On Thursday 21 April, local arts for wellbeing not-for-profit organisation, Kulture Break, held an event to celebrate 20 years of giving back and making a difference to generations of Canberra’s youth who have experienced the good of their programs.

Having made an impact on over 400,000 young people’s lives since being founded by Francis Owusu in 2002, it was a time to reflect on Kulture Break’s history, celebrate their achievements, and show appreciation to Canberra’s community for their continuing support.

The event featured a host of high-profile guests, alumni, and dance and music performances from current Kulture Break members.

For Francis, the celebration was an occasion to reflect on the legacy Kulture Break has left, created by himself and everyone who has supported him along the journey.

“Seeing past faces of people we’ve impacted, it’s not only them, but now their children and their families too … I think about the legacy it leaves on Canberra and I’m quite proud,” he told Canberra Daily.

In establishing the not-for-profit, Francis had a dream of using the creative arts as an outlet for young people to belong, express themselves and discover who they really are.

It’s apt to say Kulture Break came from humble beginnings; with just $3 in his pocket, Francis started unpaid lunchtime dance classes for “disengaged young men” at Lanyon High School at the request of the principal.

“People were asking ‘who is this guy running these dance classes’ … I had to come up with a name and thought ‘what are you doing here’, we we’re trying to change culture, and trying to break (dance), so it was Kulture Break.”

With not much more than a chequered break matt and a few high school helpers who would be paid with lunch from McDonalds, Francis said those times laid the foundation for what Kulture Break has gone on to become.

“I look back now and go those were the days where it was solely about how I could give back to the community, not about the resources I had, it was who can I be in order to make a difference,” he said.

“I look back on those foundations and see how that was a solid foundation to sustain doing that.”

From dancing to mentoring to training

Francis’ personal highlights from the ride include seeing Kulture Break members perform for 70,000 on a trip to Shanghai representing the ACT as cultural ambassadors.

He also spoke glowingly about a former student, James, who came to Kulture Break in a bad way from years of bullying and is now an ambassador and spokesperson for those who live with a disability.

“Those things never leave,” Francis said.

Since its inception two decades ago, generations of young Canberrans have been impacted by the foundational message that “you don’t become somebody; you are somebody”.

Having been on the brink of closing in 2008, Francis owes the longstanding success of Kulture Break to the unwavering support of “many individuals” who made sacrifices of their own.

“It’s one thing for a guy like me to have a vision and a dream, but it’s another thing for people to believe in it … I’ve been surrounded by incredible individuals who have come along for the journey.”

Starting out focused on dance and helping young people express themselves through movement, over the years Kulture Break has added mentoring programs to build confidence, and as of 2021, have added training and job pathways to their offerings: “from a break matt in conder to now providing employment opportunities through training”.

The program, called creative pathways to employment, offering youth aged 17-24 the opportunity to attain qualifications in a variety of sectors including real estate, hospitality, dance, mental health and youth work, and screen media to name a few.

After a successful pilot program with 22 Tuggeranong students last year, Kulture Break will look to offer it again in the coming months.

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