A chance encounter in the poverty stricken streets of Myanmar just under two years ago led former High-5 star, Tanika Anderson, to question the Western world’s approach to ‘fast fashion’. Now, Tanika is set to launch the second collection from clothing label, You&Mei, a social enterprise that helps to raise up young women from poverty….
Entertainer. Performance artist. International mischief maker. Internet provocateur. Three descriptions of British artist Harry Clayton-Wright, that are more than fitting. An entertainer unafraid of pushing boundaries of trashy comedy and cabaret, toeing the line of cheeky risqué and the all-out ribald, Clayton-Wright’s work mixes endearing charm with a maniacal confidence that has made him a popular…
A tapestry commemorating the sacrifice and heroism of Australian soldiers on the Western Front is set to be cut from the loom this month in Melbourne. Designed by prominent Australian artists Lyndell Brown and Charles Green, Morning star will be showcased at the opening of the Sir John Monash Centre (SJMC) in France. Morning Star will provide…
Christmas is around the corner and the holidays are so close you can almost touch it! If your mind has already set into festive mode and you’re looking for something to kick start the holiday cheer, then we have you covered. Here are our top picks for Art Events happening around Australia this month! Carriageworks…
Lies, Lies and Propaganda will present Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol, at the Kings Cross Theatre from December 12th to 24th, contrasting the classic Victorian ghost story with the modern Theatre. Join Ebenezer Scrooge this Christmas on a journey through past, present and future as he discovers the kind of person he was, is…
I travelled to Las Vegas to see Cher. You heard me. Cher. I was first introduced to her music as a child in the 1980s and have always wanted to see her perform. Realising the chances of her coming to Australia were slim, when I discovered she was performing in Las Vegas I felt a…
“I wanted to make films from time I saw my first films in the mid-1940’s. Unlike my school friends I had no interest in animated films (I still don’t) but was fascinated by narratives with actors. Somehow I realised while still very young, that the key person in all the films was not the leading…
A question commonly asked in arts circles is where all the new Australian musicals are. Surely, they do exist, but grand-scale, blockbuster song-and-dance shows isn’t something we’re generally known for. Hot Shoe Shuffle – arguably Australia’s first hit musical – premiered only 24 years ago, and since then only Pricilla and Strictly Ballroom have made…
Sydney’s family production of The Wind in the Willows continues its summer tradition returning to the beautiful surrounds of Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney from Friday 5 to Sunday 28 January 2018. This critically acclaimed outdoor theatre production delivers fun for young and old as all are given every opportunity to scream out loud, sing along and…
It is one of the most anticipated exhibitions to come to Melbourne this year, and what an absolute privilege it was to step inside the Winehouse world. Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait was curated by Jewish Museum London, and Amy’s brother Alex to show the world that Amy was so much more than just a…
Elsie Bainbridge, newly widowed, is sent to her late husband’s estate to see out the last few weeks of her pregnancy. With a skeleton staff, abandoned, dusty rooms, and a surrounding village terrified of the house, The Bridge is far from the haven Elsie hopes it to be. But when she and Sarah, her husband’s…
It’s been a historic week for the LGBTQI community with an almighty YES vote from 61.6% of Australians who believe same-sex marriage should be legalised. There’s no denying it’s been tough time for all those involved, and it’s hard not to reflect on the events leading up to the result but standing together in strength…
Set to be the biggest cultural development to ever hit Western Sydney, a self-funded $100 million dollar performing arts centre and multi-purpose entertainment venue is opening its doors in late 2019. Construction of the spectacular 2000 seat proscenium arch theatre, is about to commence, and is anticipated to host world-famous stage shows, musicals and concerts,…
All children, except one, grew up. At least, that is what J.M Barrie would have us believe. However, as I sat in a darkened cinema full of a mix of elderly retirees, bright-eyed children and University students all laughing unabashedly at the sight of a bald adult male playing Tinkerbell, I couldn’t help but disagree….
