Community Billboard September 7th to the 13th of September

One of the many events taking place during Sydney Art week is "The Other Art Fair". This is currently the UK’s largest artist-led fair, and due to its ongoing success, "The Other Art Fair" is launching in Sydney next week.

The event provides an accessible place to purchase affordable art, directly from 80 selected artists, with an accomplished selection committee on board, with a guarantee that a variety of quality works, spanning all media, will be on display.

The aim of the event is to create a bi-annual art fair that develops the careers of Australia’s future artists. Not only about selling artworks, but enabling artists to launch their work in the contemporary art world, gauge the public’s response to their pieces and meet fellow artists for potential future collaborations.

At the fair it is a chance to explore your own reactions to contemporary art in a vibrant, buzzing setting with lots of other creative talent to challenge, entertain and inspire visitors such as live performance art, free curated walks, immersive theatre and acoustic music sessions.

A great way to meet and buy directly from the artists, participate in talks, learn new skills at workshops, meet like-minded people, and create art all while taking in the lively and exciting atmosphere of a new art fair.

When: 11th - 13th September.

Where: Central Park, Chippendale, 2008.

Cost: Opening night $25, Fri & Sat $15.

If you are looking for an event to go where you will enhance your spirituality, personal transformation, wellbeing, health, fitness, self-empowerment, education, community, love and togetherness, then "Festival Of Dreams" will be a world of all things spiritual.

The three day festival will have inspiring exhibitors, world renowned healers, international celebrities, seminars and workshops, psychic readings, soulful entertainment, heartfelt meditations and more, all to elevate and celebrate life.

Festival of Dreams is fuelled by a desire for like-minded people to discover the spirit within and open themselves up to the possibilities they have only dreamed of.

Embrace ancient wisdom and modern living as Native American spiritual pathfinders will be sharing a message of Indigenous wisdom over three moving and powerful performances.

When: 11th-13th September, 10am-6pm.

Where: Hordern Pavilion, Entertainment Quarter, 1 Driver Ave, Moore Park, 2021.

Cost: $20.

If you are looking to learn more on how to lead a sustainable lifestyle, for a day out to celebrate the community and come together to learn more about the environment and actions we can take to tread more lightly on the earth, then head along to Randwick's "Eco-living Fair".

The event will be celebrating its eleventh year and will continue to provide a range of new and popular activities covering all things green and sustainable. The main aim of the event is for people to find out more on how to live sustainably and how to reduce their ecological footprint - particularly energy, water consumption and waste.

There will be eco-futures discussions with sustainability experts, kids panel discussions, market stalls, live music, children's entertainment including eco-stage shows, gardening workshops and native wildlife exhibits so there is lots going on for everyone.

One of the great features of Randwick's "Eco-Living Fair" is that it is powered by renewable forms of energy including wind, solar and bio-diesel. The Fair is giving away over 3000 trees to their visitors, making this a day where you can come along and be the proud owner of a tree from a sustainable event, and a day where you will be sure to leave having learnt something about the environment or a tip about how to live greener.

When: Sunday 13th September, 10am and 3pm.

Where: Randwick Community Centre, 27 Munda Street, Randwick, 2031.

Cost: Free.

If you are looking for a fun way to spend the day with the help of nature to create your entertainment then head along to one of Sydney's most colourful spring festivals, down by the sea this weekend "Festival of the Winds" will be on.

The kite flying festival returns for a day full of head-turning amazement as you watch Australian and international kite flyers show their great flying skills and wonderful hand-made creations. The skies will come alive with lots of different kites from colourful cartoon characters, giant animals and flowers, fighter kites, box kites, delta kites and more.

You can also join in and fly your own kite on the beach or make your own wonderful creation at one of the kite making workshops on offer and have your own creation fly high in the sky.

There will also be food stalls from all over the world, children's rides, workshops, demonstrations, roaming entertainment, puppet shows, and art exhibitions so if your not the kite flyer out of the family there is still lots of activities and entertainment throughout the day.

When: Sunday 13th September, 11am-4pm.

Where: Bondi Park, Bondi Beach and Bondi Pavilion, 2026.

Cost: Free.

For all the jazz lovers out there, one of Sydney's biggest jazz events of the year will be on at the beginning of next week: our proud sponsor Foundry 616 will be celebrating their 2nd birthday with some glorious Australian music, as the "Jazzgrove Mothership Orchestra" will be bringing the party to town.

