artscentre.blacktown.nsw.gov.au
Thank you Blacktown Arts Centre is an initiative of Blacktown City Council supported by Arts NSW
Project Partners
WestWords Western Sydney Young People’s Literature Development Project
Program Credits Kevin Vo Design Joshua Morris Photography (unless otherwise credited) Tania Bowers and Sandra Wograndl Hair & Make-up Innovative Print Solutions Printer ISBN 978-1-921482-42-7
Front cover Abuzar Abdelrahim, contemporary dancer
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Welcome Welcome to Blacktown Arts Centre’s new look program! This year, we explore the rich and complex history of Blacktown in two major visual arts projects. Following on from our 2013 exhibition The Native Institute, Blacktown Arts Centre presents The Native Institute Artists’ Camps (p6), a C3West Project in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Growth NSW. This major project is the heart of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts program, which continues to grow from strength to strength. In April, we present It’s Timely (p8), co-curated by Gary Carsley in partnership with the Whitlam Institute. This exhibition, featuring six contemporary artists of national significance, is framed by the two speeches Whitlam delivered in Blacktown’s Bowman Hall in the 1970s. Its images document how his policies and legacies changed life in Blacktown and beyond.
Blacktown Arts Centre has a firm commitment to exploring the best, most dynamic and culturally diverse work in Western Sydney. From Ayse Göknur Shanal’s majestic soprano (p14) to the stirring spoken word of SistaNative (p20), our 2014 Echo Music Series delivers on that promise. This year, we also launch the first instalment of Blacktown Confessionals (p26) – a multi-year project which will see the Arts Centre become a home of ideas, revelations and discoveries about this place we call home. We invite you to be part of this important conversation. Flick through the pages of this book and it is clear that our program proudly reflects the faces, places and sounds of Blacktown: our complexity, diversity and passion, our past and our future. See you at the Centre. Jenny Bisset Director Blacktown Arts Centre Manager Arts & Cultural Development, Blacktown City Council
Image: Detail, Foreign Force, 2014, digital print 76 x 100 cm
Visual Arts
Visual Arts 4
Uncovered: Hidden Pleasures of the Day Maria Fernanda Cardoso Joanne Saad Ghasan Saaid 27 February – 12 April Uncovered brings together three contemporary visual artists who delight in revealing the extraordinary in everyday places and experiences. Ghasan Saaid, Maria Fernanda Cardoso and Joanne Saad find inspiration in the most surprising places: on the streets and in the homes of Blacktown residents, in vacuous multi-storey car parks and in the theatrical sex life of flowers.
For these artists, pleasure is found in discovering the fantastic in what appears to be mundane, where simplicity is a mirage. The exhibition includes video, sound, photographic and sculptural installations that reflect the intricacies of the artists’ work. Uncovered is the first time Joanne Saad and Blacktown resident Ghasan Saaid will be exhibiting at Blacktown Arts Centre. Maria Fernanda Cardoso’s work with the Tjanpi Desert Weavers and the resulting exhibition, Kuru Alala, toured to Blacktown Arts Centre in 2011.
Siete Cueros Desnudo, 2014, Maria Fernanda Cardoso, digital print on paper, face mounted on aluminium, dimensions variable, courtesy William Wright Artists Projects
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r e a, an artist of the Gamilaraay people of Central West NSW, works with photography and digital media, exploring creative environments through installation.
The Native Institute Artists' Camps rea Boolarng Nangamai Weavers Cathy Craigie Karla Dickens Leanne Tobin A C3W Project in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) and Urban Growth NSW
April – December Following on from our 2013 exhibition The Native Institute, Blacktown Arts Centre presents The Native Institute Artists’ Camps in 2014. Established in Blacktown in 1823, after it was relocated from Parramatta, to ‘educate’ and ‘reform’ Aboriginal children during colonisation, the The Native Institute site on the corner of Richmond Road and Rooty Hill Road North represents the origins of the institutionalisation of Aboriginal people in Australia. The site is a profound symbol of race relations and cross-cultural interaction in Australia. In 2014, a series of camps will be staged on this potent site.
