This year's NSW Youth Week will run from Thursday 11 April to Sunday 21 April, promising a range of engaging opportunities for young people across the Tweed.
Among the week's highlights are a vibrant youth festival, a free movie event, an open call for entries for the esteemed Wollumbin Youth Art Award (WYAA) and more!
Youth Week is an annual event that celebrates young people aged 12-24 across the state. It aims to promote the contributions, achievements and wellbeing of young people in the community. The theme for this year's festival is Express. Empower. Get Loud!
First up on Friday 12 April from 10 am is the Museum on Wheels (MoW), Tweed Regional Museum's colourful mobile caravan, which will be stationed at the Tweed Regional Aquatic Centre in Murwillumbah, offering young people a last chance to interact with the Museum's GAME ON! exhibition.
Then, on Saturday 13 April Council will be supporting Murbah Youth Fest 2024, a free community event which will kick off at 10 am in Knox Park.
Now in its second year, the festival includes a youth creative market, local bands and performers, workshops games and other activities for young people to get involved in.
Behind the scenes helping to design and deliver the festival are young people from the Murwillumbah Youth Action Group and other local services supporting youth.
Also on Saturday 13 April will be a free movie afternoon at the quaint Kunghur Hall, which will feature a screening of the popular film, Hunt for the Wilderpeople. The event, hosted by Council, will offer attendees free popcorn and complimentary beanbags to chill on while they watch the film.
Local schools such as Tweed River High School and Caldera School will each hold their own events throughout the week.
Council's Community Development Officer Sylvia Roylance said NSW Youth Week was a time to highlight and celebrate young people and their perspectives.
"Supporting these activities across the Tweed Shire is a way we can acknowledge and thank young people for their contribution to the community," Ms Roylance said.
"We really want to empower young people and give them opportunities to express themselves and the diverse perspectives and ideas they bring to the table."
To celebrate the artistic talent and creativity of young people living in the region, Tweed Regional Gallery's Wollumbin Youth Art Award (WYAA) will also be open for entries for people aged 5 – 18 years.
Budding artists are encouraged to enter their work to be in the running for prizes worth $1000. The Award – generously sponsored by the Friends of the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre Inc – will be judged by Children's Gallery Coordinator at HOTA, Home of the Arts, Jodi Ferrari.
Also, for the creatively minded is the Gallery's Youth Collective, which will be doing a special callout for new members during the week. The Collective connects like-minded, creative young people at the gallery to discuss and plan programs and events specifically for them – and is open for people aged 13 to19. TRGMOAC Youth Collective is proudly supported by the Tweed Regional Gallery Foundation Ltd.
Our local Richmond Tweed Regional Libraries will be joining in on the Youth Week festivities with two exciting events: on Monday 15 April, Tweed Heads Library will be calling all Mario Kart lovers for a fun afternoon of Nintendo mania from 10 am to 12 pm.
On Friday 19 April, Murwillumbah Library will host an afternoon of Nintendo Switch and Wii games from 2 to 3.30pm.
National Youth Week is jointly supported by the Australian Government, state and territory governments and local governments.
