Carclew is celebrating 50 years of transforming young lives through creativity. The much-loved organisation is calling for its alumni to add their stories to its documented history.

It’s a safe bet that anyone who went to school in Adelaide during the past half-century will have participated in a youth arts event connected with Carclew.

“The impact of Carclew is wide-ranging and across every art form,” says Allison Kane, Carclew senior manager of marketing and development.

This impact cannot be understated, especially for those nascent artists who found their calling and tribe through South Australia’s largest youth arts organisation.

“It’s started careers here that have gone national and international,” says Allison, as she describes to us Carclew’s various programs, awards and grants.

The most recent grant recipients have included playwright/actor Jamila Main, State Theatre Company South Australia resident director Anthony Nicola, indie singer/songwriter Tilly Tjala Thomas, painter and muralist Jasmine Crisp, hip-hop artist Elsy Wameyo, physical theatre artist Kathryn Adams of Alley Kat Collective, and large-scale visual artist Pierre Mukeba.

Now, to celebrate its milestone year, Carclew is calling for people to share their memories and experiences.

“The impact that Carclew’s made and the breadth of that impact – it’s not just children that have come to holiday programs at the iconic Carclew House,” says Allison.

“We take our work and opportunities right across South Australia.

“As far as the APY Lands and into some of the most vulnerable, disadvantaged areas of greater Adelaide to give transformative arts experiences to as many children and young people as we can.”

Carclew youths from the film-camera era

Allison says Carclew is looking for submissions, big or small, in any form, not just written. Past or currently practising artists and art workers, and the countless students who experienced the arts via Carclew, are invited to share their memories and reflections.

“We are looking forward to reviewing the submissions and the stories that have been so generously shared by Carclew alumni,” says Allison.

“Once we have time to absorb them, we’ll make a firm decision on how we will share them with the wider community… including the possibility of creating a series of videos that delve into a selection of the stories and experiences.”

Submissions have begun rolling in, with some reaching back to the early 1970s. Many point to the pivotal role Carclew played in lives across the decades.

“I refer to Carclew as my second home growing up,” says one. “Thanks Carclew, for providing a ray of sunshine in what was otherwise a fairly difficult childhood. You rock!!”

Another shines a light on the organisation’s work in inspiring and mentoring young people to develop a career in the arts.

“Carclew showed me that creativity is an important, integral part of my existence and that a career in it might just be possible.”

Share your Carclew story at website.