Young playwright and recent NIDA graduate Emme Hoy has been awarded the NSW Philip Parsons Fellowship for Emerging Playwrights. Supported by Belvoir St Theatre, the Fellowship provides a prize of $12,500, with a further $7,500 available for script development, with the chance to have a play go on to be staged at Belvoir St Theatre. “I’m so…
Black Inc’s Writers on Writers series was launched in October 2017 with the publication of its first two books, Alice Pung on John Marsden and Erik Jensen on Kate Jennings. The tag line for the series reads ‘Twelve Acclaimed Writers. Six Memorable Encounters.’ This sums up the idea behind the series incredibly well, which will…
A haunted and deserted town, yet some people can’t, or won’t, leave. Any prospect of work is long since gone. The road sign offering directions to where the town is, has been removed. Yet, for a small group of locals it’s home, and the only place they know. perfectly captures the feel of country town…
She doesn’t know him. He knows everything about her. Philip Peterson, a wealthy businessman disappears without trace on a trip to South America. Seven years later he’s back. Or is he? The Stranger starts with a memory, and these flashbacks creep in throughout the novel. Not too far into proceedings ‘The Stranger’ is found, appearing amid…
Celebrating ten years of the Basil Sellers Art Prize, Play On: The Art of Sport is opening at the Hazelhurst Gallery and Arts Centre in Gymea NSW on 9 December 2017 until 11 February 2018. The exhibition is a dynamic mix of media, with works exploring the sporting genres from community footy, women’s boxing, ground-keeping to gymnastics…
Misty Copeland represents strength, courage and female empowerment, but now the Under Armour athlete and Principal Ballerina can add fashion icon to her bio. Copeland made the journey to Sydney to launch her new collaborative collection with Under Armour which is fashion-forward, transformative and transitional, celebrating her undeniable drive and unmistakable style. Why have you chosen to collaborate with…
With a title like Violent Extremism and Other Adult Party Games you can’t help but expect a few controversial laughs. But this new play by Sydney-based writer Richie Black is a cut above and a genuinely funny piece of work. Supported by a very good cast and strong production values, this is yet another triumph…
Join The Washington Post’s pop culture editor Hannah Jewell as she plucks (almost) forgotten women from the historical cutting room floor. From artists to investigative reporters, scientists to queens, political firebrands to murderers, there’s no such thing as the delicate fairer sex here. Get in the kitchen and make you sandwich? Puh-lease. I’ve got an…
Alan Burdick’s book, Why Time Flies: A Mostly Scientific Investigation is one with a fascinating premise that we can all relate to. A staff writer from the New Yorker, Burdick specialises in penning articles about science and technology. Here, he poses the question, “What is time and why does it speed up as we age…
On the same day that Australia voted “yes” to marriage equality, Brodie John presented his brave and personal account of childhood sexual abuse. Dressed in drag and playing to an imaginary audience side stage, we are plunged into an intimate moment of rapture with Brodie as he takes his final bow. He then begins the…
What is Christmas like with your family? I can guarantee it’s not nearly as dysfunctional as the one depicted in Mary Rachel Brown’s new play, Silent Night. Chock-full of jokes and characters that have to be seen to be believed, this is a play that makes the final rush to the supermarket on Christmas Eve…
Circus Oz are mixing things up in their upcoming season by creating circus rock opera performance, The Strange and Spektakulär Lives of Otto & Astrid. Artist Director Rob Tannion has brought Otto & Astrid from the Berlin-based band Die Roten Punkte onboard to lead the instrumentals. The duo will perform alongside the evocative Circus Oz acrobats. A sneak peak…
No longer confined to the back streets of grungy inner-city suburbs, street art has really started to make it’s mark on Australia’s urban landscape. Among the artists who create these modern monoliths is Kiama-local Claire Foxton. Her realistic portraits, rendered in tremendous detail, pay homage to local heroes from across the country. Claire is one of…
Between February 9th and March 4th 2018 the Perth International Arts Festival invites audiences to see art in a different light, and revel in a smorgasbord of captivating cultural experiences, with something for everyone. 2018 marks Artistic Director Wendy Martin’s third year at the helm, as well as the Festival’s 65th Anniversary. To celebrate the…
Find out what happens when the legendary Sherlock Holmes comes up against a distinctly Australian series of crimes, in Sherlock Holmes: The Australian Casebook. Commissioned by Holmes super fan Christopher Sequiera, The Australian Casebook sees the world’s greatest detective and his stalwart friend and chronicler head down under. Writers range from historical crime fiction mavens…
The world is becoming increasingly complex and fast-paced. Many people are feeling out of touch with their spiritual sides and this can manifest itself in a series of mental and physical ailments. Intuitive is a book written by Craigh Wilson, an experienced medical and business intuitive who has spent decades working in an area that…
