With One Voice
Creativity Australia’s community choirs
Creativity Australia’s With One Voice program runs a network of 15 community choirs in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. The choirs unite people aged 9 to 90, from all faiths and all walks of life: migrants, people with disabilities, job seekers, executives, seniors, students, refugees, asylum seekers and more. Creativity Australia is a registered charity.
With One Voice choirs are led by professional conductors and meet weekly, followed by supper. Through the Wish List, participants grant one another wishes big and small: such as work experience, language tuition, free music lessons and more. The choirs help people connect to whatever they need in life: friends, mentors, wellbeing, self-esteem, networks, skills and employment.
Creativity Australia believes empowered individuals and supportive communities are better placed to solve some of society’s biggest challenges, such as mental illness, loneliness and isolation, unemployment and homelessness. The With One Voice program complements the work of other agencies working to combat disadvantage in Australia.
In 2013 and 2014, the With One Voice program was named one of Australia’s top social innovations in Anthill’s Smart 100. This year the program celebrates six years and, following Founder and Chair Tania de Jong AM’s TEDtalk How singing together changes the brain, we’ve had enquiries from across the globe. Pilot With One Voice programs are under development in Holland and the USA.
The neuroscience of singing is proven to make you happier, healthier and smarter… but the With One Voice program offers so much more! To hear the choirs and their inspirational stories visit our video gallery at www.creativityaustralia.org.au.
The team at Creativity Australia are committed to sharing the amazing physiological, social, cultural and economic impacts of community singing with more and more people. Our annual Sing for Spring project gets people singing in their workplaces, community clubs, schools and homes across the nation!
We’re changing the world, one voice at a time!
Twitter: @CreativityAust