Ah, House Arts Week – the time when ABBA becomes the unofficial soundtrack of the School and Mr Brown’s hair transforms into a curly disco masterpiece. If you haven’t heard Take a Chance, Knowing You – Knowing Me, SOS, or Mamma Mia at least 10 times by Wednesday, are you even attending St Catherine’s? 

It’s like the Olympics, but with more glitter and less running. House Arts is often described by many Old Girls as one of their finest School memories. It is the St Catherine’s week of creation. Five days of collaboration, innovation, and where the girls’ work, and efforts reign supreme. To quote our Head of Performing Arts, Mr James Brown: “Twenty minutes. Five Arts disciplines. One winner.” 

For the uninitiated, House Arts might seem like organised chaos. Picture students darting around the campus, singing, dancing, painting, acting and occasionally tripping over their enthusiasm. It’s like a Broadway show, but with more improvisation and less budget. Brava! 

I enjoy the sounds of the girls as they move with purpose, joy, and laughter, often dancing or singing their way in and out of the Sherren House doors to participate in their Dance, Choral or Play rehearsals. Then there is the genius of the Visual Art Teams creating set designs and the Media Teams fine-tuning the production of sound effects, lighting, or creating their House promotional video. 

The Set Song this year is actually a Set Band with the popular selection of the band ABBA causing many staff who work in Sherren House to also be singing along to the abovementioned playlist across the course of the day from their desks. As the students belt out ABBA hits during their Sherren House rehearsals, the campus turns into a musical and visual wonderland.  

House Arts is more than just a spectacle. It is a reminder of the quirky, wonderful community of girls within our School. The Years 7 to Year 11 students take the stage, showcasing their talents.  

One of the unique features of House Arts Weeks is it is entirely student-led by our emerging leaders in the Year 11 Cohort, following on from the initial sharing of program directions from Mr Brown. The program also highlights the benefits of our House System as it brings together a year’s worth of preparation, script writing, and song selection in readiness for rehearsal week. To date, we have enjoyed 24 House Arts Weeks. 

Of course, it is not only students who are allocated a House, staff are also involved. The sense of community that pervades throughout the School would, arguably, be incomplete if students were not given the opportunity to interact with teachers beyond those they see in the classroom. Everyone knows Mr Brown, Ms Andrews and Ms Okumura have blue blood from years in Holmes-Kilbride House, and the same for Mrs Weereratne, who has a wardrobe of red skirts, shirts, and scarves after years supporting Davis!  

Watching the Years 7 to Year 11 students plan, rehearse, and perform House Arts is one of the highlights of the year. The dedication shown by all involved and the support given by fellow House members at each performance is wonderful.  

This week is a poignant reminder of the importance of celebrating these relationships formed in School. Where better than to see this culture than through our Houses at such events like House Arts and House Aerobics, recently held in Barbreck; small communities within the larger whole, formed on shared interests and challenges. The program also takes steps to emphasise the “friendly” part of “friendly competition,” because students need to be taught “how to compete successfully but exhibit sport(wo)man-like behaviour.”  

So, here’s to House Arts – where ABBA reigns supreme, hairspray is a must-have, and everyone’s a star, even if just for twenty minutes.  

May the glitter be ever in your favour!