Shaped by lead artist in residence r e a, working with artists including Leanne Tobin, Karla Dickens, Cathy Craigie, the Boolarng Nangamai Weavers and local Aboriginal communities, each camp will feature a large studio space and focus on three separate but linked aspects of the site: storytelling, caring for country and physical site interpretation. Community members will find the studio a welcoming space to share their stories of The Native Institute. The Boolarng Nangamai Weavers will yarn as oral histories are shared. The caring for country studio will focus on Aboriginal land management practices, and the site workshop will explore the interpretative opportunities for the site and include Aboriginal design professionals.
Visual Arts 8
It's Timely Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan Darren Bell Gary Carsley Simryn Gill Deborah Kelly The Kingpins Grant Stevens In partnership with the Whitlam Institute within the University of Western Sydney
29 April – 28 June In the early 1970s, Australians were demanding social change, rallying for sexual and racial equality, and against the Vietnam War. In this climate of disquiet, Edward Gough Whitlam, firstly as opposition leader and then as Prime Minister, journeyed to Blacktown to deliver two of the most iconic speeches in Australian history. Whitlam chose Blacktown because the area and its people represented the opportunity, diversity and complexity of the nation – as it still does today.
The It’s Timely exhibition is framed by the two speeches Whitlam delivered in Blacktown in 1972 and 1974, and its images document the changes that completely transformed life and culture in the island continent. Artists active at the time will be joined by those who came of age, or to Australia, as a result of the policies and legacies of the Whitlam Government. The Opening of the exhibition will be held on Tuesday 29 April 2014 – the 40th anniversary of Whitlam’s Labor Party Policy Speech in Bowman Hall, Blacktown.
Whitlam In China (The Annunciation), Gary Carsley, 2014 (work in progress)
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Seve Faleupolu Gooding is a Sydney-based weaver of Samoan heritage whose work is drawn from the traditional practices of her people. Polu will be running weaving workshops with the local Pacific community and creating new work for exhibition.
Stitching The Sea Seve Faleupolu Gooding Sione Falemaka Greg Semu Angela Tiatia Julie Wharerau Samoan Senior Citizens Pearls of the Pacific Mount Druitt Tongan Tapa Makers Maori Weavers Co-curated by Keren Ruki In partnership with the Australian Museum
17 July – 6 September Stitching The Sea focuses on the storytelling tradition and narratives that are contained within the various weaving practices of local Pacific communities. Traditional artworks appear humble but contain social, spiritual and cultural importance, and are exchanged during ceremonies marking key personal and public events.
Artists working in a wide range of disciplines have responded to traditional objects in the Pacific Collection of the Australian Museum and collaborated with groups in the Blacktown region. The process of exchange has culminated in new artworks on display for the first time, which demonstrate the various linkages between traditional and contemporary artistic practices.
Flamenco guitarist Chris Duff opened the 2014 Echo Music Series
Echo Music Series
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"Göknur is a soprano gifted with a voice of great beauty … she has the ability to hold an audience with both the intensity of her performance and her musicianship." Maestro Richard Bonynge
Ayse Göknur Shanal Ayse Göknur Shanal (soprano) Patrick Keith (piano) Opera/Classical Friday 11 and Saturday 12 April 8pm Performance Studio, Blacktown Arts Centre Cost $20 adult $15 Concession/BAC Friends $45 Family (2 adults, 2 children under 12) For two nights only, Blacktown Arts Centre presents internationally acclaimed soprano – and local resident – Ayse Göknur Shanal and her musical collaborator Patrick Keith. Taking inspiration from the Uncovered exhibition, the recitals will explore the hidden pleasures of the mundane and highlight one of Australia’s most exciting operatic voices.
Echo Music Series 16
Alicia Crossley is one of Australia’s leading recorder players and teachers. She performs a wide repertoire from renaissance dance tunes to contemporary electro-acoustic works with a particular interest in the bass recorder.
