ACU's BIG SING for a BIG CAUSE (Ballarat)

Presented by Australian Catholic University in partnership with St Patrick's College (Ballarat) and St Patrick's Cathedral (Melbourne), led by conductor Dr Kathleen McGuire, the project advocates for people – including ACU students – who are homeless or experiencing housing insecurity. The number of people affected by homelessness is increasing, due to the economic crisis and family and domestic violence. This is an opportunity to help, raise awareness, and raise funds for direct services including 'Peplow House Crisis Accommodation Support' (CatholicCare Victoria) in Ballarat. Peplow House provides short-term crisis accommodation for single men aged 18 years and over who are homeless. Support is also provided to help individuals access longer term accommodation, and address issues that are impacting opportunities for longer term accommodation. Funds raised will also benefit the ACU Urgent Financial Hardship Grants.

Tickets include a free offering for agencies and clients involved with homelessness support services and a special Mob Tix for First Peoples. 

The performances will be held on Saturday 24 August at the brand new Performing Arts Centre at St Patrick's College, Ballarat, and Sunday 25 August at St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne.

Volunteer singers, choirs and instrumentalists from Victoria and Auckland, New Zealand, will combine in this special international event. The program features the 10th anniversary performance of STREET REQUIEM – For Those Who Died On The Street, which was co-created by Kathleen McGuire, Jonathon Welch and Andy Payne in 2014. The work, which is highly accessible, multi-faith and multi-language, has been performed more than 30 times in several countries. STREET REQUIEM was awarded a Judges Citation by The American Prize for “Dignifying the homeless through song.”

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Concert 1: Saturday 24 August 2024 at 4PM. Venue: Performing Arts Centre, St Patrick's College, Ballarat

Concert 2: Sunday 25 August at St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne (also available via Livestream). This performance will feature special guests: Tracee Hutchison (award-winning broadcaster and journalist) and Jess Hitchcock (internationally renowned Indigenous singer/songwriter, mezzo soprano). 

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FAQs

How are the funds being shared between the charities?

Revenue from Livestream donations (25 Aug) and tickets purchased for the Ballarat performance (24 Aug) will be received by CatholicCare Victoria. Donations made directly via the “donations” option will benefit the charity named. Tickets purchased for the Cathedral performance (25 Aug) will primarily benefit the ACU Urgent Financial Hardship Grants, and a proportion will also be distributed to Peplow House.

How much are the tickets? 

• VIP ($75 for one, or $70 each for two)
• General Admission $30
• Concession (seniors, students, children) $20
• Family of 4 (4 x general admission): $80
• Mob Tix $10
• ACU students/staff $5 discount on all tickets (be prepared to show ACU ID at the door)
• Free ($0) for agents and clients, Homelessness Service Sector (be prepared to show relevant affiliation at the door)

What are the ticketing fees?
The ticketing fee is 2.5% + $0.50 per ticket. Humanitix donates its profits to charity. Learn more about this HERE. 

Will there be a livestream?

The performance on Sun 25 August (St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne) will be available via livestream for up to 7 days. The livestream is available as a separate item as a donation. CLICK HERE for more information. 

What are MOB TIX?

Mob Tix, for First Nations people, are designed to prevent financial barriers. Learn more HERE.