The Sydney Festival opens in the first week of January and the music program was recently finalised. Rosa Cloye-Hayward, Sydney Festival Music Producer guides us through the program and we take sample tracks from the artists being featured. Opera Australia presents Verdi’s classic La Traviata to open its 2024 season at the Joan Sutherland Theatre and we spotlight Luke Gabbedy, who is cast in the role of Giorgio Germont. We provide a nod to the last days of 2023, with Justin Paton, curator of international art at AGNSW, and Louise Bourgeois: Has the Day Invaded the Night or Has the Night Invaded the Day?

Produced and presented by Angela Stretch, from GADIGAL country, we acknowledge First Nations peoples as the sovereign custodians of Country, and pay respect to Elders of past, present and to future generations. We acknowledge and value the distinct culture, customs and practices present in the many and diverse tribal nations across NSW. 

Playlist

The Horse has a Voice by Matthew Herbet (int)
Release: The Horse
Float (ft. Kadhja Bonet) by Harrison (int)
Release: Brids, Bees, The Clouds & The Trees
Young Man by Conic Rose (int)
Release: Babyghists EP1
INTERVIEW: Rosa Cloye Hayward, Music Producer, Sydney Festival by Sydney Festival Music program (loc)
Release: 5 – 28 January 2024
On Your Shoulders by LILJA (int)
Release: Mirage
Sangue Negro by Amaro Freitas (int)
Release: Brazil
Josh Meader Trio by Live performance (loc)
Release: Sydney Festival
Jee Jee by Happy Holidays (int)
Release: Peter Cat Recording Co.
INTERVIEW: Justin Paton, Curator of international art AGNSW by EXHIBITION: Has the Day Invaded the Night or Had the Night Invaded the Day? (loc)
Release: – April 2024
La Jungla by Harold Lopez-Nussa (int)
Release: Havana Culture
Always by Jonah Yano (int)
Release: Portrait of a dog
INTERVIEW: Luke Gabbedy by Opera Australia: La Traviata (loc)
Release: January 2 – March 14 2024
Booty Ft Yokelust by Sophie Forrest (loc)
Release: Don’t Touch My Booty EP
Kangaroo Ground by Tornado Wallace (int)
Release: Berlin

George Washingmachine is known as a jazz violinist, vocalist and visual artist. He gives us a spinning insiders viewpoint on his exhibition, Within at the Darlington Install Project (DIP). Knocking The Top Off: A People’s History of Alcohol in Australia is an intoxicating journey through Australia’s relationship with alcohol. It features short expositions and deep dives into incidents, eras, groups and individuals. The collection provides an alternative history of Australian society and culture from the bottom up. Alex Ettling, Co-editor, talks us through its contents and serves a curation of Australian music from both editors; Iain McIntyre. The Christmas Gift Salon opens at the Liverpool Street Gallery and we hear from the Director, Kate Alstergren, Gallerist James Erksine, and other artists.

Produced and presented by Angela Stretch, from GADIGAL country, we acknowledge First Nations peoples as the sovereign custodians of Country, and pay respect to Elders of past, present and to future generations. We acknowledge and value the distinct culture, customs and practices present in the many and diverse tribal nations across NSW. 