Aurora Festival: Ecstatic Dances Alicia Crossley (recorder) Mark Atkins (didgeridoo) Paul Cutlan (composer) Melissa Farrow (baroque flute) Ollie Miller (cello) Contemporary Music Thursday 1 May 4pm - 7pm Performance Studio, Blacktown Arts Centre Cost $20 adult $15 Concession/BAC Friends Free Children and young people (under 18 years) Join us for an exciting musical experience the entire family will love! From 4pm, local families and school children will have the opportunity to meet and talk to one of Australia’s leading recorder musicians, Alicia Crossley, and her collaborators Melissa Farrow (baroque flute), Mark Atkins (didgeridoo), Mark Cutlan (composer) and Ollie Miller (cello).
The performers will discuss their instrument, give a demonstration and answer your musical questions. During the short break, the audience will have the opportunity to enjoy refreshments and a tour of the It’s Timely exhibition. At 6pm, Alicia and her collaborators will present a concert program of dance inspired pieces for the 2014 Aurora Festival.
Echo Music Series 18
Shohrat Tursun, is a world renowned musician and Uygur Bard who has travelled the world performing the hidden treasures of his culture. A seventh generation musician, Shohrat plays the long-necked two-stringed lute, the dutar.
Grass Roots World Music Various artists World Music/Traditional Music Saturday 21 June 2pm – late Blacktown Arts Centre Cost Free In partnership with SydWest Multicultural Services and Cultural Arts Collective Sing, dance, eat and create together in honour of the diverse communities of Blacktown. As part of Refugee Week 2014, Blacktown Arts Centre, SydWest Multicultural Services and Cultural Arts Collective present a lively day of music, dance, food and arts activities for the whole family with performances by some of Sydney’s best World Music acts.
Echo Music Series 20
Through her alter ego SistaNative, Seini Taumoepeau is known for the strength of her spoken word, the power of her voice and the fine writing that anchors her performance practice.
SistaNative Seini Taumoepeau (vocalist) Contemporary Music Saturday 19 July 8pm Performance Studio, Blacktown Arts Centre Cost $20 adult $15 Concession/BAC Friends $45 Family (2 adults, 2 children under 12) Stitching the Sea, the season of visual arts and performance that crosses the Pacific region, opens with a stirring performance by SistaNative. Tongan singer and spoken word artist Seini Taumoepeau (aka SistaNative) examines her cultural identity through a thoughtful and playful songscape that explores the border crossings between the traditional and the new.
Martin del Amo will be exploring the subtleties in contemporary dance with Abuzar Abdelrahim and Afro Contemporary in association with STARTTS for Blacktown Confessionals.
Performance
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19th Biennale of Sydney: You Imagine What You Desire Storytime at The Village Randi & Katrine Elders, children and young people from Blacktown Visual Arts/Storytelling Every Saturday from 29 March – 9 June 2pm Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour Cost Free In partnership with the 19th Biennale of Sydney, Sydney Story Factory, Australian Theatre for Young People and the culturally diverse communities of Blacktown Inside a house is where much of our lives are played out: parents raise families, children play, couples fight. As part of the 19th Biennale of Sydney, Danish artist duo Randi & Katrine will create a wonderland in the style of a typical Danish village.
Against this fairytale backdrop, each weekend a range of short enactments will showcase local stories and fables developed and recited by children and students, or retold by elders from the diverse communities of Blacktown.
Sydney Sonata Singers – who will be participating in Storytime at The Village – are a seniors singing group based in Blacktown who are committed to preserving the culture and heritage of the Philippines.
Performance 26 Abuzar Abdelrahim is a member of Afro Contemporary Youth Dance, a dynamic Western Sydney dance troupe comprised of young people aged 12 – 21. He was awarded the Best Male dance title at 2013 Fast + Fresh Dance competition. Katia Molino is one of Sydney’s most respected performers and theatre makers. She is an intelligent and powerful collaborator for some of this country’s most acclaimed independent performance collectives and companies.
