A city of culture all year round
An outdoor live music lounge, a giant bamboo sculpture, immersive cinema experiences and a community art project were announced today as part of one of Sydney’s most popular cultural events. The City of Sydney today unveiled a new program for Art & About Sydney, which has been refocused from an annual three week festival to an ongoing series of projects year round. Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the new Art & About format would enable the City to deliver projects across Sydney more often.
“For the last 13 years, Art & About has been the City’s annual celebration of art in unconventional spaces,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Art & About Sydney brings Sydneysiders together with local and international artists in a fantastic celebration of the city’s creative spirit.
“Events like these are critical to Sydney’s economy and important in ensuring we remain a globally competitive city.
“Each year we have found new ways of taking art out of the gallery and into new and different spaces during our festival – now we’ll be doing this all year round.
“As major infrastructure works commence in the city, the time is right to move from a festival format to a model that continually enables creativity in the public domain.”
Highlights this year include:
The Terrace – 18–27 September
Art & About Sydney will launch with The Terrace which will transform the Marconi Terrace on the northern side of Sydney Town Hall House into a temporary live music venue and terrace bar presenting free intimate live music performances over nine nights from 18–27 September.
Taking inspiration from the garden rooftop renewals of New York, The Terrace will feature performances by some of Sydney’s finest music artists, including Dave and Joji from Gang of Youths, Emma Pask, Microwave Jenny, Mojo Juju and Paul Capsis performing with the gospel choir Café at the Gate of Salvation.
Near Kin Kin – 18 Sept–11 Oct
A soaring 21-metre bamboo sculpture will stand on the forecourt of Customs House Square, Circular Quay. Created by Cave Urban, Near Kin Kin will transport visitors to a wilder place and time as they step onto a leafy forest floor, enveloped by a grove of giant bamboo.
Australian Life and Little Sydney Lives – 18 Sept–11 Oct
Two Art & About favourites return to Hyde Park with Australian Life and Little Sydney Lives. Across two outdoor galleries, 42 large-scale images by Australian photographers young and old will capture the diverse experience of Australian life.
Games + Actions (for a Quiet City) – 17 Oct–1 Nov
Up to 100 Sydney volunteers playing identical ‘instruments’ will surprise the public with a series of pop- up performances. Each performance occurs in a new public location, creating a seemingly spontaneous moment not unlike a sonic flash mob.
Created by Super Critical Mass, the performances will take place over three weekends at Martin Place (17–18 Oct), Mitchell Library (24–25 Oct) and Hyde Park (31 Oct–1 Nov).
More Human Than Human: Blade Runner – 21 Nov
Golden Age Cinema and Bar will present an immersive cinema experience at Goulburn Street car park. The rooftop of the car park will be transformed into an apocalyptic playground for a unique film, food and art event.
Guests will move through a series of surreal spaces, engaging with film, music, food and artwork that culminates in a future night market and screening of the recently remastered Blade Runner movie.
The city of Sydney also revealed some of its project planned for 2016, which included:
An underground laboratory-style installation at Paddington Reservoir Gardens. The H2O: Water Bar, by renowned Australian artist Janet Laurence, will offer various waters sourced from different regions across Australia.
Floating dinghies and ocean-inspired food and drinks will ensure a cinematic experience unlike any other with The Deep End: Jaws at Andrew Boy Charlton pool.
Tut will bring a new urban dance craze to the streets of Sydney. Tutting incorporates intricate and rhythmic patterns of hands, fingers and arms inspired by hieroglyphics, with live performances projected on to large screens and nearby buildings in the city.
Scratching the Surface will carve a large, intricate street art onto a city building. Renowned Portuguese artist Vhils uses chiselled strokes to expose layers of the building as a canvas, creating the necessary depth and contrast to bring portraits to life.
What: Art and About Sydney
Where: Various public places in Sydney
When: Starting 18 September 2015 until 30 June 2016
For more information about the locations and various events click here