Playlist

Desert Loop Bumbling by Dimitri Grimm 
Release: For Beauty’s Source
Free Trial by Gerald Bailey
Release: Migration Climate
Maroochy Barambah – No More Boomarang by A poem written by Oodegeroo Noonuccal (Kath Walker)
Interview: George Washingmachine by Exhibition: Within – 070124 
Release: Darlington Install Project [DIP]
Love to Have a Beer with Duncan by Slim Dusty 
Float by HARRISON 
Release: Birds, Bees, The Clouds & The Trees
NY Disco by Bright & Findlay 
Release: Everything is Slow
Interview: Alex Ettling, Co-editor by Book: Knocking The Top Off: A People’s History of Alcohol in Australia 
Release: Interventions.org.au
Release: Australian Voices: A Collection of Poetry and Pictures
Van Diemen’s Land by Robin Jeffrey
Drinking Magaritas At The Mall by Purple Mountains
I Took The L by John Roseboro
Release: Johnny
Step by Step by Eddie Chacon 
Release: Sundown
EXHIBITION: The Christmas Gift Salon – 27 January 2024 by COMMENTARY FROM: Kate Alsetergren, Director; James Erskine, Gallerist and artists Peter Sharpe and Ian Grant
Liverpool Street Gallery
Just A Little lovin’ by Mocky
Release: LA
Morning by Joshua Crumbly
Release: EP
Drunken Noodles by Visions Recordings
Release: London

Conversations and Connections Documentary Festival brings together doco-makers and industry professionals, academics and the public to explore the power of today’s creative documentary forms at the State Library NSW. Hear an insightful overview from Dr Karen Pearlman writes, directs and edits screen productions and is to Deputy-director of the Creative Documentary Research Centre. AGNSW presents Louise Bourgeois: Has the Day Invaded the Night or Has the Night Invaded the Day? Justin Paton, the curator of international art at the Art Gallery of NSW talks us through what we can experience. ArtScreen is a program supporting artists with disability or who are d/Deaf to develop their creativity and careers through producing new video artworks which are screened at the Museum of Contemporary Art in celebration of International Day of People with Disability, which is on Sunday, December 3rd. Guy Morgan were selected for the 2023 ArtScreen program. His video, ‘Written with a finger on a steamed-up window’ has its premiere and we receive a preview.

Produced and presented by Angela Stretch, from GADIGAL country, we acknowledge First Nations peoples as the sovereign custodians of Country, and pay respect to Elders of past, present and to future generations. We acknowledge and value the distinct culture, customs and practices present in the many and diverse tribal nations across NSW. 

Playlist

I Just Want To Wake Up With You by Helado Negro (int)
Release: PHASOR
INTERVIEW: Dr Karen Pearlman, Deputy Director of the Creative Documentary Research Centre, Macquarie University by Conversations and Connections Documentary Festival (loc)
Release: – 1 December 2023 – State Library of NSW
Ain’t No Place by United Freedom Collective (int)
Release: Vast Oceans, Empty Skies
INTERVIEW: Justin Paton, Curator of International art at the AGNSW by EXHIBITION: Louise Bourgeois – Has the Day Invaded the Night or Has the Night Invaded the Day? (loc)
Release: AGNSW – 28 April 2024
Bring The Storm by Bronwyn Eather (loc)
Release: Brave Old World
Summer Rain by New Visionaries (int)
Release: Roadmaps
3301 by Cykada (int)
Release: Metamorphosis
INTERVIEW: Guy Morgan, artist by ArtScreen Premiere at the Museum of Contemporary Art – https://access2arts.org.au/event/artscreen-2023/ (loc)
Release: Video: Written with a finger on a steamed-up window
Liminal Space by Ego Ella May (int)
Release: FIELDNOTES PT III
Hawk Island by Mr Beatnick (int)
Release: Single
Feedback of Silence (ft. Benjamin Herman) by THYSENTERPRISE (int)
Release: ESSENTIAL

Edited story excerpts:
Justin Paton: Music by Brian Eno, Webb, Nerve Net (1992). All rights reserved.
Guy Morgan: Written with a finger on a steamed-up window. All rights reserved.

National Art School GRAD SHOW 2023

National Arts School Graduation Exhibition for 1-10 December 2023, presents 140 students and we hear from six of them on the preview night. For more information on the GRAD SHOW, visit: nas.edu.au/the-grad-show-2023/

Broadcasting from Eastside’s Bondi Studio at the Bondi Pavilion, the leading venue of the Head On Photo Festival 2023. Guests include Moshe Rosenzveig, Director and local Australian photographers: Graham Cordery, IT AINT HALF HOT, MUM; Damien Drew, SHIKOKU NO SEIJAKU (SHIKOKU SILENCE) and Talia Greis, Winner of the Landscape Award.