Blacktown Confessionals Abuzar Abdelrahim Applespiel Darrin Baker Annemaree Dalziel Martin del Amo Stan Florek and Siobhan Colman Darran Jordan Katia Molino Deborah Pollard Sipat Lawin Lucky Lartey Annette Tesoriero STARTTS Theatre/Dance/Performance May – October Blacktown Arts Centre and various sites in the Blacktown LGA Cost Free ...between the habits and fears of the past, and the demands and opportunities of the future... Gough Whitlam, 1972 It’s time to look beyond the statistics and the headlines. What is Blacktown? Who are its people? Is this still the heartland of modern Australia or is Blacktown – at its core – something altogether different now?
O Like our Facebook page to find out how you can be part of the conversation.
From May to October, a diverse collection of artists and performance-makers – local and otherwise – will hang out at Blacktown Arts Centre, creating, eating, playing, dreaming and having cups of tea with the locals. From these conversations will emerge an evolving portrait of the city. The season will culminate in Urban Theatre Projects taking up residence in our car park, transforming the space into a community gardening and storytelling oasis called the "Democratic Garden". Blacktown Confessionals is the first instalment of a multi-year project which will see the Arts Centre become a home of ideas, revelations and discoveries about this place we call home.
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Latai Taumoepeau is a powerful performance maker and artist. Her practice traverses across forms and she is known as a dancer, performer, writer and visual artist. Latai will co-curate the performance program of Stitching the Sea.
Stitching The Sea: A Congregation of Cultures Latai Taumoepeau
O See page 20 for information on Seini Taumoepeau’s Echo Music Series performance!
Theatre/Dance/Performance/Visual Arts 1 August – 30 August Blacktown Arts Centre Cost Free Bookended by two sisters from Tongan heritage – Latai and Seini Taumoepeau – the performance season of Stitching the Sea is an exploration of culture and a questioning of what is preserved in museums and valued in the personal lives of individuals and communities.
During the month of August, Blacktown Arts Centre will open its old church doors to Pacific Islander communities from the Blacktown LGA to explore and exchange cultural practices. Led by artist/ provocateur Latai Taumoepeau, it will be a season of gatherings that explores how culture is passed down, exhibited, shared and remembered. The season will culminate in a public showing by Latai. Depending on cultural protocols, other parts of this season may be open to the public. Like our Facebook page for updates.
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Residency Program March / Nick Atkins Theatre/Contemporary Performance April / Flatline (Carl Sciberras and Tom Fuller) Dance/Interdisciplinary Darran Jordan Writing for Performance/Interdisciplinary May / Earthcrosser (Shy Magsalin and Melanie Herbert) Contemporary Performance/Theatre June / Annalouise Paul Dance/Interdisciplinary July / Mars Cavestany/Filipinas-Petals Theatre August / Sean Marcs Dance
Nick Atkins is a theatre and performance maker. He graduated from UNSW with a BA Media, Theatre & Performance (Hons 1st Class) where he received the Cate Blanchett award. This year, he will complete residencies with Urban Theatre Projects and Blacktown Arts Centre.
Selected from a strong round of applicants, our 2014 Performing Arts Residents come from diverse performance practices and interests. From personal explorations of culture and heritage to the examination of Blacktown’s history, the season offers these artists important development time for their bright and fresh ideas, and the opportunity to take works in progress to the next stage. Blacktown Arts Centre offers Funded Residencies and Space Residencies. Look out for the 2015 callout in our Spring/Summer Program. Some residencies may include a public performance. See our website for details.
Special Events
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Marjory Freeman is a member of the Blacktown Seniors Choir, Simply Voices. The choir meets weekly and regularly performs at events across the region.
2014 Seniors Week 15 March – 23 March
Uncover Your Hidden Talent: Singing Workshop Thursday 20 March 10.30am – 12.30pm
This year’s theme Live Life! celebrates active, healthy, independent seniors involved in their communities. Blacktown Arts Centre is presenting a range of workshops and activities that celebrate the creative talents of our seniors!
Cost Free, bookings essential
Show & Tell Craft Morning Tea
Uncover Your Hidden Talent: Drawing Workshop
Wednesday 19 March
Thursday 20 March
10.30am – 12pm
1.30pm – 3.30pm
Cost Free, bookings essential (for catering purposes)
Cost Free, bookings essential
Bring a crafty project and enjoy a delicious morning tea at Blacktown Arts Centre. Meet some new crafty mates and share your skills – or learn a new one! Any type of craft is welcome. Morning tea provided.
