​Things get real when a panel of 6 to 12 year olds take on the contemporary art world in a podcast series released as part of the 2016 Melbourne Fringe Festival. 

Led by public art provocateurs Field Theory, the kids will host artist interviews, review Fringe shows and generally tell it like it is. Expect fresh perspectives, honest encounters and those moments of insight that only the young can offer. 

Audiences can listen to the resulting podcasts at Arts House for the duration of the Festival, or download them via the Arts House and Melbourne Fringe websites.

Kids vs Art cunningly disrupts our assumptions and pushes the boundaries between artist and audience, expert and critic. 

Kids Vs Art (Teaser)

It’s time to meet the kids - soon to be master reviewers. They discuss the big question - What is Art?

Kids Vs Art
A podcast series by Field Theory
Directed by Jackson Castiglione and Jason Maling
Composition and Sound Design by Robert Jordan
Listening post at Arts House/Fringe Hub Designed by Eugyeene Teh
Producers for Arts House Naomi Velaphi and Jackie Johnston
Producers for the Fringe Dan Koop and Vanessa Wright
Technical support and recording by Bart Mangan, Blair Hart and Richard Chandler
Performer assistance by Claire Flynn and Tish Brennan - Steers.

Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Arts House

#1 Meet The Kids

The kids help to launch the Melbourne Fringe Festival’s 2016 program. They get to drink Coke, dance and teach people how to Dab.

Kids Vs Art
A podcast series by Field Theory
Directed by Jackson Castiglione and Jason Maling
Composition and Sound Design by Robert Jordan
Listening post at Arts House/Fringe Hub Designed by Eugyeene Teh
Producers for Arts House Naomi Velaphi and Jackie Johnston
Producers for the Fringe Dan Koop and Vanessa Wright
Technical support and recording by Bart Mangan, Blair Hart and Richard Chandler
Performer assistance by Claire Flynn and Tish Brennan - Steers.

Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Arts House

#4 We Launch The Fringe

The kids visit laser artist Robin Fox in his studio, they think he strikes an uncanny resemblance to Hagrid from Harry Potter.

Kids Vs Art
A podcast series by Field Theory
Directed by Jackson Castiglione and Jason Maling
Composition and Sound Design by Robert Jordan
Listening post at Arts House/Fringe Hub Designed by Eugyeene Teh
Producers for Arts House Naomi Velaphi and Jackie Johnston
Producers for the Fringe Dan Koop and Vanessa Wright
Technical support and recording by Bart Mangan, Blair Hart and Richard Chandler
Performer assistance by Claire Flynn and Tish Brennan - Steers.

Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Arts House


#3 Visiting An Artist: Robin Fox

The Kids wonder what the life of a reviewer would be like and meet professional newspaper reviewer Mikey Cahill.

Kids Vs Art
A podcast series by Field Theory
Directed by Jackson Castiglione and Jason Maling
Composition and Sound Design by Robert Jordan
Listening post at Arts House/Fringe Hub Designed by Eugyeene Teh
Producers for Arts House Naomi Velaphi and Jackie Johnston
Producers for the Fringe Dan Koop and Vanessa Wright
Technical support and recording by Bart Mangan, Blair Hart and Richard Chandler
Performer assistance by Claire Flynn and Tish Brennan - Steers.

Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Arts House


#2 Reviewing 101

We take a crash course in contemporary artworks. 

Kids Vs Art
A podcast series by Field Theory
Directed by Jackson Castiglione and Jason Maling
Composition and Sound Design by Robert Jordan
Listening post at Arts House/Fringe Hub Designed by Eugyeene Teh
Producers for Arts House Naomi Velaphi and Jackie Johnston, Producers for the Fringe Dan Koop and Vanessa Wright.
Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Arts House

#5 Nonsense - 1

The kids review and discuss Being a Good Person is Bloody Hard Work written and performed by Nicole McKenzie and are joined by special guest Rinske Ginsberg. Rinske is a ‘woman about town’ and teaches movement to actors at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne.

Kids Vs Art
A podcast series by Field Theory
Directed by Jackson Castiglione and Jason Maling
Composition and Sound Design by Robert Jordan
Listening post at Arts House/Fringe Hub Designed by Eugyeene Teh
Producers for Arts House Naomi Velaphi and Jackie Johnston
Producers for the Fringe Dan Koop and Vanessa Wright
Technical support and recording by Bart Mangan, Blair Hart and Richard Chandler
Performer assistance by Claire Flynn and Tish Brennan - Steers.

Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Arts House



#7 Kids Vs Being a Good Person is Bloody Hard Work - with special guest Rinske Ginsberg

The kids take a crash course in contemporary artworks. 

Kids Vs Art
A podcast series by Field Theory
Directed by Jackson Castiglione and Jason Maling
Composition and Sound Design by Robert Jordan
Listening post at Arts House/Fringe Hub Designed by Eugyeene Teh
Producers for Arts House Naomi Velaphi and Jackie Johnston
Producers for the Fringe Dan Koop and Vanessa Wright
Technical support and recording by Bart Mangan, Blair Hart and Richard Chandler
Performer assistance by Claire Flynn and Tish Brennan - Steers.

Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Arts House

#9 Nonsense - 2

The kids review and discuss Five Cent Cinema produced by Paula van Beek.

Kids Vs Art
A podcast series by Field Theory
Directed by Jackson Castiglione and Jason Maling
Composition and Sound Design by Robert Jordan
Listening post at Arts House/Fringe Hub Designed by Eugyeene Teh
Producers for Arts House Naomi Velaphi and Jackie Johnston
Producers for the Fringe Dan Koop and Vanessa Wright
Technical support and recording by Bart Mangan, Blair Hart and Richard Chandler
Performer assistance by Claire Flynn and Tish Brennan - Steers.

Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Arts House


#6 Kids Vs Five Cent Cinema

The kids review and discuss Sky Light by Robin Fox and are joined by special guest David Cross. David is an artist, writer and lecturer at Deakin University, Melbourne

Kids Vs Art
A podcast series by Field Theory
Directed by Jackson Castiglione and Jason Maling
Composition and Sound Design by Robert Jordan
Listening post at Arts House/Fringe Hub Designed by Eugyeene Teh
Producers for Arts House Naomi Velaphi and Jackie Johnston
Producers for the Fringe Dan Koop and Vanessa Wright
Technical support and recording by Bart Mangan, Blair Hart and Richard Chandler
Performer assistance by Claire Flynn and Tish Brennan - Steers.

Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Arts House

#8 Kids Vs Sky Light - with special guest David Cross

The kids review and discuss INFINITUM created and performed by Gareth Hart, Rod Price and are joined by Jane Howard freelance arts writer and reviewer regularly contributing to the Guardian Australia.


Kids Vs Art
A podcast series by Field Theory
Directed by Jackson Castiglione and Jason Maling
Composition and Sound Design by Robert Jordan
Listening post at Arts House/Fringe Hub Designed by Eugyeene Teh
Producers for Arts House Naomi Velaphi and Jackie Johnston
Producers for the Fringe Dan Koop and Vanessa Wright
Technical support and recording by Bart Mangan, Blair Hart and Richard Chandler
Performer assistance by Claire Flynn and Tish Brennan - Steers.

Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Arts House

#12 Kids Vs INFINITUM - with special guest Jane Howard

The kids review Chairman of the Beard by Adam Page and are joined by Nicola Gunn. Nicola is a Melbourne based performer, writer and director.

Kids Vs Art
A podcast series by Field Theory
Directed by Jackson Castiglione and Jason Maling
Composition and Sound Design by Robert Jordan
Listening post at Arts House/Fringe Hub Designed by Eugyeene Teh
Producers for Arts House Naomi Velaphi and Jackie Johnston
Producers for the Fringe Dan Koop and Vanessa Wright
Technical support and recording by Bart Mangan, Blair Hart and Richard Chandler
Performer assistance by Claire Flynn and Tish Brennan - Steers.

Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Arts House

#10 Kids Vs Chairman of the Beard - with special guest Nicola Gunn

The kids review and discuss Circalicious by Upswing Arts and are joined by internationally recognised choreographer Gideon Obarzanek.


Kids Vs Art
A podcast series by Field Theory
Directed by Jackson Castiglione and Jason Maling
Composition and Sound Design by Robert Jordan
Listening post at Arts House/Fringe Hub Designed by Eugyeene Teh
Producers for Arts House Naomi Velaphi and Jackie Johnston
Producers for the Fringe Dan Koop and Vanessa Wright
Technical support and recording by Bart Mangan, Blair Hart and Richard Chandler
Performer assistance by Claire Flynn and Tish Brennan - Steers.

Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Arts House

#13 Kids Vs Circalicious - with special guest Gideon Obarzanek

The kids review and discuss Blowin’ Up created and performed by Alice Dixon, Caroline Meaden, William McBride and are joined by Jonathan Holloway director of the Melbourne Festival and Matthew Lutton artistic director of the Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne.


Kids Vs Art
A podcast series by Field Theory
Directed by Jackson Castiglione and Jason Maling
Composition and Sound Design by Robert Jordan
Listening post at Arts House/Fringe Hub Designed by Eugyeene Teh
Producers for Arts House Naomi Velaphi and Jackie Johnston
Producers for the Fringe Dan Koop and Vanessa Wright
Technical support and recording by Bart Mangan, Blair Hart and Richard Chandler
Performer assistance by Claire Flynn and Tish Brennan - Steers.

Presented by Melbourne Fringe and Arts House

#11 Kids Vs Blowin’ Up with special guests - Jonathan Holloway & Matthew Lutton

Kids Vs Art, a podcast series made by Field Theory presented by Arts House and Melbourne Fringe as part of the 2016 Melbourne Fringe Festival. 

Kids Vs Art is a podcast series where children are let loose on the world of contemporary art and performance. We're handing them microphones and asking them to review and respond to the Melbourne Fringe Festival. There'll be interviews with artists, reviews of shows and an analysis of the festival program. 

Kids Vs Art cunningly disrupts our assumptions and pushes the boundaries between artist and audience, expert and critic. What do children really think about contemporary artistic practice? Do they hate us, or love us? Do we dare find out?

Kids Vs Art

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