In 1991, the Rotary Club of Gosford West, NSW, established a program whereby youth with outstanding talent on the Central Coast could showcase their skills in a series of variety concerts. The manager of the local community theatre agreed to support the program, an ex-schoolteacher with experience in the performing arts was appointed as director, and Youth In Performing Arts (YIPA) was created.
“Rotary saw the benefit to young budding performers in providing a confidence-building stepping-stone to a higher level of performance,” said Graham Black, a member of the Rotary Club of Gosford West when the program was founded and now a member of Gosford North. “This has been a fabulous project.”
The program was run by Rotary for 13 years before being handed over to a group of volunteers.