It's on again! Young people in New South Wales are poised to make their creative mark during the 2011 ArtStart NSW Youth Arts and Skills Festival. The Festival will take place in 23 regions across the state and at www.artstart.com.au from 23 September to 07 October 2011.

ArtStart is a NSW Government initiative for young people aged 12 to 24, managed by TAFE NSW Training and Education Support, Social Inclusion and Vocational Access Unit. ArtStart funds opportunities for young people to develop skills by participating in arts and cultural projects and performing and exhibiting their work.

Thousands of young people, working across the regions are involved in ArtStart activities.  Digital storytelling, video, hip hop dance, urban music, self devised performance, recycled fashion design and creative writing are just some of the projects featured.

Meg Williams, Project Manager at Indent (a project of Music NSW) and an ArtStart Advisory Committee member, introduces this year's ArtStart Festival with these words.

"ArtStart NSW has been going strong for 20 years and the secret to its success and popularity is that projects are developed with input from young people who are at the centre of making decisions.  Best of all, ArtStart NSW is a hands-on program where you can work alongside real artists - who might be dancers, designers, film-makers or musicians. They’re professionals who can tell you how to break into their industry and what it’s really like once you get there"

Click here to hear the full message from Meg.