Experience

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  Interact Australia

  • Abbotsford convent

  • Visual arts facilitator

    • Jun 2013 - Present
    • Abbotsford convent

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  i see magical creatures

  • Production Artist

    • Jan 2013 - Present

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  The Nylon Zoo - Melbourne

  • VIC & NSW

  • Coordinator & facilitator for VIC & NSW

    • Oct 2012 - Present
    • VIC & NSW

    Evelyn Roth’s Nylon Zoo welcome the young and young at heart to join us for an unforgettable celebration of magic, colour, movement and play. The Nylon Zoo is an interactive, celebratory event held inside & around a fantastical friendly GIANT INFLATABLE SALMON, complete with wild & whimsical costumes, dance, music-making, theatre and story time. Together we will go on a wondrous journey of the imagination!Join The Nylon Zoo-Keepers Lea Loveheart, Katie Cowbell, Rhino Rock & many more from our magical menagerie to dress up in our hand-stitched animal costumes, to imagine, dance, play, perform and to create The Nylon Zoo Animal Parade - you are the dancers and the performers! Fly like a bird, hop like a bilby, twirl your rainbow flower cape & bobble like a hoopla mushroom! The costumes fit magical creatures of all ages and are designed to make you move. Oh and make sure you bring along your croakiest cockatoo cries or your most magical marsupial murmurs and get ready to chime, bang and clang along as we create a roving Nylon Zoo Orchestra together! Then get ready to enter the belly of our giant inflatable salmon for story time. Our magical multi-coloured salmon, hand-stitched from hundreds of pieces of nylon fabric, will hold a spellbound audience captive as we share participatory stories, songs and music that celebrate life, colour and everyday magic.“Together we will create a realm where stories interweave with musical magic from another time & world. Join us to plant the magical seeds of creativity that will unlock the imagination within us all!” - the magical salmonContact THE NYLON ZOOwww.facebook.com/thenylonzoo 160 Johnston St, Collingwood VIC 3066 [email protected] dial us on 0415030720

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  Arts Access Victoria

  • Get out! Frankston studio

  • Artist facilitator

    • 2012 - Present
    • Get out! Frankston studio

    Get Out! is a visual and performing arts program for adults with a disability, providing respite for their family and voluntary carers. Get Out! is designed for adults with a disability, including those with an intellectual, physical, sensory disability or an acquired brain injury. Get Out! is facilitated by professional visual and performing artists, and qualified support workers.The program has developed over eight years in response to the interests, needs and skills of participants. In 2006, the group created a performance piece incorporating music, drama, set design and costume making. In 2007 the group focussed on the convergence of performing and visual arts practice. The group produced a short film Blue Bye You, using life-size marionette puppets. The group has also participated in a community parade in Frankston. In 2009 Diane Doesn’t Sleep, an engaging, surreal performance featuring art, stories, music and sculpture, was performed at Cube 37, Frankston Arts Centre. 2011 saw the group present No Drama at the Uniting Church in Frankston, a series of small vignettes showcasing the individual passions and creativity of the group members.The group recently created a public performance piece in December 8th 2012, in Franskton, Sound and Vision. Sound and Vision explored the many facets of communication and dialogue using percussion, hand sculpted mega phones and movement.In addition to all the art activities, Get Out! offers adults with a disability an opportunity to meet people who share similar interests.Lea is a recent recruit to the program and works as a supporting artist facilitator.

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  Access Inc

  • Caulfield North, Melbourne

  • Program Coordinator - Movement, Dance & Music, Visual Arts & Community Access

    • Nov 2011 - Present
    • Caulfield North, Melbourne

    Access inc is a not-for-profit organisation working to help integrate people with disabilities into the Melbourne Jewish community. Lea works in a coordination, administrative and creative support capacity across two distinct arts-based programs.

