#AusArts

2026-02-03

I'm all for arts festivals including food as a focus of their exhibitions 😋

And it looks like the 2026 NSW Biennale will deliver:

"The Biennale will expand its footprint in Western Sydney this year, including Penrith Regional Gallery for the first time and bringing back Campbelltown Arts Centre. There will also be public programs across inner city and greater Sydney, including Centenary Square in Parramatta, Fairfield City Museum & Gallery and Redfern Town Hall. White Bay Power Station, a popular addition to the Biennale last year, will this year feature large-scale sculptural and installation works by artists including Nikesha Breeze (US) and painter Nancy Yukuwal McDinny (Garrwa/Yanyuwa).
...
"Highlights announced on Tuesday include a giant functioning clay oven at White Bay Power Station in Rozelle, created by Argentinian sculptor Gabriel Chaile, which will be activated for the Biennale’s opening weekend and at key moments through the festival to serve visitors Peruvian cuisine. Also for food lovers is a large vat of tabbouleh, created by Lebanese artist Mounira Al Solh as part of a community-based performance in Granville.

"The Biennale will also include a rare presentation of the landmark 80-square-metre Ngurrara Canvas II, made by the Ngurrara artists of the Great Sandy Desert of Western Australia in support of their 1996 native title claim. The spectacular painting, created by more than 40 artists, toured Australia in the decade after it was created and has been exhibited internationally – but its Biennale presentation, at the Art Gallery of NSW, will be its final outing before returning to the artists’ country permanently."

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/feb/03/sydney-biennale-2026-hoor-al-qasimi-unveils-expansive-program-for-25th-edition

#art #arts #NSW #Sydney #Campbelltown #Parramatta #Penrith #food #Granville #ausart #ausarts #auspol

2025-08-31

A fascinating new art exhibition recently opened at the artist-run PARI gallery in Parramatta.

Titled Stain, it explores the visible marks left by trauma.

It features works by Myra Javaid, Fiona Lee, Michail Mathioudakis (aka Marcia Manhunter), Joshua Di Mattina-Beven, Annabelle McEwen, M. Sunflower, Runa Vasile, Lois Waters, Oliver Whitehouse and Wytchings (Jenny Trinh).

"Stain represents the mark that refuses to fade away – the bruise on the body, the scar of history, the wound on the land or the after-trace on digital terrains. But often the stain is seen through the eyes of society, and imprinted by systems that strive to scrub away all that is non-normative. The stain is a mark of rebellion, unruly and filled with vitality.

"In Pari’s 30th exhibition, artists hone in on the stains left behind on porous bodies. To reckon with dark feelings and realities, some turn to horror to process experiences of displacement, trauma and dysphoria. Others resist in subtle defiance against being categorised, embracing lived-in bodies in their continually changing forms.

"If we look closely at the stain, we see the wealth of colours concealed within. Playful, enduring, and honest, these ingrained marks become a record of personal and cultural myth – all visible through a glass darkly."

It's open 12pm–4pm Thursday–Sunday, until 26 October at Pari, cnr Hunter and O’Connell St, Parramatta.

https://pariari.org/stain #art #arts #auspol #ausart #ausarts #painting #drawing #gallery #exhibition #exhibitions #sydney #parramatta #australia

2025-08-13

Parramatta's Lord Mayor has written to the NSW State Government, calling on them to explore the purchase and restoration of the Roxy Theatre.

They want to make it a live music and entertainment venue.

Personally, I think it's an excellent idea. The Roxy is a beautiful heritage building that's slowly falling apart.

Western Sydney, and the Parra CBD in particular, needs a live music venue like the Horton Pavilion and Enmore Theatre. That could attract international artists and provide a new venue for local music.

"City of Parramatta is calling on the NSW Government to invest in the revitalisation of Roxy Theatre and restore it to its full potential as a premier live music and entertainment venue in the heart of Western Sydney.

"The Roxy Theatre is critical to Parramatta’s global vision to establish a vibrant hub for culture, nightlife and entertainment in the CBD with Civic Link and the future Metro West projects taking shape.

"City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Martin Zaiter said Parramatta is becoming an epicentre of culture and creativity and a restored Roxy Theatre would boost Parramatta’s ability to attract and develop the next generation of performers.

"'Now is the time to invest in the Roxy Theatre, it’s critical to our global transformation and vision of creating a thriving cultural precinct in our CBD,' Cr Zaiter said.

"'Powerhouse Parramatta, Riverside Theatres and Civic Link are City-shaping projects already in the pipeline so we’re calling on the NSW Government to back the revitalisation of this iconic Western Sydney venue."

https://www.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/council/latest-news/parramatta-calls-for-the-revival-of-roxy-theatre

#auspol #nswpol #Parramatta #ausarts #ausmusic #Sydney #arts

Parramatta's Lord Mayor has written to the NSW State Government, calling on them to explore the purchase and restoration of the Roxy Theatre as a live music and entertainment venue. www.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/council/late... #auspol #nswpol #Parramatta #ausarts #ausmusic #Sydney #arts

Parramatta calls for the reviv...

sortius :Fire_Bisexual:sortius@infosec.exchange
2025-07-04

'Collette did not “understand or at least trust the power and complexity of the visual arts”.'

This is pretty damning, especially in light of Bourke's call to Collette. He shouldn't resign, he should be sacked, and sued for damages:

Creative Australia chief executive facing mounting pressure to resign after Khaled Sabsabi controversy

theguardian.com/artanddesign/2

#auspol #ausarts

sortius :Fire_Bisexual:sortius@infosec.exchange
2025-07-03

The acting chair of Creative Australia, Wesley Enoch, is saying the right things here - especially after Julian Lesser's racism laden tirade beforehand.

I do hope that he follows through with a change in the institutionalised racism within Creative Australia, especially promoting work that exposes and challenges racism, and that harm it causes

#auspol #ausarts

Screenshot of Text:

Speaking on ABC RN earlier this morning, Enoch said “sometimes there is a mischaracterisation of the art”:

    I’m an Aboriginal theatre maker. I know sometimes I talk racism to make sure that I can deconstruct it and say to an audience, this is not right. And I think that all artists have powerful kinds of engagements with the storytelling of the nation.

    This work is not about terrorism. It is not about the glorification of terrorism in that way … Those who mischaracterise the work aren’t being honest to the intention of the work or the practice that this artist has, who is an incredibly peace-loving artist in the way that they construct their images.

Enoch went to say: “To Khaled and Michael – I’ve done it in person, but to say it here very publicly, I want to apologise to them for the hurt and pain they’ve gone through in this process.

Though we will be stronger as a sector because of it, I know it’s come at a personal cost, not just to them, but also to a whole range of people in the arts sector. And I feel that we, as Creative Australia, need to help the whole sector learn some of these lessons going forward.
sortius :Fire_Bisexual:sortius@infosec.exchange
2025-07-02
Screenshot of text from the article linked in the post: The review, conducted by board advisory firm Blackhall & Pearl, found there was no single or predominant failure of process, governance or decision making that resulted in the decision to rescind the selection.

“There were, however, a series of missteps, assumptions and missed
opportunities that meant neither the leadership of Creative Australia, nor the Board, were well placed to respond to, and manage in a considered way, any criticism or controversy that might emerge in relation to the selection decision.

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