Sitting in the audience watching their child perform on centre stage, parents might imagine their young one becoming the next Geoffrey Rush, Deb Mailman or even Keith Urban.
Yet even if stardom isn't in the offing, research* indicates that arts participation, to varying degrees, positively impacts on young people by boosting their social and personal development, attitude to learning, literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving, organisational and communication skills.
The Department of Education, Training and the Arts is playing a key role in nurturing student involvement in the arts with a new awards program, Creative Generation Excellence Awards in the Arts, to be held for the first time this year.
The awards will celebrate student achievements in instrumental and contemporary music, dance, drama, visual arts and design, and film, television and new media.
Up to 130 senior students selected from metropolitan, regional and remote areas will have the chance to come together and take part in hands-on workshops run by highly respected Queensland arts industry professionals, giving them invaluable skills and experience.
Arts award programs can help students make the leap from school events to a promising career in the arts, as six students from Woodridge State High discovered last year.
The members of the school's gospel choir were 'spotted' at the 2007 Creative Generation - State Schools Onstage, a professional show at Queensland Performing Arts Complex, which led to them performing alongside country superstar Troy Casser-Daly and rock trio Evermore.
Former Year 12 student Tabitha Grashuis said two different audience members recommended the teenagers to Evermore and Troy Cassar-Daly, who each had separate needs for gospel singers at the time.
'It was an awesome experience. Six of us joined Troy during the day when he made a music video and then we performed live with Evermore that night,' Miss Grashius said.
'We credit our music teacher Dave Stuart (Woodridge State High School) for encouraging us to audition for Creative Generation - and for sowing the seeds of our music career.
'Through our busking we've now sold more than 700 CDs of our music that focuses on social and political lyrics with a gospel, reggae and R'n'B sound.
'Hopefully the only place we have to go from here is up!'
For more information on the awards please visit the Creative Generation website.
* Australia Council for the Arts; Education and the arts: research overview; 2005
A scene from this year's Creative Generation - State Schools Onstage.
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