September 22, 2025 • 7 mins
Barking Gecko's CEO Ryan Taaffe dropped in to chat ahead of the school holidays. Ryan says there’s kids have so many questions and imagination, creativity and play help them find the answers. Russell asked about the importance of creating, and how Barking Gecko is breaking down barriers so every child can experience their incredible arts program. Tune in to hear it all.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
School holidays coming up, and as always, there is some
great stuff happening at Barking Gecko. Ryan Taff is the
CEO of Barking Gecko Arts and he's joining us this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Good morning, good morning, old.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
I need all the help I can get to learn Spanish,
but I won't be any help to you. But it's
not about barking Spanish this morning. It's about Barking Gecko,
which is perfect.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
It's been more than thirty five spectacular years now. But
for those who have been living under a rock, tell
us about Barking Gecko Arts.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
Certainly so as you, as you have said thirty five
years of being Barking Gecko. In nineteen ninety six, Awesome
Arts Festival was born from Barking Gecko and then this
year we decided we'd bring them back together, so hence
we're now Barking Gecko Theater Company anymore and also Arts
Australia where Barking Gecko Arts. Two great companies come together.
But we we make work across art forms for children
(00:54):
from zero to twenty one, all the way in there,
exposing kids to creativity because we know that's the most
important skill that we'll need in the future is creativity.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
I feel like kids have never needed it more that
confidence that comes from a class.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Like this completely.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
We know that it helps kids connect. We know that
one in five kids in Australia are reporting feeling lonely.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
So social skills, yes, social.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
Skills, problem solving, collaboration. They've done studies in the UK
where kids are exposed to creativity are more likely to graduate,
get jobs, be employed well. Economic Forum and UNESCO are
saying it'll be the third most needed skill for employment
in the future yep. And that it helps kids imagination
(01:43):
and creativity and play helps kids make sense of the
world around.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
So we're at a critical point, we really really are.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
And instead of instead of kids watching other people's creativity,
it's about learning how to make their own. And it's
okay to enjoy other people's creativity screen or whatever, but
not all the time. Now about learning to make your own.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
That's right.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
And you know, even if you don't use it to
become an actor and actress, musician, designer, you use it
in your every.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Day absolutely, absolutely, no, there's you know.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
The big story that they told that I remember at
a conference was when they went on to map certain viruses.
They gave it to gamers because the virus has moved
too fast. Fr gamers came in yeah and mapped it.
So anything that kind of allows them to problem solve
or imagine a world that they want to live in.
You know, as we move into this future of unknowns,
(02:34):
there's a lot of questions that kids have and using
their imagination and creativity and building that world for themselves
is probably the best way forward that we know that
we can have.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Yeah, well access and inspire.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
The program program is new program Yeah programs because what
we what we realize is that people are doing it
tough at the moment. You know, cost of living has
gone up, not a lot of spare money. Lots of
schools are making the choice between whether they have equipment
or breakfast programs or whatever. So we want to take
that choice away. We'll provide the creativity and the excursion.
(03:07):
We're looking for people who want to come and join
us on that journey of providing creativity wherever they wherever
people are. We want to remove geographic barriers, financial barriers,
social barriers, transport barriers. So we're in the process of
raising the funds so that particularly schools in low xyer
areas or vulnerable areas can have a free excursion to
(03:31):
a community, to a venue in their area. At the moment,
we've got hubs in Kwanana, Kalamunda and Thornley and we
use the CBRT Center as well, so we engage those
schools in their own community and their own venues so
they have some own ownership in their community and feel
sense of belonging in their community. But for those kids
that can't afford it and parents that can't afford it,
schools that can't afford it, we don't think you should
(03:52):
miss out. So we're going to come to you in
whatever form you want us to come to and provide
those creative experience.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
That's great because I mean school holidays start at the
end of this week. Well aware, it's like a locomotive
steaming towards us. So you guys have got the awesome
festival on. So the first week of the holidays, which
is seventy percent is free and the rest is economical,
(04:19):
you know, thirty dollars. So what's what's happening with the
Austin for a week.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
Yeah, it's right, seventy percent is free and the other
thirty percent is under thirty I think it's even under
twenty five dollars so and sety percent. Is also interactive
and immersive.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
So you haven't been that for a week long activity
that's right.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Takes over the Perth Cultural Center or the bits we
can now because it's getting built on. But the Urban
Orchard and the State Hitter Center and the library and
Forest Chase. There's amazing stuff. The Urban Orchard that we
normally know for fringes getting turned into a Teddy Bears
picnic area with a whole lot of stuff to do
with creativity and craft and design and textile and music.
(04:56):
There's the feet bust to get you there. I won't
explain too much about that, but.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Get you.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
Might be onto something. But then we've got shows in
the in the State Theater Center. We've got reasons to
stay inside, which is Barking Gecko's News show, Cinceorium Theater
doing their show Odyssey that works for children with your
adversity and disabilities, Drip Drop, which is another thing.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
It's a lot comes on, you know, talk about doing
these things free or heavily subsidized.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Do you rely on the support of the community. How
can we help? How can people support checking.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Out the awesome festival program on the Barking Gecko website
Arts dot com dot au. Please also try if you
can and you're in the posision too. You're a business,
a philanthropist, corporate and you can not everyone can we
understand that. Please find support us link help.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
The next generation.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Well, if you're a business or corporate, it's only going
they come back to help you.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
So as little as thirty five dollars will help me
keeping the bus.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
I think. I think it's just fantastic what you do
right danger.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
And you've been doing it for so long.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
And no, no, this, I think this would keep you young. Actually,
thanks so much for coming in and telling us about this.
