Community Billboard 19th to the 25th of October

For an arts event that is not your normal gallery exhibition, head along to the world’s largest stencil art event.

This years "Stencil Art Prize Exhibition" will recognize and reward stencil artists from all over the world, as there will be 92 finalists from 21 countries who will have artworks on display.
Key themes include cityscapes, momento mori, portraiture, surreal and illustrative compositions, to flora and fauna, political art and even hints of contemporary artistic references as the post-modern sublime.

There will be an incredible selection of stencil artworks on canvases, reclaimed and found objects including beer tins, surfboards, skateboards, collaged imagery, sculptural stencils, stencils that make audio noise and delicate materials such as paper.

Showcasing nearly every stencil making method on the planet, including hand-cut stencil arrangements, screen-printing, technologically assisted productions and collecting.

When: Saturday 17th to Friday 30th October.

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

Cost: Free.

Another great event in aid of animal welfare is just around the corner, the more events that can help abandoned animals be re-homed the better as no one wants to see a sad furry friend. If you want to learn more on how you can help an animal in need head along to this years "Super Furry Festival".

The festival was founded by Jess Zeltner and Courtney Meyer. Together they rescue animals, help re-home them and raise funds and awareness for rescue organisations. Their mission is to meet other animal lovers and help animals be adopted through creative fun concepts.

The idea of the "Super Furry Festival" is to share the joy of pet adoption and rehoming rescue animals, raise funds and awareness for animal organisations and to create the largest creative animal community.
There will be several fun animal-themed activities to help raise money, and if you're keen to get a pet and still haven't decided, you can chat to different organisations with the option to adopt a rescue pet.
Plus there will be lots of stalls to purchase some goodies for your old or new furry family member, in the market-style festival.

Every dollar raised on the day goes to support the unsung heroes who rescue, treat and re-home rescue pets.

When: Saturday 24th October 2015, 9am - 3pm.

Where: Shannon Reserve, Crown Street, Surry Hills, 2010.

Cost: Free.

For a boutique fair for collectors and creatives, a fair day full of interesting stalls and sweet tasting bakes is the "Great Prop Swap & Spring Bake Sale".

The event hosted by "The Beige Larder & Channie B" is held in the surrounds of Clontarf Cottage & Garden for a very special spring gathering of collectors and creatives, inspired by an old-fashioned country spring fair.

If you feel like doing a spring clean and passing on some of your unwanted treasures that you have no need for anymore but could bring a lot of joy to someone else, don't be afraid to bring out your inner sales person and bring your items along.
You can trade it, swap it or come empty-handed and see what delights you can take home.
Items that are suited to swap and trade at this event would be quality decorative objects, vintage china, fabrics and craft supplies, (no clothing or accessories or electrical goods).

Along with the prop swap and bake sale, there will also be craft workshops, creative corners and extra treats from a few of the fairs favourite insta-friends.

When: Saturday, 24th October, 11:00am to 2:00pm.

Where: Clontarf Cottage, 4 Wallace Street, Balmain, 2041.

Cost: Free.

The music highlight on this week's community billboard is one full of fresh sounds to get you in that groovy mood, "Funk Engine" will be playing a midweek gig in one of our proud sponsors venues next week.

If you are looking to hear sounds of groove-based music, jazz fusion and reggae then this event will have them all as "Funk Engine" are all about combining funk grooves with jazz harmony and improvisation.

The Sydney four-piece was formed in January 2013 after the members first met through the Sydney "Conservatorium of Music" and the "Jazz Workshop". The group is made up of Siebe Pogson on electric bass/band Leader, Nish Manjunath on tenor saxophone, Felix Lalanne on electric guitar and Holly Conner on drums.

After securing a residency at Lazy Bones Lounge, Marrickville and playing at the "Beats Festival" plus a range of other great venues they decided it was time for their debut album to be recorded, under the guidance of Aria-winning producer Llew Kiek, "Funk Engine’s" debut CD was launched in November last year.