A special thank you to Elliott Wallace at Eastside. Produced and presented by Angela Stretch, from Bidjigal, Birrabirragal  and GADIGAL country of the Sydney Coast and we acknowledge First Nations peoples as the sovereign custodians of Country, and pay respect to Elders of past, present and to future generations. We acknowledge and value the distinct culture, customs and practices present in the many and diverse tribal nations across NSW.

Playlist

Meditations by Myele Manzanza (int)
Release: Crisi & Opportunities, Vol. 4
The Speaking Page by Robert Adamson (loc)
Release: Event: Where I Come From: A Cruise The Life and Poetry
Ultraviolet by Billy Mohler (int)
Release: California
Currawarna presented by Voices of Women by Artists: Liane Clarke, Director; Elizabeth Jigalin, Sound; Jeanne Kinninmont, photographer; Writers and Speakers; Di Bird, Saasha McMillan, Imogen Ru (loc)
Release: https://voiceswomen.com/
Hand on Your Heart (Live) by Jose Gonzalez (int)
Release: Veneer (20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)
INTERVIEW: Moshe Rosenzveig, Founder, Director, Head On Photo Festival by Head On Photo Festival – 3 December 2023 (loc)
Release: https://headon.org.au/
Walk with Me by Don Leisure with Amanda Whiting (int)
Release: Beyond The Midnight Sun
INTERVIEW: Graham Cordery, photographer by IT AINT HALF HOT, MUM (loc)
Release: Bondi Beach Promenade, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi – 3 December
Reflections (Bei ru Remix) by Jazz is Dead (int)
Release: Los Angeles
INTERVIEW: Damien Drew, photographer by SHIKOKU NO SEIJAKU (SHIKOKU SILENCE) (loc)
Release: Bondi Beach Promenade, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi – 3 December
Wall of Eyes by The Smile (int)
Release: Wall of Eyes
INTERVIEW: Talia Greis, Recipient of the Landscape Prize 2023 by Award winning photograph: https://headon.org.au/exhibitions/head-on-landscape-awards-2023 (loc)
Release: Awards: https://headon.org.au/magazine/winners-announced-head-on-photo-awards-2
Here I Am by Luiz Henrique (int)
Release: Somatoria do Barulho

The Womanifesto Way: Sydney Gathers at 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, explores the ethos of this women-centre arts collective through collaborative exchanges between Womanifesto artists based in Sydney, and by embarking on open process of visual and digital art-history making that reveals nearly three decades of collaborative reinvention. We hear from one of the founding members Phaptawan Suwannakudt who is curator and artist in The Womanifesto Way: Sydney Gathers and participating artist Sue Pedley. Damage is a recently released independent drama film by Madeleine Blackwell.  Madeleine is an accomplished writer and director who works across a range of theatre and screen projects.  The drama is an expression of the importance of humanity and hope in a world where war is becoming the norm and fear of the refugee a symptom.  It features the filmmakers mother who recently passed away following the film’s release, and Ali AI Jenabi, who was the subject of the book The People Smuggler written by Robin De Crespigny of 2012. The inaugural Collabor8Women Prize 2023. The finalists work are being presented at Ellipsis Gallery in Woolloomooloo, in an exhibition titled Connected. Karen Eck, PR consultancy eckfactor, and Gallerist and artist Mark Wotherspoon talk us through what it’s all about.

Produced and presented by Angela Stretch, from GADIGAL country, we acknowledge First Nations peoples as the sovereign custodians of Country, and pay respect to Elders of past, present and to future generations. We acknowledge and value the distinct culture, customs and practices present in the many and diverse tribal nations across NSW. 

