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Published: February 17th 2012
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Camp Creative
My class: Portraiture & Still Life in Oils. Bellingen has a reputation as a rural centre for the arts, and Camp Creative is its January tradition.All participants jump in feet first; their aim is to participate and have a go. Bollywood Dancing. Hip Hop. Aboriginal Dreaming. Beginners' Wind Instruments. Advanced Guitar. Travel Writing. Life Writing. Poetry. Acrylics Bootcamp. Mood in Water Colour. Acrylics Beadwork. Solar Etching. Portraiture and Still life. Wood and Stone Carving. Photography. World Cookery.
A retired musician ran a music camp in 1986; it flourished and other disciplines clustered as if it were a magnet. Last January was Camp Creative’s twenty-sixth year and the biggest camp yet. Over one thousand participants spilled out of Bellingen High School, into the Primary School and other community venues in this small rainforest town on NSW’s mid north coast. 2012 was my first experience.
Classes ran from nine til four everyday and special events took place in the evenings. The party in the town park, with entertainment from the performing arts tutors and food stalls run by local restaurants, was popular on Thursday evening. The pianist David Helfgott (known to international audiences from the movie
Shine) had top billing at the Wednesday Celebrity Concert, as he does
Camp Creative
Inside the Arcylics Bootcamp studio. every year.
David’s wife Gillian is Vice-President of the camp and the Helfgotts are two of its patrons. Best-selling author and fellow resident of Bellingen, Bryce Courtney, is the third. He was not available to teach a writing class or give his usual inspirational address to campers this year. But the campers still felt that what they were doing was important as well as fun.
Participants were free to drop in on other classes whenever they wanted, but Friday was the main day for sharing. The kids gave a concert at lunchtime, with the Spaghetti Circus an absolute knock-out. Members ranged from seven to sixteen years; many of them already had veteran tumbling and clowning skills. Campers wandered through the visual arts classrooms during the afternoon, admiring finished craft and artistic output. The crowded evening concert showcased the adult performing arts. The group that studied Aboriginal Dreaming went first; they were followed by separate wind, guitar and drum orchestras; then there was dancing and singing of all types. The song-writing class even presented an original recording.
Campers develop great loyalties and make the experience part of their annual summer holidays. Vanessa, a student nurse, attended for
Bellingen
The main street of the town retains traditional charm. the seventh year in a row. She’d taken classes in beadwork, horse massage, glass mosaic, and this year did oil painting. Vanessa’s mother was there for the fourth time; this year she turned seventy and started learning the clarinet.
Gay from Armidale always camps in a large family group with several tents, caravans and sleeper vans. She too has attended many Camps and boasted, “We have four generations here this year.” She and her mother took a cooking class together, and produced dishes from a different country every day. Her daughter carved stone sculptures for the garden; her granddaughter made thirteen pieces of clay jewellery, and her grandson learned to tap dance.
Speaking to
The Coffs Coast Focus Gillian Helfgott said, “I think the more we can do to help people get in touch with their creativity, the better. Usually creativity requires activity, and people who are active are more fulfilled in their own lives.”
Booking and Accommodation
The Camp Creative website reopens for bookings in the middle of the previous year. It is possible to reserve a place in a half-day or a whole-day class. The cost for five days of tuition in around
Bellingen Showground
Camping beside the cowshed. It got much more crowded, and I was happy to move inside when it started to rain. $300.00.
Participants stay in in pubs, guesthouses and family billets in
Bellingen . The Show Ground is open to campers ($8 unpowered, $10 powered, hot showers for all; no bookings, just show up). Since January is the rainy season those with leaky tents can put them inside the cattle sheds. An alternative is to find accommodation in motels and van parks on the coast, at
Urunga a dozen kilometres away or in
Coffs Harbour (30km).
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anonymous
non-member comment
Hi Gillian,
It is so good to see you blogging again. Camp creative sounds exciting. Love the kangaroo photo!