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  Storyscapes - A Moving Story of Diff-ability

  • Melbourne, Australia

  • Community Cultural Development Program Co-coordinator

    • Oct 2010 - Present
    • Melbourne, Australia

    Lea Czikowski is a community artist facilitator, documentarian and qualified teacher specialising in inclusive arts programs tailored to marginalised groups, in particular people of all abilities. Working across a range of mediums, Lea applies her visual arts, pedagogic and community development skills to design and facilitate short and long-term community arts workshops that cater to all abilities. Lea incorporates dynamic play-based methodologies, utilising the visual, theatrical and digital artistic realms to deliver high-quality arts outcomes that are both educationally and artistically valid. Lea is currently co-coordinating and facilitating the creation and implementation of facilitating ‘story-scaping’ workshops – a process that she has pioneered with several co-arts facilitators. Story-scaping involves the utilisation of various arts and multi-media tools to create stories that are not reliant oral and written communication styles in order to be accessible to a wide range of artists of varying abilities. Story-scaping is an evolving multi-arts process that relies on group participation, is non-hierarchical and results in high quality multi-arts outcomes (for example a visual moving story that can be screened at festival/within schools etc).

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  Joint Councils Access for All Abilities (JCAAA)

  • Within the Cities of Bayside, Port Phillip, Glen Eira and Stonnington -Melbourne

  • Arts Program Team Leader, Artist & facilitator

    • Apr 2010 - Present
    • Within the Cities of Bayside, Port Phillip, Glen Eira and Stonnington -Melbourne

    The JCAAA facilitates partnerships between a range of community-based sport, recreation and arts providers, and services within the disability health, education, government and community sectors. Lea applies her visual arts, pedagogic and community development skills to design and facilitate short and long-term community arts workshops that cater to all abilities.She is currently employed as a community artist facilitator within local government and private organisations, including the Port Phillip council’s innovative JCAAA. Lea currently assists in the facilitation of still/moving image, circus skills development, dance, sports, lifestyle and music programs and support other programs including a cooking program, recreational life skills, yoga and theatre.

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  my red dress

  • Melbourne, Australia

  • Owner and Sole Proprietor

    • Apr 2010 - Present
    • Melbourne, Australia

    'my red dress' (MRD) is a platform for makers, creators and lovers of glamtastic gorgeousness to collaborate in concocting divine deliciousness, in wearable wonder and in visual va-va-voom. With a heartfelt commitment to community cultural development to boot, MRD may just be the shining gold petals of a rare heirloom rose. Rest assured MRD balance our pure hearts with a liberal dousing of sass, a splash of splendour and a wee pinch of irony. MRD is an arts-based business platform from which Lea produces and sells a number of her own arts products, including short illustrated stories, paintings, still and moving imagery and artisanal condiments. It is also a platform for collaboration with other arts facilitators and arts programs in and around Melbourne.

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  Circus Oz

  • Port Melbourne

  • All Abilities Circus Skills program support

    • Mar 2010 - Present
    • Port Melbourne

    Circus Oz was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1978. The company’s 30th birthday year marked three successful decades of international touring, as well as confirming its place in the hearts of generations of Australians. From New York to Hong Kong, Circus Oz has taken its self-crafted performances of wit, grace and spectacle to 26 countries across five continents, to critical acclaim. The Circus Oz show is a rock-n-roll, animal free circus that adults and children can enjoy together. Expect two hours of breathtaking agility, death-defying stunts, awe-inspiring acrobatic performances, irreverent comedy and a spectacular live band.Circus Oz has a strong belief in tolerance, diversity and human kindness. For many years the company has engaged in issues associated with social justice and a good time for all, including work each year with many charities, indigenous communities and the raising of nearly $250,000 in donations to support refugees and asylum seekers.Circus Oz works in partnership to provide accessible weekly programs to develop the capacity of young people of all abilities.

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  Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre - Institute of Training

  • MSAC

  • International Day of People with a Disability Arts & Recreational Events Coordination

    • Nov 2012 - Dec 2012
    • MSAC

    Lea coordinated the arts and creative activities for the Melbourne-wide annual celebration of IDOPWAD at MSAC.

