OUR COMMUNITY --
Ann-Maree WilletT
Anne-Marie is a Brisbane based strategic partnerships manger, designer, educator and previous Churchill Fellow with a broad network across Australia’s Creative Industries. Ann-Maree has become a passionate supporter of Everybody Now, being one of the first people consulted for The Inaugural Annual Dance Affair.
Her mum Josie was a key contributor to the community research and story collection. Josie played in dance bands around the SE QLD region for 70 years. Everybody Now meet Josie when she was in her late 80’s, still regularly playing at the Upper Coomera School of Arts monthly social dances. She had her 90th birthday as a guest of honour at the first season in 2015. Her stories and music were, and continue to be of great inspiration. With Ann-Marie’s heartful devotion, Josie’s story has since gone on to be captured by the National Library of Australia’s Folklore Collection.
she says --
“My relationship with Everybody Now began in 2015 when I shared stories about my mum, who had been part of a dance band.
From those early conversations I noticed the way they embed themselves into the community was quite distinct. I got to observe how they operate and recognised the enormous experience they have and the legacy they are creating both individually and collectively.
They bring diverse people together across boundaries, class, age groups – it is a real leveller of people. I think people are looking for opportunities to participate in something that is also engaging to them. Everybody now gives people from all walks of life that chance. You can’t remain passive as an audience member in an Everybody Now show – it gets you up and engaged.
They have a creative skill in coming together to tell a story that’s handmade, local and full of social engagement. Storytelling is their biggest asset – people are hungry for it! They have a lot to offer the arts and cultural landscape of Queensland.”