The event will definitely be one full of great musical talent as the "Jazzgrove Mothership Orchestra" will also be joined on the night with guest trombonist and composer Dave Panichi.

JMO were the first ensemble to perform at Foundry616 back in September 2013, and returned again for the first anniversary, so of course they are back to bring another memorable night for the great venue's birthday.

You are sure to be in for a special night as the ARIA nominated and 2012 Australian Jazz Award winning JMO have gained a reputation as one of the world’s most exciting and innovative independent jazz orchestras. Comprising 17 members playing 5 saxophones, 5 trumpets, 4 trombones, guitar, piano, bass and drums, will bring you a style of music between jazz, rock, and classical delivered through the dynamic, rhythmic and textural context of a jazz orchestra.

While Dave Panichi brings his decades of expertise to the stage Panichi has performed with a diversity of jazz luminaries and contemporary artists such as James Morrison, Buddy Rich and many, many more.

When: Monday 14th September, 8pm.

Where: Foundry616, 616 Harris Street, Ultimo, 2007.

Cost: $21.50.

With September being National Biodiversity Month there will be an event on next week to help raise money for animals and their homes,
as the University of Technology will be holding a biodiversity band night.

An evening not only to find out information about how you can help all kinds of animals out there but also to see some great live bands.

You will be able to chat to environmental and animal organisations about questions or ideas you have, and there will also be presentations from Dr. Daniel Ramp, director of the "Centre for Compassionate Conservation" (CfCC) and a guest speaker from "Frontline Action on Coal".

The event runs all evening with several different bands playing throughout such as "Little Hart", "10th Man", "Camay" and DJ "Tito" so there will lots of sounds for different tastes. All door donations will go to the "Centre for Compassionate Conservation" who are a research, education and advisory centre that improves the welfare of wild animals using a compassionate conservation approach, you can also donate to other participating environmental and animal organisations that will be available on the night.

When: Thursday 17th September, 4:00pm to 11:30pm.

Where: UTS Underground Bar, University of Technology, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, 2007.

Cost: Free.

It might appear to be similar to Sydney's popular Vivid Festival, however this is a one night only event and with much more individual talent and art on display. The Beams Arts Festival is a flash in the night of colour, form, movement and sound, descending upon the streets of Chippendale to illuminate the creative talent of Sydney.

This multi-disciplinary arts festival showcases work from the whole spectrum of the arts, with creatives, makers, artists, performers, businesses, creative industries and the vibrant community of Chippendale coming together to turn everyones ideas and inspirations into a wonderful night of talent and great art displays.

With over 12,000 in attendance last year and this year the festival coincides with the "UNESCO International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies" it is sure to be gleaming with eye opening visuals.
An evening where you can wander through the art-filled laneways and experience a night of communal ‘enlightenment’. You can also enjoy the opportunity to directly participate through hands-on art-making, workshops and open air performances, there will be live music, 3D projections, outdoor dining and of course lots of lights.

When: Saturday 19th September, 5:00pm–10:00pm.

Where: Central Park, 28 Broadway, Chippendale, 2008.

Cost: Free.

With spring now upon us and with the weather getting better, one of the best ways to spend time in the sun is down by our lovely beaches, and an even better way to spend a day by the beach is a great food and wine festival.

Next weekend for its third year, Taste of Coogee Food and Wine Festival is returning. The Eastern Suburbs event that attracts over 20,000 people is all about celebrating the community, food and highlighting the fabulous local venues.

A lovely way to spend a Sunday relaxing on the grass while also indulging in delicious creations from not only some of Sydney's greatest chefs but tasting the best of Coogee's local cuisine. There will be a bumper line-up of cooking demonstrations from world renowned chefs, cuisines from local favourites and wine tastings from some of Australia's most respected wine regions.

This year the festival will create a moving tribute to the late cricketing legend and local Coogee resident, Ritchie Benaud, with all proceeds from the day being donated to the Ritchie Benaud Fund for cancer patients at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick.

There will be kids' activities to keep the whole family entertained and when you're finished your sampling and want to sit back and soak in all the atmosphere there will be some funky cool beats with "Martini Club" and the "John Field Band".

When: Sunday 20th September, 10am - 6pm.

Where: Goldstein Reserve, Coogee Beach, 2034.

Cost: Free, food and wine tokens are available for purchase on the day.