Creative Arts Night (CAN)

August 30, 2022. The night of CAN 2022 had officially begun. 

This term, St Andrew’s College was able to host a live version of Creative Arts Night, after months of lockdown within New South Wales. The last time CAN be hosted as a live event occurred in 2019, which was way before lockdown began. 

Creative Arts Night is a well-known aspect of the school’s culture, and an annual experience in which SAC students and staff have the opportunity to share their musical talents. Music is a massive part of the school’s identity and is shown in various ways - like opening the Junior Campus music rooms during breaks and student bands at college events (eg: CAPA night and masses).

At the start of CAN, many festival-goers gushed through the front gates like a school of fish. Some even lined up way before CAN had even commenced! People were thrilled to attend the live-action version of CAN, which would explain why the CAN ticket/wristband supply had increased more and more. 

Groups of festival-goers made their way to the packed Junior Campus oval, where the music performances would later commence. They mingled around and some even caught up with ex-students and family of the college! Atendees crowded around ice-cream, burger and pizza trucks before and during the performances. 

Around 5:45 p.m, performances officially commenced. The VET entertainment team, media team and performers were all ready and set for the most important part of CAN: the performances.

The musical compositions mainly centred around pop-culture hits from the 2000s, 2010s and even the 2020s! Some of those performances included songs like: 

- “Die For You” by The Weeknd

- “Freaking Out The Neighbourhood” by Mac DeMarco

- “Sway” by Michael Buble

- “Confusing Girl” by Grant Perez

- “Party In The USA” by Miley Cyrus

- “Peaches” by Justin Bieber, Daniel Caesar and Giveon

Dance was also included in SAC’s very own hip-hop dance group (composed of various grades) and even the teacher act which was filled with various songs from classic movies!

The night was roaring like thunder. The audience went wild over the student and staff acts. They chanted, they bounced and they smiled. Some even held up large signs to show support for their fellow peers on stage and others crowded near the stage, just to see the performances in action! 

To conclude the musical celebration, fireworks shot up through the sky, just like rockets. Bursts of bright light coloured the dark sky, as the festival-goers were stunned by the repetition of ginormous illuminations. Usually, on a Tuesday night, fireworks wouldn’t be a thing. But at CAN, fireworks are a mandatory part of the event. 

Creative Arts Night was so memorable, people's Instagram pages were filled with snapshots and footage of the experience! Crowds, chords, clapping, chanting and cool illuminations were all captured in one single night. What a night!

Here’s what Mr Chiappetta (CAN Coordinator and Leader of Learning Music and Performance) thought about this year’s CAN:

And if I could sum up the whole night in just one word, it would be the word “momentous”. 

Benjamin Reyes (Year 9)
SAC Media Team Photographer and Writer