Release your inner artist in this vibrant drawing workshop with artist-in-residence Nerine Martini. Learn the basics of drawing and experiment with various mediums such as pencils and pastels. All materials are provided. Includes a tour of the Uncovered exhibition. Places are limited.
Everyone has a hidden talent. Are you a secret singer? Build confidence and develop your vocal skills in this lively workshop led by mezzo soprano Annette Tesoriero. Come along and discover your true voice! Lunch provided. Places are limited.
Special Events 34
Lucky Lartey is one of Australia’s most dynamic West African performers and is well known for his versatile and high energy dance style. Lucky will be facilitating African dance workshops during Youth Week.
2014 Youth Week STARTTS Bangarra Dance Theatre Dance 3 – 14 April Blacktown Arts Centre Cost Free Blacktown Arts Centre will celebrate Youth Week by occupying its spaces with dance, music, art and workshops! The Centre will work with our partners STARTTS (NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors), Bangarra Dance Theatre and some of Sydney’s best dancers, choreographers, artists and performers to focus on participation and skills development for young people in the region.
O More information about our Youth Week program will be available on our website and Facebook page in mid-March.
Special Events 36
Intercultural Dialogues Literature/Visual Arts/Performance In partnership with the Sydney Writers’ Festival, the Whitlam Institute within the University of Western Sydney and WestWords
Friday 23 May 7pm Blacktown Arts Centre Cost Free Join us for an evening of music, art, literature and lively conversation, as we ruminate on one of Australia’s most iconic and polarising figures – Edward Gough Whitlam. We will reflect on the contemporary relevance of Whitlam’s policies in relation to the It’s Timely exhibition, which is framed by the two speeches Whitlam delivered in Bowman Hall in the 1970s, and consider the impact of the 21st Prime Minister of Australia on life in Blacktown and beyond.
Image: Gough Whitlam opens the 1972 Labour election campaign at Bowman Hall, Blacktown, by Rick Stevens, Fairfax Syndication
Special Events 38
Sleepers Awake Artists’ Talk Heather and Ivan Morison Visual Arts In partnership with Western Sydney Parklands Trust and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)
Saturday 24 May 3.30pm Artists’ talks 5pm Bus tour to Bungarribee Bungarribee and Blacktown Arts Centre Cost Free Blacktown Arts Centre is thrilled to present a public talk by international artists Heather and Ivan Morison. Heather and Ivan Morison’s magical temporary public artwork Sleepers Awake is the second collaboration between Western Sydney Parklands Trust and the MCA under their C3West program. It signals the transformation of Bungarribee from a vacant site to an amazing park that will be a community hub for the people of Blacktown and Greater Western Sydney.
For nine nights, from 17 to 26 May, Bungarribee in the Western Sydney Parklands will be lit from dusk til dawn by the spectacular sculpture, Sleepers Awake, which will float up to 80 metres off the ground illuminating Bungarribee in a unique new light, offering visitors the opportunity to look again at where they live and what surrounds them. This is your chance to get an exclusive insight into the most ambitious temporary public art project ever seen in Western Sydney. Following the artists’ talk, the audience will have the opportunity to visit Bungarribee and experience the magic of Sleepers Awake. Free shuttle buses will run from Blacktown Arts Centre.
Image: Sleepers Awake, Heather and Ivan Morison, 2014 (artists’ impression)
Special Events 40
NAIDOC Family Day Saturday 12 July 11am – 4pm Blacktown Showground, Richmond Rd Blacktown Cost Free NAIDOC Week is a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and an opportunity to recognise the contributions that Indigenous Australians make to our country and our society. This year, NAIDOC Week celebrations are focused around the theme Serving Country: Centenary & Beyond. Blacktown City Council will host a free Family Fun Day at Blacktown Showground. The day will feature a range of activities including face painting, cultural workshops, art displays, music and dance performances, a BBQ and much more.