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  Cities of Bayside, Stonnington & Port Phillip

  • Atrium Space - Cities of Bayside, Stonnington & Port Phillip

  • Joint Councils Access for All Abilities (JCAAA) Annual Exhibition Curator - 'Reflections'

    • Jul 2012 - Oct 2012
    • Atrium Space - Cities of Bayside, Stonnington & Port Phillip

    The JCAAA 'Reflections' exhibition at the Artrium Space presented chosen pieces produced by participants of JCAAA’s Arts programs throughout 2012. The exhibition explored the theme of individual and collective identity, with a particular focus on portraiture, whimsical landscapes, flora & fauna and the man-made world. A variety of mediums were showcased, including charcoal, pastels and lino cutting & printing techniques. Lea continues to advocate for artists of all abilities and acts in a curatorial capacity, most recently curating the JCAAA’s annual art exhibition to showcase the creative output of participants across a range of programs with which she is involved. For a review and pictorial account of the event visit www.studiopossum.com/2012/09/06/reflections-exhibition

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  AusAID

  • Universidad de Santa Isabel - Naga City (Bicol Region), Philippines

  • Australian Youth Ambassador for Development (AYAD) Community Engagement Facilitator

    • Feb 2009 - Feb 2010
    • Universidad de Santa Isabel - Naga City (Bicol Region), Philippines

    The AYAD Program aims to strengthen mutual understanding between Australia and the countries of Asia, the Pacific and Africa and make a positive contribution to development. The Program achieves these aims by placing skilled young Australians on short-term assignments in developing countries. AYAD volunteers work with local counterparts in Host Organisations to achieve sustainable development outcomes through capacity building, skills transfer and institutional strengthening. AYAD assignments cover a diverse range of sectors including Education, Environment, Gender, Governance, Health, Infrastructure, Rural Development and Trades. The AYAD Program is the youth stream of Australian Volunteers for International Development, an Australian Government, AusAID initiative that deploys skilled volunteers to live and work in developing countries as part of the overseas aid program. The Universidad de Santa Isabel - Community Extension Services (CES) emphasizes alternative socio-cultural educational initiatives, assisting in the identification, development and facilitation of small-scale income generating projects, health, nutrition and other developmental services in the pursuit of improved living standards and the empowerment of marginalized communities. Lea facilitated a variety of community projects focusing on creative, agricultural and functional skills development. This encompassed the implementation of an international Pen-pals elementary schools exchange programs, weekly functional literacy programs development and facilitation, the implementation of an at-risk childrens storybook and multi-faceted livelihood enterprise expansion projects. She also developed and implemented environmental and fair-trade oriented social justice forums as well as facilitating ongoing community Disaster Risk Reduction training seminars.

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  Carclew Youth Arts

  • Youth Arts Program Team leader, Facilitator and Pop-up Stall Coordinator

    • Jan 2004 - Jan 2007

    Carclew Youth Arts is South Australia’s only multi-artform and cultural organisation dedicated to artistic outcomes by and for people aged 26 and under. It provides young people with opportunities to try different artforms, supports emerging artists to develop their craft and advocates for youth arts practice.Carclew’s programs consist of workshops, events, arts projects, funding programs, and skill development opportunities, which:Provide funding, scholarships and mentoring opportunities for South Australian artists aged 26 and under.Provide funding for youth arts organisations working with children and young people.Connect artists with South Australian schools, teachers and students.Help young South Australians connect with arts industry professionals.Provide South Australian artists with affordable rehearsal, performance and exhibition spaces.Profile and celebrating young South Australian artists.Connect children and young people to the arts across South Australia.Lea assisted with the ongoing functional facilitation of youth arts and crafts workshops programs as well as promoting and maintaining other CCD-based outreach programs and arts awareness initiatives/events.