Erth Visual & Physical Inc
Erth Bio
Erth is a team of creators, makers and performers pushing the limits of design, content and experience. Erth’s puppetry-based theatrical productions and innovative community projects have challenged and inspired audiences for more than thirty years, driven by a special interest in natural history, First Nations stories and urban mythology. Erth’s Marrickville-based studio and workshop (at Myrtle St Studios) has conceived, designed and constructed bespoke creations for cultural institutions and commercial clients in Australia and around the world. Whilst the breeding of dinosaurs is a core element of Erth’s operations, the company is constantly exploring new creative territories and collaborations. Erth builds large to small scale puppets and kinetic installations for festivals, theatre makers and museums around the world. The company also collaborates with a range of partners to deliver long range creative and community engagement projects, and deliver specialist industry training opportunities.
Artist statement & inspiration
With a prime focus on environmental sustainability, conservation and social justice, Erth’s core motivation is the creation of emotionally impactful artistic work which, through connecting with audiences young and old, educates, inspires, motivates and empowers people to make an impact in the world through their own actions.
Our core repertoire of family shows – Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo, Erth’s Prehistoric Aquarium and Erth’s Prehistoric World – are regularly touring the country and overseas. In addition to touring around the world, the company’s ongoing push to explore boundaries and devise new work has seen major site specific immersive theatre experiences in public spaces, museums and zoos. In 2024, Erth featured at key national festivals including Enlighten Canberra, Parrtjima Alice Springs, Cairns Children’s Festival, Wagga’s Festival of W and Illuminate Adelaide. We recently completed a 4-month national tour of Arc, a stage show that explores the themes of loss, resilience and hope through the lens of a menagerie of critically endangered animals, as well as seasons of Erth’s Shark Dive, an immersive experience that challenges audiences’ preconceptions about our own role in the conservation of sharks.
Much of Erth’s work celebrates the awe and wonder of the natural world, be it through science and palaeontology in our prehistoric work, or through the profound delight when encountering a great white shark, polar bear or pygmy Sumatran rhino up close. We endeavour to always place the experiences, thoughts and aspirations of young people at the forefront of our work. We regularly collaborate with a brains trust of local young people to seek inspiration, feedback and critical analysis of our works in development, and partner with youth arts companies around the country to co-deliver work, offering volunteering experience and paid professional development through our emerging artist programs.
Upcoming shows
Erth was recently commissioned by the Royal Botanic Gardens to create an elaborate bespoke rainforest canopy for their beautiful plant-based sensory exhibition Alchemy of a Rainforest in the Calyx in the Sydney gardens – it’s well worth a visit, and remember to look up! And keep an eye out for Siegfried & Roy: The Unauthorised Opera which is the feature production in the 2025 Sydney Festival next January – it wouldn’t be a Vegas story without some Siberian white tigers!
We’re running a series of kids workshops as part of the Creative Trails Midjuburi across the weekend of 2-3 November at our Myrtle St Studios. You’ll be able to take a tour of our dinosaur workshop, then make your own Australovenator or Leaellynasaur hand puppet to take home and create your own dinosaur show. These popular workshops sell out fast, so make sure you book in advance.
Creative Trails Midjuburi: Saturday 2 & Sunday 3 November (workshops on both days)
Website www.erth.com.au
Instagram @erthaustralia
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