And what was that website again.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Bucking Gecko arts dot com today.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
All right, that's where you want to go to see
where your kids up.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
For the we that's right, and there's an accessibility guide
for those who have children who need more planning.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
If everybody is catered for exactly, Thank you. Ryan would
like with the holidays,
School holidays coming up, and as always, there is some
great stuff happening at Barking Gecko. Ryan Taff is the
CEO of Barking Gecko Arts and he's joining us this morning.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Good morning, good morning, old.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
I need all the help I can get to learn Spanish,
but I won't be any help to you. But it's
not about barking Spanish this morning. It's about Barking Gecko,
which is perfect.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
It's been more than thirty five spectacular years now. But
for those who have been living under a rock, tell
us about Barking Gecko Arts.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
Certainly so as you, as you have said thirty five
years of being Barking Gecko. In nineteen ninety six, Awesome
Arts Festival was born from Barking Gecko and then this
year we decided we'd bring them back together, so hence
we're now Barking Gecko Theater Company anymore and also Arts
Australia where Barking Gecko Arts. Two great companies come together.
But we we make work across art forms for children
(00:54):
from zero to twenty one, all the way in there,
exposing kids to creativity because we know that's the most
important skill that we'll need in the future is creativity.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
I feel like kids have never needed it more that
confidence that comes from a class.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Like this completely.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
We know that it helps kids connect. We know that
one in five kids in Australia are reporting feeling lonely.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
So social skills, yes, social.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
Skills, problem solving, collaboration. They've done studies in the UK
where kids are exposed to creativity are more likely to graduate,
get jobs, be employed well. Economic Forum and UNESCO are
saying it'll be the third most needed skill for employment
in the future yep. And that it helps kids imagination
(01:43):
and creativity and play helps kids make sense of the
world around.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
So we're at a critical point, we really really are.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
And instead of instead of kids watching other people's creativity,
it's about learning how to make their own. And it's
okay to enjoy other people's creativity screen or whatever, but
not all the time. Now about learning to make your own.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
That's right.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
And you know, even if you don't use it to
become an actor and actress, musician, designer, you use it
in your every.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Day absolutely, absolutely, no, there's you know.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
The big story that they told that I remember at
a conference was when they went on to map certain viruses.
They gave it to gamers because the virus has moved
too fast. Fr gamers came in yeah and mapped it.
So anything that kind of allows them to problem solve
or imagine a world that they want to live in.
You know, as we move into this future of unknowns,
(02:34):
there's a lot of questions that kids have and using
their imagination and creativity and building that world for themselves
is probably the best way forward that we know that
we can have.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Yeah, well access and inspire.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
The program program is new program Yeah programs because what
we what we realize is that people are doing it
tough at the moment. You know, cost of living has
gone up, not a lot of spare money. Lots of
schools are making the choice between whether they have equipment
or breakfast programs or whatever. So we want to take
that choice away. We'll provide the creativity and the excursion.
(03:07):
We're looking for people who want to come and join
us on that journey of providing creativity wherever they wherever
people are. We want to remove geographic barriers, financial barriers,
social barriers, transport barriers. So we're in the process of
raising the funds so that particularly schools in low xyer
areas or vulnerable areas can have a free excursion to
(03:31):
a community, to a venue in their area. At the moment,
we've got hubs in Kwanana, Kalamunda and Thornley and we
use the CBRT Center as well, so we engage those
schools in their own community and their own venues so
they have some own ownership in their community and feel
sense of belonging in their community. But for those kids
that can't afford it and parents that can't afford it,
schools that can't afford it, we don't think you should
(03:52):
miss out. So we're going to come to you in
whatever form you want us to come to and provide
those creative experience.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
That's great because I mean school holidays start at the
end of this week. Well aware, it's like a locomotive
steaming towards us. So you guys have got the awesome
festival on. So the first week of the holidays, which
is seventy percent is free and the rest is economical,
(04:19):
you know, thirty dollars. So what's what's happening with the
Austin for a week.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
Yeah, it's right, seventy percent is free and the other
thirty percent is under thirty I think it's even under
twenty five dollars so and sety percent. Is also interactive
and immersive.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
So you haven't been that for a week long activity
that's right.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Takes over the Perth Cultural Center or the bits we
can now because it's getting built on. But the Urban
Orchard and the State Hitter Center and the library and
Forest Chase. There's amazing stuff. The Urban Orchard that we
normally know for fringes getting turned into a Teddy Bears
picnic area with a whole lot of stuff to do
with creativity and craft and design and textile and music.
(04:56):
There's the feet bust to get you there. I won't
explain too much about that, but.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Get you.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
Might be onto something. But then we've got shows in
the in the State Theater Center. We've got reasons to
stay inside, which is Barking Gecko's News show, Cinceorium Theater
doing their show Odyssey that works for children with your
adversity and disabilities, Drip Drop, which is another thing.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
It's a lot comes on, you know, talk about doing
these things free or heavily subsidized.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Do you rely on the support of the community. How
can we help? How can people support checking.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Out the awesome festival program on the Barking Gecko website
Arts dot com dot au. Please also try if you
can and you're in the posision too. You're a business,
a philanthropist, corporate and you can not everyone can we
understand that. Please find support us link help.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
The next generation.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Well, if you're a business or corporate, it's only going
they come back to help you.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
So as little as thirty five dollars will help me
keeping the bus.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
I think. I think it's just fantastic what you do
right danger.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
And you've been doing it for so long.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
And no, no, this, I think this would keep you young. Actually,
thanks so much for coming in and telling us about this.
And what was that website again.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Bucking Gecko arts dot com today.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
All right, that's where you want to go to see
where your kids up.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
For the we that's right, and there's an accessibility guide
for those who have children who need more planning.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
If everybody is catered for exactly, Thank you. Ryan would
like with the holidays,
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