Community Billboard – 4th to the 10th of May

If you're a jazz sounds fan like most Eastside listeners, and you're looking for a night to hear some great live music, where the musicians will be giving it that extra special treatment as it is their CD launch tour, why not go along to see ‘Alturas’, a quintet who combine influences from classical, latin and tango to create a unique blend of haunting melodies with jazz-inspired solos.

‘Alturas’ have been performing as a group since 2009. The group started as a duo with Gaye Thomas – flute and Jane Andino – piano. It has over the years grown to become a quintet, performing throughout Eastern Australia. Their new CD is "Sin Palabras", a stunning collection of contemporary tango-influenced music.

Their debut CD, Café con Tango, released in April 2013 was well received around the music scene.

The new instrumental CD is filled with dark moody tangos with soaring jazz saxophone and piano solos.

You might have already heard of Alturas or maybe you haven't but either way I'm sure you're in for a treat on this occasion.

When: Saturday 9th May from 8.30pm to 11.00pm.

Where: Foundry 616, 616 Harris St Ultimo 2007.

Cost: Adult $25, Senior/Child $20.

Nowadays we are lucky to be able to purchase and donate to fair trade products, however with bulk buying, and more and more different products on the market there are still so many unfair deals and passage ways from the grower to the consumer that we don't know about.

If Fair Trade is something you feel strongly about, and you want to purchase some great products from the markets, or if you want to find out more about Fair Trade then go along to Every Purchase Matters, a night were the fair trade association will be celebrating an event with markets, a screening of the powerful documentary ‘Black Gold’ and a questions and answers session with leading figures in the Fair Trade movement in Australia and the Pacific.
Go along to learn why every purchase you make matters.

When: Wednesday 13th May from 6.30pm to 9.00pm.

Where: Paddington Uniting Church, 395 Oxford Street, Paddington, 2021.

Cost: General Admission $15.

With Anzac day just gone, some of you might have gone along to a service or a demonstration revolving around the important day. Contemporary dance isn't a typical genre for commemorating the day, but who and where better to do it than a New Zealand dance group in Sydney.

The Riverside Theatres will present the New Zealand dance company’s Rotunda – a unique production that features a powerful collision of a 24-piece live brass band with the raw beauty of contemporary dance to honour the Gallipoli landings in 1915.

The production brings to life the connection between Australia and New Zealand and dances the story of love and loss.

When: Wednesday 13th May from 8.00pm to 10.00pm.

Where: Riverside Theatres , Corner of Church and Market Streets Parramatta 2150.

Cost: Adult $57 / Concession $52 / 30 and Under $43 / School Students $35.

With all the different types, styles and variations of Art at the moment have you thought about the size crafted pieces? And for once not the large objects displayed and exhibited in parks and Museums, what about the little miniature art that entails so much tricker detail.

For an evening where you will be joined by members of the Australian society of miniature art where they will introduce you to this art form.
They will be showcasing all different art forms including etching, acrylics, paper sculpture, water colours and printmaking.
You never know that toy soldier you once painted years ago could now be worth a fortune.

When: Thursday 14th May at 6:00pm.

Where: Glebe Library, 186 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe, 2037.

Cost: Free.

Just because the weather is starting to get a bit wet and the evenings are getting dark doesn't mean the festivals are stopping, not in Sydney anyway that's for sure.

As the wine region of Mudgee which is a three and a half hour drive from Sydney in Central NSW, comes to Sydney for a ten day festival for its fifth year, full of food and wine tastings, photographic exhibitions and art displays.

The highlight of the festival will be in the form of a two-day headliner event at Pirrama Park on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th May (11am – 5pm).
An event designed for the whole family, with live music, local artists, rides and children’s entertainment and over 100 stalls, where guests can meet wine-makers, participate in tastings and sample a broad range of fine foods.

When: Friday 15th and Sunday 24th May from 09.00am to 5.00pm.

Where: Pirrama Park, Pyrmont, 20 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont 2009.

