La Mama Community

The La Mama Community program has been developed from and always been responsive to requests and needs of the community. With a local focus, La Mama has partnered with service and support organisations such as Adult Multicultural Engagement Services (AMES), Disability Services (Back to Back, DVA, Rollercoaster), Neighbourhood Houses, drop-in-centres, international student services and hostels and accommodation providers. La Mama has run workshops, devised and presented performance, provided free tickets and transport through our Community Access Ticket Scheme, as well as provided many a free cup of coffee and a space to connect for disenfranchised individuals in the community. La Mama Community also focuses on cross-sector relationships within the community (ie. Mental health networks, Melbourne University Science Gallery, COASIT, Readings, Carlton Residents Association, local schools) to activate and nourish the local community, and provide access to the theatre for communities who might not be connected.

From 2022 – 2025 La Mama Community will draw on existing relationships and continue to respond to needs and opportunities, but will be able to provide more space for community events in the Rehearsal Hub in the newly built La Mama, as well as in the dedicated six weeks across July – August at the Courthouse (alongside Playreadings and Emerging programs). We will continue to offer free tours to schools, community groups and organisations and will continue to participate in Open House Melbourne, opening our doors for free community history tours. We will also involve a local First Nation’s elder to contextualise this recent history within an Indigenous history. We will continue our Community Ticket Access Scheme, providing free tickets and transport to those in need.

We also intend to introduce A Day in Carlton: Coffee, Cake and Culture: a project that partners La Mama with Carlton neighbours such as COASIT Museo Italiano, Readings Bookshop and Nova Cinema. Student groups, visiting tourists and other community groups (ie. CAE) would be able to learn of Carlton’s unique history, explore what Carlton now offers, visit Melbourne University, Kathleen Syme Community Centre, take a history of La Mama tour, enjoy the local food on offer and enjoy some culture with a film at Cinema Nova and a play at La Mama.

For community inquiries please contact our Outreach and Community Engagement Producer, Myf Powell myf@lamama.com.au