learn | teach | connect
Professional Development
Throughout the year, Tantrum hosts professional artists to support classroom teachers, teaching artists, facilitators, tutors and practitioners to upskill, gain confidence, and reignite the spark for drama and performance. Previous organisations and artists who have shared their skills in our Teacher Professional Development Series include Yve Blake, Milk Crate Theatre, Lingua Franca Theatre, and Paper Cut.
We also host Tantrum Teachers Forum, a community of educators dedicated to the future of arts in schools, and includes free professional development. Learn more and register your interest below.
Sign up to our e-news to be the first to hear about upcoming professional development workshops.
Tantrum Teachers' Forum
Free professional development for teachers.
Tantrum Teachers’ Forum is a community of educators dedicated to growing their practice and shaping the future of arts and creativity in schools in Newcastle and the Hunter.
As a forum participant, you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Enrol in free professional development opportunities
- Share your expertise by steering and guiding Tantrum’s work in schools
- Connect with a network of like-minded teachers
- Advocate for creativity and champion the role of the arts in education
This is a free reciprocal exchange program: your voice helps shape Tantrum’s work, and in return you gain access to high-quality professional development and a supportive teaching community.
At each forum, we’ll have three sections of engagement:
- Learn. 60 minutes of professional development workshops led by Tantrum and our associate artists
- Share. 30 minutes community of Practice (CoP) session, discussion school ‘hot topics’
- Connect. 30 mins to chat, connect and network with your peers
Who should attend?
We engage Teachers who work across ages 9-18 years. You might be a Drama teacher looking to refresh and learn new skills, an English teacher looking to liven up literature, or a classroom teacher who wants to bring more creativity into the curriculum. You are all welcome.
If you have any queries, please email us at info@tantrum.org.au
Next Forum
When: Wed 4th March 4pm to 6pm
Professional Development Workshop: Inclusive Arts Practice Through Theatre Making.
Led by Executive Director Paul Adams and Creative Director Penelope Kentish.
Share Topic: Searching for Artful Experiences.
Venue: Maitland Regional Art Gallery, 230 High St, Maitland New South Wales 2320
Read more below.
Upcoming Teachers' Forum and Professional Development
4pm to 6pm, Wed 4th March
Maitland Regional Art Gallery, 230 High St, Maitland New South Wales 2320
Join us at Maitland Regional Art Gallery (MRAG) as we explore inclusive arts practice.
Tantrum Teachers’ Forum continues to meet in 2026 – a community of educators dedicated to growing their practice and shaping the future of arts and creativity in schools in Newcastle and the Hunter.
Learn topic:
Inclusive Arts Practice through Theatre making.
Team Tantrum will be introducing ‘Making Space’ – a new professional development program available throughout 2026. Tantrum has spent 50 years exploring inclusive art making with children and young people across the Hunter. Over those years, our team have worked with accessibility and inclusion as a core driver for engagement, ensuring radically flexibility is deployed to support all participants to engage and contribute.
The session will be practical, drawing on ideas and accessible practice from theatre making, including the creative use of audio description, captioning and visual storytelling. We will consider how to plan and design inclusive environments for learning and consider how to integrate accessible activities and tools through the lens of the aesthetic of access in theatre.
Share Topic:
Searching for artful experiences!
Inspired by the environment and exhibits of Maitland Regional Art Gallery, we want to have a conversation about the artful experiences you are seeking out in 2026. Whether in school, after school or an excursion, what are the ways you are encouraging and providing arts exposure for your learners?
Agenda
[3:45pm to 4pm] Arrival.
[4pm to 4:30pm] Connect. Enjoy a short tour of the gallery while connecting with your peers. 30 minutes.
[4:30pm to 5:30pm] Learn. Inclusive Arts Practice through Theatre Making. 60 minutes.
[5:30pm to 6pm] Share. Searching for Artful Experiences! Community of Practice (CoP) conversations. 30 minutes.
[6pm] Close.