Cost: Free.

There are certain activities that are just made for Sundays, taking a stroll along the promande taking in that Sea breeze, or even giving yourself a "ME" day and relaxing on the couch after your stressful week.

But there is one thing to do on a Sunday that tops them all and that is being outside listening to live music, and to make it even better, Jazz.

At a 35minute drive from Sydney, making the trip could be worth it as Jazz at the Pines brings together great jazz bands to perform live on the lawns of The Pines at Dural.
You can enjoy live Jazz underneath the shade of 100 year old pines against the backdrop of historic Roughley House, built in 1856.
You might have heard of it before as it is in its 14th year now and is well known with people coming from as far as Canberra to join in on the fun, there is a dance floor there an all so you can get your Sunday swing on under the tall pines.

You can bring your own picnic along and fold out chairs or on the other hand you can reserve a table as there are some dotted around and you can also purchase afternoon tea if you choose not to bring the picnic chest.

This event is the last Jazz session of the season so its sure to draw a crowd, with the Bridge city jazz band filling the air with great sounds.

When: Sunday 17th May, 12:30pm - 4:00pm.

Where: Dural Visitor Information Centre, Roughley House and The Pines, 656a Old Northern Road, Dural (near Dural Country Club).

Cost: Adults $15, Concession $13, Family $30 (cash only).

‘Everything has been figured out, except how to live.’ — Jean-Paul Sartre

This year the theme of Sydney Writers’ Festival is 'How to Live?'.
Where do we find a sense of purpose and how should we best live our lives?

For all fans of literature I'm sure you are well aware that the Sydney writers' festival is just around the corner, after starting in 1997 its only getting bigger and better, with over 400 writers lined up for this years festival it is sure to be packed with endless readings, discussions, story-telling and insights, from hearing eye opening experiences from surgeon and New Yorker staff writer Dr. Atul Gawande that have helped him understand the realities of being mortal.

Also hear stories from Christina Lamb a foreign correspondant who has spent the last 28 years in the Middle East. Her new book looks at how the West ignored Pakistan and Afghanistan when it really mattered.
One of the special things about a literary festival is the opportunity to bring into focus and discuss subjects that are too often surrounded by silence.

You can also hear from Austarlian winner of the Man Booker Prize, Richard Flanagan. And many many more.

This years festival is suited for everyone from cocktail and music story telling, to key events being streamed to art centres around NSW.
All to help us make sense of the world, exploring ideas of happiness, grief, spirituality, ageing, and mortality.

When: Monday 18th to Sunday 24th May.

Where: Main centre hub -Pier 2, Walsh Bay, 13 Hickson Rd 2000, (several locations).

Cost: There are both free and ticketed events at Sydney Writers’ Festival. The majority of ticketed events can be booked through the Roslyn Packer Theatre Box Office.

If you're a flower power lover, an artist or just looking for some tips on how to arrange a flower piece in your home, well Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement, also known as kadō, the "way of flowers").

Instead of putting that bunch of flowers you received in a vase to sit on the hall table, learn how the disciplined art form Ikebana brings nature and humanity together. To create pieces of art that may not always focus on the bloom of the flower but on the shape and stem and whatever you decide to add yourself, certain pieces symbolise different elements.

Sandra Marker, teacher of the modern Sogetsu school of Ikebana, will be introducing you to the basic techniques of Ikebana, in a floral workshop and no better place to hold it than the Royal botanic gardens.

So the next time a flower piece of yours is complemented instead of saying thanks, you can tell the story and meaning behind it and be proud of the art piece you put together.
This workshop is not for fans of noise as there is a lot of spirituality in the art of Ikebana and working in silence is one of its beauties, it is a time to appreciate things in nature that people often overlook because of their busy lives.

When: Tuesday 19th May, 10am - 3pm.

Where: Lion Gate Lodge, the Royal Botanic Garden.

Cost: Members $135, non-members $150 Morning tea provided. Lunch provided. Materials provided.