15 years ago, preparations were underway for the very first ASPIRE production in the Factory Theatre at Trinity Catholic College. Rehearsals moved between venues across St Francis Xavier’s College, Hamilton and San Clemente Catholic College, Mayfield with students and staff attempting to build something completely new from the ground up.

It was raw, heavily devised and at times chaotic, but it laid the foundation for what would become one of the region’s most significant youth creative arts programs. 

What emerged from that first production was more than a performance. It was the beginning of ASPIRE, a program within Catholic Schools of Maitland-Newcastle built on the belief that young people should have opportunities not only to participate in the arts, but to shape them.

From the very beginning, the focus was on creating original work driven by the ideas, experiences and voices of students themselves. 

Fifteen years later, ASPIRE has evolved into a Diocese-wide creative arts program involving all 58 Catholic schools across the region. What started as a single production now reaches more than 11,800 students annually through workshops, competitions, exhibitions, performances, school collaborations and extracurricular opportunities spanning drama, dance, music, visual arts and creative writing. 

At the centre of the program is the opportunity for students to step beyond the classroom and immerse themselves in authentic creative experiences.

Students work alongside industry professionals, directors, choreographers, musicians, designers, writers and artists who mentor them through professional creative processes, giving young people access to opportunities rarely experienced within a traditional school setting. 

Because ASPIRE involves all 58 Catholic schools across the Diocese, the program also creates opportunities for students to connect far beyond their own school communities.  

Artistic Director Anna Kerrigan said the program has always focused on giving students opportunities to learn through the creative process itself. 

“ASPIRE is about learning and about failing sometimes. Theatre should hold a mirror up to the human race, it should make us question the world around us. And creating theatre should do all those things too,” she said. 

“Each year we strive to produce something that our young audience can connect with and hopefully reflect on.” 

Former instrumental cast member Dominic Moore, who participated in the program from 2012 to 2015 before later returning to work alongside ASPIRE in 2020 and 2021, said the experience created a sense of connection unlike anything else during his school years. 

“Combining the transcendence of the creative arts with a true sense of peer connection is the mixture unique to the Aspire program,” he said. 

“For me, there was no greater joy in high school than Aspire production week. There grew this unspoken knowledge between all cast members that everyone was contributing their individual talents to the creation of an all-encompassing, epic performance.” 

“That feeling of being part of an unfathomable whole is truly special and Aspire gifted that to me during my time in the program.” 

Past ASPIRE member Ollie said the program played a significant role in shaping both his creative journey and career pathway. 

“I would not be an actor today if it wasn’t for Aspire,” he said. 

“Having worked in the industry for a couple of years now, it is rare that I hear about programs with such a level of professionalism and holistic theatre education as Aspire. Not only was I taught the fundamentals of acting but also gifted a deep appreciation and love of the arts in general.” 

“It’s pretty difficult to sustain a love of acting without a community around you – a community that I only found because of Aspire.” 

As ASPIRE marks its 15th year, the 2026 production Scrambled at Civic Theatre Newcastle will be bringing together students from across the Diocese, the large-scale original production combines contemporary storytelling, original music, choreography and ambitious production design in a celebration of creativity and collaboration. 

Fifteen years after those early rehearsals in borrowed spaces, Scrambled reflects how far ASPIRE has grown, from one ambitious production into a creative program helping thousands of young people discover passions, refine talents and experience the power of the arts across every creative discipline. 

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