Workshops
Workshops 44
Nerine Martini is a visual artist and arts educator working in the fields of sculpture, installation, drawing and public art. She is the current artist-in-residence at Blacktown Artists' Studios.
O Adult
Workshop descriptions will be available on our website and Facebook page one month prior to the scheduled dates.
Drawing Workshops
Sketch Club
Nerine Martini
Every Thursday from 20 March – 25 April
Saturday 22 and 29 March
6pm – 8pm
10.30am – 3.30pm
Performance Studio, Blacktown Arts Centre
Workshop Studio, Blacktown Arts Centre
Cost $15 per person ($12 Conc/BAC Friends)
Cost $150 for two sessions ($135 Conc/BAC Friends)
Enjoy casual, untutored drawing sessions with the BAC Sketch Club. Over six sessions, you can unleash your artistic ability, share tips and tricks with other participants and brush up on your drawing skills. This year, Sketch Club will be held on Thursday nights along with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art classes and weaving. Why not arrive a little early, grab a coffee and take the opportunity to chat with other artists on the deck? Model and easels are provided, materials not included.
Push your creative boundaries in a series of workshops inspired by the works in the Uncovered exhibition, where pleasure is found in revealing the extraordinary in everyday places and experiences. Artist-in-residence Nerine Martini will lead two drawing workshops exploring the natural world. Find inspiration in the Arts Centre’s weaving garden, the theatrical works of Maria Fernanda Cardoso (Uncovered) or Nerine’s own public artworks in the nearby Village Green. Easels are provided, materials not included.
Workshops 46
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Workshops
Weaving Circle
Danny and Jamie Eastwood
Nikki Parsons-Gardiner
Every Thursday from 20 March – 25 April
Every Thursday from 20 March – 25 April
6pm – 8pm
6pm – 8pm
Workshop Studio, Blacktown Arts Centre
Community venues in the Blacktown region Please call the Aboriginal Arts Officer on 9839 6869 for location details
Cost Free Join acclaimed Aboriginal artists Danny and Jamie Eastwood for a sixweek workshop series exploring history through oral and visual storytelling. This award-winning father and son duo will lead creative workshops using a variety of techniques and mediums including painting, drawing and printmaking. This workshop series is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. The workshops are suitable for all skill levels. Basic materials are provided but artists are encouraged to bring additional materials.
Cost Free The Aboriginal Weaving Circle, led by Nikki Parsons-Gardiner, will meet weekly on a Thursday evening to weave and yarn. Nikki Parsons-Gardiner is an Aboriginal woman of the Darug-Yuin peoples of Sydney and the South Coast of NSW. She was taught by Uncle Steven Russell, a Dharawal man, and Kristine Stewart, a Yuin woman, both from Boolarng Nangamai Aboriginal Art & Culture Studio in Gerringong.
Image: by r e a, courtesy and copyright the artist.
Workshops 48
Darren Bell is a photographer who had his first exhibition at Blacktown Arts Centre in 2010. He was a finalist in the 2012 and 2013 Parliament of NSW Aboriginal Art Prize.
Mobile Photography Workshop Darren Bell Saturday 31 May 2014 10.30am-1pm and 1.30pm-4pm Blacktown Arts Centre and surrounding areas Cost $15 adult (16+ years), ($12 Conc/BAC Friends) Want to know how to get the best photos out of your smartphone? During this informal, hands-on workshop, exhibiting artist Darren Bell (It’s Timely) will offer tips on what makes a good photograph and advice on how to use your phone as a camera. You’ll capture a variety of subjects including quirky portraits and street photography around the Blacktown CBD, and learn about Darren’s favourite apps to help you edit and share your images. Spaces are limited. Bookings essential.