Playlist

Fleurette Africaine by Dave Easley (int)
Release: Ballads
Joy is not meant to be a crumb by Bex Burch (int)
Release: There is only love and fear
STORY: Collabor8Women Prize 2023 by INTERVIEW: Karen Eck, Eckfactor PR Consultancy and Mark Wotherspoon, Gallerist of Ellipsis Gallery – https://www.collabor8women.com/ (loc)
Release: EXHIBITION: Connected – December 2023, Open when the Restaurant, VIAND is open
Joyful Noise by Atlantis Jazz Ensemble (int)
Release: Celestial Suite
Bitter Fruit by Gary Corben (int)
Release: Bitter Fruit EP
STORY: The Womanifesto Way: Sydney Gathers -https://4a.com.au/exhibitions/thewomanifestoway by ARTISTS: Phaptwawan Suwannakudt and Sue Pedley (loc)
Release: EXHIBITION: – 17 December – 4a Centre for Contemporary Asian Art –
Free Trial by Gerald Bailey (int)
Release: Migration Climate
Sunset by Resavoir (int)
Release: Resavoir
Smash ‘n’ Grab by Zaimie (int)
Release: Fortuitous
STORY: Damage – Independent Feature Film by FILM BY: Madeleine Blackwell (loc)
Release: CINEMA SCREENINGS: Ritz Cinemas and United Cinemas – https://www.damagethemovie.net/where-to-watch
FRAGILE by Moses Yoofee Trio (int)
Release: OCEAN
Equanimity by Ancient Infinity Orchestra (int)
Release: River of Light

The Wonderland Art Festival is an annual exhibition that showcases local artists and held over three days at Bronte Surf Club. It’s named in honour of Wonderland City Amusement Park at Tamarama from the late 1800s. This is the second event Abigail Lutzen is presenting her work, and she talks us through the inspiration of her paintings. Kath Fries, artist and curator of HIDDEN, a sculpture exhibition at the Rookwood Cemetery. She talks us through this year’s expansion to include the new Schools and Stonemasons categories. Opening night of the Postgraduate exhibition at the National Art School achieves record attendance, and for good reason. We hear from one of the graduating students, Joshua, Copland Nielson. 100 Women 100 Stories is a production is set to be performed for one night at the Town Hall. We hear from the Founder and Director of The House that Dan Built, Danielle O’Keefe.

Produced and presented by Angela Stretch, from GADIGAL country, we acknowledge First Nations peoples as the sovereign custodians of Country, and pay respect to Elders of past, present and to future generations. We acknowledge and value the distinct culture, customs and practices present in the many and diverse tribal nations across NSW. 

Playlist

Morning Brings The Ligh by Grand Union (int)
Release: Folk Funk & Trippy Troubadours Volume Two
Visions of the Night by Josef Akin (int)
Release: Chimera
Interview: Kath Fries, Curator of HIDDEN by Exhibition:HIDDEN Rookwood Sculptures – 19 november2023 (loc)
Release: https://www.hiddeninrookwood.com.au/hidden-2023
Transonic by Luisine (int)
Release: Long Light
Gertrude’s List by VALVE (int)
Release: Tiny Pilots
INTERVIEW: Joshua Copland-Nielson, artist by Exhibition: National Art School
Postgraduate exhibition 2023 (loc)
Release: – 12 November 2023
Give Me A Smile (feat. Son Little) by Busty and the Bass (int)
Release: Forever Never Cares
Joram Feitsma by Abandon All Hope (int)
Release: Netherlands
INTERVIEW: Abigail Lutzen, artist -https://abigaillutzen.com/ by EXHIBITION: The Wonderland Art Festival (loc)
Release: 9-11 November 2023
Let Your Hair Down Ft Hutch the Great by Max Sinai (int)
Release: SQR002
INTERVIEW: Danielle O’Keefe, Founder and Director, The House that Dan Built by PERFORMANCE: 100 WOMEN 100 STORIES (loc)
Release: Sydney Town Hall: 3-5pm Sunday, 19 November 2023