July E-News

“Take me where your curiosity leads, & I’ll show you how to listen to the oceans inside trees”

The southern hemisphere is deep in the heart of winter, and we’ve been finding warmth in creativity and connection. In June, we celebrated International Day of Play with insights and explorations from artists and our Co-CEOs, crossed oceans to open the prestigious Theater der Welt in Chemnitz, Germany with Paper Planet, and shared a rich three-company creative exchange with our friends at Rawcus and Western Edge.

Paper Planet. Photos: Nasser Hashemi, Theater der Welt Chemnitz.

Our Spark Child’s Play fundraising appeal featured beautiful video creations from artist Lachlan MacLeod, and following the May premiere season of Forest, artist Briony Farrell offered a creative reflection about the work.

“Let’s meet the forest. 

You and me, 

together. 

Take me where your curiosity leads, 
and I’ll show you how to listen 
to the oceans inside trees.” 

We are proud to share that in October, Bees and Pram People will be presented by Dublin Theatre Festival in partnership with The Ark. Excitingly, these seasons mark the Irish premieres of both works. Pram People Director Emily Tomlins and Sound Designer Lachlan MacLeod will travel to Dublin in September to facilitate creative community workshops with children and families. Personal stories and anecdotes will be recorded and woven into the soundscape, embedding local voices and experiences in the performance. 

Winter holiday fun

“Full engagement, imagination 100%.” Parent

Across the July school holiday, we transformed the gallery spaces at Wyndham Cultural Centre into two deeply immersive, creative worlds with Paper Planet and Sound of Drawing. We loved welcoming so many children and families into the free, drop-in season. Everyone fully embraced the precinct: moving fluidly between both works, spending quiet time in the library, exploring the river, experiencing other shows, and often returning to the gallery to continue creating and playing.

“This is just the best art experience ever.” Child, age 6

Behind-the-scenes Wyndham photos: Julie Wright.

With support from the Wyndham City Council First Nations Creative Arts Officer, four First Nations artists – Anita Weston, Tamay Beam, Rebecca Robinson and Kylie Skew – collaborated with our Sound of Drawing team throughout the week. Sutarath Sinnong from Homemade Puppets in Thailand, alongside the Thai Theatre Foundation team also visited as part of their recent trip to Melbourne/Naarm. These moments of artistic exchange are deeply valued, and we look forward to what future connections may grow from them.

Always was, always will be

Recently, Polyglot was honoured to be invited to the Rumbalara Football Netball Club 30th Anniversary Gala Ball. Project Manager Lexie Wood and Generator artist Lauren Sheree travelled to Yorta Yorta Country to attend. Rumbalara is a proud, strong Aboriginal-led sporting club in Shepparton, VIC, and a vital gathering place for families across sport, health and education.

The Gala was an incredible celebration, with music, speeches and discussion, marking ‘three decades of Invincible Spirit on the field and court and across community – a milestone in a longer Yorta Yorta story of resilience and determination.’ (Rumbalara Football Netball Club).

We extend our deep thanks and pay our respects to the Club’s Elders, leaders and community for welcoming us into this special occasion, and for their ongoing friendship and support. Our relationship provides invaluable creative and cultural development opportunities for Polyglot’s artists and staff, enriching how we work and the art we make and share.

National NAIDOC Week (5-12 July) is an important opportunity for all Australians to learn about and celebrate the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. The 2026 NAIDOC Week theme was Fifty Years of Deadly – ‘a marker, not just of time passed, but of the momentum still building.’ (naidoc.org.au)

Each year, Polyglot’s co-designed Kids Collaboration activity with Rumbalara is based around free creative play and making workshops for the Club’s children and young people on home Game Days. On Saturday 11 July, the kids were invited to paint t-shirts, make artworks, and record interviews and conversations with each other about their connection to the Club, community and Elders. “Everyone was very engaged from the literal second we were in the building. We had children there waiting [for us].” Artist workshop report

Five decades of NAIDOC. Three decades of Rumbalara, one of which we’ve had the privilege of being part of through our Kids Collaboration. More than 65,000 years of children and families creating and playing on this Country. Polyglot is so grateful to make our art here too.

Sovereignty has never been ceded.

Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.

Thank You

Polyglot Theatre and its 2026 Germany and Dublin tours have been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body. Polyglot is also supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.

Polyglot’s project, ‘Creative exchange, training and pathways to strengthen the Victorian Theatre for Young Audiences sector’ is supported by The Ian Potter Foundation.

The premiere season of Forest by Polyglot Theatre was presented and supported by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, with further support from the Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation and the Robert Salzer Foundation. The development was supported by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and ArtPlay City of Melbourne.