The Naracoorte Academy of Performing Arts.
WHAT WE DO
Through NAPA Club and NAPA Holiday Programs, young people can explore Drama, Musical Theatre, Singing, Dance and Performance, working with experienced educators, professional facilitators and performers.
Our programs are about more than performance. We want young people to build confidence, develop skills, make friendships, take creative risks and find a place where they belong.
WHY NOT-FOR-PROFIT?
We believe affordability for families should not come at the expense of the professionals delivering our programs.
As a not-for-profit, program fees, grants, sponsorship and fundraising are reinvested into NAPA, helping us keep participation affordable while paying our artists and facilitators appropriate industry rates.
As we grow, we aim to provide more subsidised places, bring professional artists into the region and expand opportunities for regional young people.
OUR VISION
We believe where a young person lives should never limit where their creativity can take them.
NAPA exists to bring professional creative opportunities closer to home, support regional artists and build a thriving Performing Arts community for the next generation.
SO FAR...
And we're only getting started.
In our 2025 NAPA Summer School, 28 young performers participated in a week of Performing Arts, supported by 6 teenage volunteers who gained valuable leadership and creative experience.
Our first NAPA Club continued that momentum, with 35 young people enrolling across the 10-week program, demonstrating the demand for ongoing Performing Arts opportunities within our community.
That's already 69 opportunities for regional young people to participate, create, lead and belong.
And this is just the beginning.
Naracoorte Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) is a regional, not-for-profit organisation providing affordable, professional Performing Arts opportunities for young people aged 7–16 in Naracoorte and surrounding communities.
OUR STORY
NAPA was founded by Elizabeth (Lizzy) Stewart, a Drama educator and Applied Theatre practitioner whose career has taken her from London’s West End and professional theatre environments to schools and community theatre projects internationally.
Lizzy trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London, completing a BA (Hons) in Drama, Applied Theatre and Education. Her work has included secondary education in the UK and Australia and community-based Applied Theatre projects in Johannesburg, South Africa.
After moving to regional South Australia, Lizzy saw highly creative young people with far fewer opportunities to access professional Performing Arts experiences than those living in metropolitan areas.
Regional schools provide valuable Arts education but face the realities of staffing, budgets, curriculum requirements, facilities and geographical distance, which can limit access to specialist artists and professional experiences.
NAPA was created to help bridge that gap.
Our community research supported this need: 87% of surveyed families reported insufficient local Performing Arts opportunities, while 92% expressed interest in Performing Arts programs.
Our Values
NAPA's values were created with our students. Together, they discussed how they wanted to feel, behave and support one another as a group. From these came our shared values of Respect, Empathy, Pride, Resilience, Growth and Inclusivity, which guide how we learn, create and perform as a community.
Respect
We respect ourselves, each other, and our space by listening, being safe and honouring boundaries.
Empathy
We show empathy by being kind, understanding different perspectives, and supporting others.
Pride
We take pride in our work, our effort and who we are by always trying our best
Resilience
We keep going when things feel challenging and learn from mistakes.
Inclusivity
We welcome everyone and celebrate differences so all people feel they belong.
Growth
We embrace learning, take creative risks and aim to improve every day.
Sponsorship
NAPA is a not for profit organisation, we want to ensure that all students receive the best quality experience.
For us to continue providing a high quality and cost effective program, we do heavily rely on Grants and Sponsorship to assist us.
If you are interested in joining NAPA as a sponsor, please get in contact with us.