One Voice choir season has officially begun!

Was your New Year’s resolution to get involved in your local community? Was it to express yourself more or to give yourself a chance to sing again? Perhaps it was to make new friends, or reach out to those in need?

Our doors are open and we welcome you to join us at your local With One Voice choir!

Head to our Join A Choir page for all the necessary info.

We started the year off on a great note, with members from around Victoria singing together in the Melbourne CBD for Australia Day. Click below to watch With One Voice participating in the 2016 Australia Day Parade.

Video of With One Voice in the Australia Day Parade, 2016 Melbourne

See you at choir!