Bringing influences from The Subterraneans, Herbie Hancock, and Bob Marley you can expect playful melodies with the bands style of “bent funk.”

When: Wednesday 28th October, 8pm.

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

Cost: $15.

The most famous art pieces in the world are from eras of past generations, but what is the future of the art world going to be like and who are going to be the artists? If you would like to find out then head along to this years "National Art School Postgraduate Exhibition".

The exhibition will showcase the achievements of more than fifty students completing the Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) and Master of Fine Art. Michael Snelling, Director, Nicholas Johnson, Chair, the board and staff invite the public to attend the event where you will see a look of the artist's of today's imagination.

There will be a diverse and stimulating collection of inspiring and cutting edge contemporary artworks, from students working across ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture, by some of Australia’s most promising artists.

When: Thursday 29th October to Saturday 7th November, 11am - 5pm.

Where: National Art School, Forbes St, Darlinghurst, 2010.

Cost: Free.

Next Friday is "National Bandanna Day", a day for you to show your support and help raise funds for young people when cancer crashes into their world.

National Bandanna day is "CanTeens" annual fundraising and awareness campaign and this year aims to raise $1.25 million. CanTeen delivers youth specific support services, such as, free and confidential counselling services, specialist age appropriate medical treatment and support for young cancer patients and lots more on-going support throughout the patients treatment.

Now in its 21st year, "National Bandanna Day" has become a time for the Australian community to show their support for young people living with cancer. Since starting, Australians have raised more than $30 million enabling "CanTeen" to provide more than 60,000 opportunities for young people affected by cancer to gain support.

There are lots of different colours and styles to choose from, you can be the trend setter in the office or you might like it so much, you will keep wearing a bandanna, either way by wearing a bandanna it plays a significant role as a symbol of hope and empowerment for people who are affected by cancer.

You can purchase your bandana in stores such as Strandbags, Newslink, Woolworths, Capital Chemist and online at https://www.canteen.org.au/shop/.

When: 30th October.

Where: Nationwide.

Cost: $4 per Bandana.

With World Osteoporosis Day this week on the 20th of October and Halloween just around the corner the "Arthritis & Osteoporosis" of NSW, a non-profit organisation are holding an event to bring all the family together for a fun scary day out, to raise funds and also break a world record at their event "Our Joint".

The event is a world record attempt for the largest gathering of skeletons, the current record is 2018, so the aim is for 2500 skeletons. If you want to help beat the world record and come together to raise funds and awareness for people effected by arthritis, a condition that affects 1 in 5 Australians, two out of every three people with arthritis are between 15 and 60 years old, so it is a given that as much funding as possible is needed.

What better way to spend Halloween raising funds and having fun as you step inside a haunted house, fun in a spooky way, there will also be live entertainment, rides, trick-or-treating and food and drinks, Your support will go to vital research and support services.

When: Friday 30th October.

Where: Dudley Page Reserve, Dover Heights, 2030.

Cost: $40 entry fee, includes your free skeleton onesie.

An event that may not be in the Eastern Suburbs but certainly is something to look into, as the weather is definitly improving and the thought of spending some time in the garden is becoming more appealing is Liverpool's "Spring Expo".

This Liverpool Spring Expo is back bigger and better, incorporating the awards ceremony for the Liverpool garden competition 2015 and celebrating children's week, the "Spring Expo" has something for everyone such as dog shows, a petting farm and rides, children's activities, face painters and roving entertainers.

It is your chance to get handy tips and tricks from "Better Homes and Gardens" personality Graham Ross, take part in Bunnings 'Pot a Plant' workshop, learn from recycling and sustainability experts and take home a free tree, plus lots more fun activities for all the family.

When: 31st October, 10am - 3pm.

Where: Bigge Park, Liverpool, 124 Bigge St, Liverpool, 2170.

Cost: Free.