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Children School Holiday Program Tuesday 22 April – Thursday 24 April Tuesday 8 July – Friday 11 July Tuesday 30 September – Friday 3 Oct Morning 10.30am – 12.30pm Afternoon 1pm – 3pm Workshop Studio, Blacktown Arts Centre Cost $15 single workshop ($12 Conc/BAC Friends) $25 full day ($20 Conc/BAC Friends) Blacktown Arts Centre presents an exciting workshop program for children aged 6 to 12 years every school holidays. During the workshops, children can explore their imagination and creativity through the visual and performing arts. Workshops are 2 hours duration with the morning session at 10.30am and an afternoon session at 1pm. Children are welcome to enrol in both workshops and enjoy a whole day of creative activity at the Centre. Children doing morning and afternoon sessions will be supervised throughout the lunch break. All workshop fees include materials. Places are limited and bookings are essential.
O Workshop descriptions will be available on our website and Facebook page one month prior to the scheduled dates.
Education 51
Science students will be enthralled by Maria Fernanda Cardoso’s intimate images of native and non-native flowers featured in the Uncovered exhibition.
Schools Program Get out of the classroom and bring your students to Blacktown Arts Centre! Blacktown Arts Centre is an exciting and innovative contemporary multiarts facility located in the heart of the Blacktown CBD, just 5 minutes walk from Blacktown Station. We offer a variety of excursion packages centred on our curated program of exhibitions and performances which can be tailored to suit your school’s needs. These packages include self-directed tours, guided tours and practical workshops linked to the curriculum. At Blacktown Arts Centre, we offer subsidised excursions for PSP schools. Subsidy is dependent on availability and excursion type. For more information, call (02) 9839 6558 or email artscentre@blacktown.nsw.gov.au.
Give local history a national context through the framework of the It’s Timely exhibition.
WESTWORDS WestWords is an ArtsNSW funded project, hosted by Blacktown City Council, which delivers literature engagement programs for children and young adults across Greater Western Sydney. Blacktown Arts Centre works closely with WestWords on a number of projects including our schools program and holiday workshops.
Information 52
Connect with Blacktown Arts Centre Bookings Online
Online
artscentre.blacktown.nsw.gov.au
Online bookings for all performances, workshops and special events are available at www.artscentre.blacktown.nsw.gov.au.
Facebook facebook.com/BlacktownArtsCentre
In person Twitter @BlacktownCC
Blacktown Arts Centre is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm.
Phone
artscentre@blacktown.nsw.gov.au
Call (02) 9839 6558 to make a credit card booking over the phone.
Phone (02) 9839 6558
Blacktown Arts Centre staff Jenny Bisset Manager/Director Monir Rowshan Community Engagement Jodie Polutele Marketing Miguel Olmo Operations Paul Howard Visual Arts Paschal Daantos Berry, Maria Mitar Performing Arts Miah Wright Aboriginal Arts Judith Ridge Literature Wilna Fourie Special Projects Sanki Tennakoon, Dayna Coyle, Monique Muscat, Joshua Stojanovic Administration
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Access Information
Location
Entry to Blacktown Arts Centre is via 78 Flushcombe Road Blacktown. BAC welcomes all visitors and is committed to making its programs and services accessible to everyone. Visitors with restricted mobility can enjoy all public areas of the Arts Centre.
Blacktown Arts Centre is located at 78 Flushcombe Rd Blacktown NSW 2148
Public Transport Blacktown Arts Centre is within five minutes walking distance (south) from Blacktown station.
Parking On-street parking available in the surrounding area. Car parking stations are within walking distance to BAC, located at Colo Lane, Westpoint Shopping Centre, Max Webber Library and K-Mart. The Council car park (adjacent to the Arts Centre) is open to the public evenings and all day Saturday. Accessible Parking available at the Centre, entry via Campbell St.
The Centre is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm (closed public holidays)
2014 Visual Arts 27 February – 12 April Uncovered: Hidden Pleasures of the Day
29 April – 28 June
April – December
17 July – 6 September
It’s Timely
The Native Institute Artists’ Camps
Stitching The Sea
2014 Echo Music Series Friday 11 & Saturday 12 April Ayse Gรถknur Shanal
Thursday 1 May
Saturday 21 June
Saturday 19 July
Aurora Festival: Ecstatic Dances
Grass Roots World Music
SistaNative
O Book Now!
Call 9839 6558 or artscentre.blacktown.nsw.gov.au