Meet the Team

Karin CliffordDirector

Karin Clifford

Karin is the founder and Director of Kids Up Front Drama Academy and her passion is helping children gain confidence through having lots of fun! She loves watching children grow and develop and leading the creative and dynamic team of drama, vocal and dance teachers who teach for Kids Up Front.

Karin trained as a school teacher in Auckland, and began her teaching career in schools in Auckland, New Zealand. She moved to Sydney in 1985 and gained further training in the dramatic arts through theatresports, NIDA and the NSW Educational Teachers Association. In 1988 she developed and implemented a fun and creative after school drama program designed to build children’s self confidence, creativity and communication skills.

After years of teaching drama to children she founded ‘Kids Up Front Drama Academy’ a company formed in 1999 and built a dynamic team of committed teachers to help expand the program. The classes are now held in numerous locations in Sydney and Melbourne. In 2009 the company added performing arts holiday workshops giving children the opportunity to work in the school holidays towards a musical show.

In 2013 Karin established Kids Up Front Performing Arts in NZ and has enjoyed travelling across the Tasman to see how well the program works with the talented Kiwi kids!!