You probably recognise Lea DeLaria from her role on Netflix's Orange Is the New Black. But while she's best known for playing inmate Big Boo, the truth is she's been around a hell of a lot longer than that. The first openly gay comic to appear on American television, DeLaria has been appearing on stage and screen for more than three decades, and will appear at the Melbourne Recital Centre for an evening of stand-up and song. Heading to Melbourne on Thursday, June 7, Lea DeLaria Live In Concert will see the singer, actor and comedian – who has five jazz records to her name, by the way – perform songs from her latest album, House of David. If the name didn't give it away, it lovingly reimagines the music of the late great David Bowie, so you'll be getting two icons for the price of one.
Dig It Up!, the Hoodoo Gurus' second invitational concert in as many years, is an afternoon of world firsts: the Hoodoos' first live performance of their sophomore album, Mars Needs Guitars, in its entirety; Blue Oyster Cult's first Australian tour; and the Flamin' Groovies' first live appearance (since 1981) in its original Cyril Jordan/Chris Wilson/George Alexander line-up. The event, which includes an extravaganza at the Enmore Theatre as well as multi-stage/multi-band performances in many of Australia's capital cities, marks the 31 years that have passed since the Hoodoo Gurus recorded their debut single, 'Leilani'. According to lead singer Dave Faulkner, the main problem with programming was ensuring the gig matched up to last year's standard, that being "rock 'n' roll perfection". However, he has decided that "Dig It Up! 2013 will be the gig of the year THIS year." Other acts on the bill include the Buzzcocks, Peter Case (and band), the Stems, the Lime Spiders, the Moodists, Deniz Tek (ex-Radio Birdman) and Ray Ahn (the Hard Ons' bassist).
Western Australia is known for its stunning beaches, incredible nature, top-notch eats and plenty of excellent vino. So, it's no wonder some of the best chefs and sommeliers from around the globe want to come Down Under this spring. Come November, rockstar chefs and wine experts will flock to Western Australia for an epic food and wine fair — Western Australia Gourmet Escape presented by Westpac. Taking over the Swan Valley, Perth and Margaret River for ten days (Friday, November 8 – Sunday, November 17), the event is an extravaganza of long lunches, cruises, wine tasting sessions and masterclasses. You can count on more than 50 events featuring more than 50 world-class talents. Coming from the UK, Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White will host a one-off dinner at Swan Valley's Sittella Winery. You'll also find him at the new Gourmet Feast in the Valley, which will run from Saturday, November 9 and Sunday, November 10. The weekend-long shindig of food, music and workshops will also host Jess Pryles (author of Hardcore Carnivore), Christian Stevenson (aka DJ BBQ), DJ-chef Yo Levins and Aussie band The Rubens playing live. Plus, you can expect artisan producers and wineries, hands-on activities, masterclasses and a lineup of Perth's best food trucks, too. Head down to Margaret River and you can also hit up a barbecue on the beach with the famed Momofuku empire's executive chef David Chang or a twilight vegetarian degustation at the idyllic Margaret River's Secret Garden, hosted by WA chef George Cooper (Tiller Dining) and Amanda Cohen from New York's Dirt Candy. You can also join chef Mark Best (ex-Marque) on a luxury catamaran to cruise around Geographe Bay, Margaret River, from Friday, November 15–Sunday, November 17. With plenty of food, wine and culinary stars hitting our western coast, a trip over could be a hot option before diving into summer. There's plenty more food and wine frivolity in store, which you can check out in the festival's massive programme over here. Tickets to Western Australia Gourmet Escape presented by Westpac go on sale at 9am on Thursday, July 18. To see our picks of the best events to check out at this epic food and wine festival, head here. UPDATE: MONDAY, AUGUST 5 – Western Australia Gourmet Escape is hosting a one-off event in Sydney. On Tuesday, August 13, you can join WA chef Luke Mangan, Gage Roads Brewing Co's chief brewer Aaron Heary and Annabelle Coppin from the Pilbara's Outback Beef, plus Sydney-based wine expert Mike Bennie for a four-course dinner at The Hilton Hotel Sydney's restaurant, Glass Brasserie. Kicking off at 6pm, the event is a celebration of Western Australian produce, with tickets costing $123 per person. Tickets include four courses matched with Gage Roads brews or with optional pairings of Margaret River wines available as an alternative. For tickets, head here.
Last year, HBO said goodbye to Game of Thrones, at least for now. It also farewelled Veep and wrapped up Big Little Lies, although the latter apparently could still make a comeback. But don't go thinking that the US cable network has gaps in its schedule in 2020. Not only did Westworld return, but The Outsider, Perry Mason, Lovecraft Country, I May Destroy You and The Undoing all proved must-see viewing. Australian viewers can watch its Italian-set mini-series We Are Who We Are from this month, too — and in December, HBO's new six-part psychological thriller The Third Day will also hit local screens. Starring Jude Law, Naomie Harris (Moonlight, Spectre), Paddy Considine (The Outsider), Emily Watson (Chernobyl) and Katherine Waterston (the Fantastic Beasts franchise), The Third Day is comprised of two halves: 'Summer' and 'Winter'. In the show's first three episodes, it follows a man called Sam (Law) who is drawn to an island off the British coast, only to discover that he can't leave. In its second three episodes, it spends time with Helen (Harris), who also finds herself on the tiny Osea Island. If it sounds familiar, that's because it started airing in the US in mid-September and just finished up its overseas run in mid-October. Now Australian viewers will be able to enjoy its intriguing premise, eerie setting and top-notch cast, with The Third Day hitting Foxtel from Monday, December 7 — airing weekly, and also making every episode available to stream via Foxtel Go and Foxtel Now. There's no word as yet regarding The Third Day's other component, called 'Fall' — a day-long event that featured Law, Watson and Waterston, was broadcast in real time and was also captured in one continuous take. Behind the scenes, the show stems from creators Felix Barrett and Dennis Kelly, with Barrett founding British theatre company Punchdrunk — which created the aforementioned 'Fall' segment of the show — and Kelly writing the original UK version of Utopia. Check out the trailer for The Third Day below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hHT5FlMaIQ&feature=youtu.be The Third Day starts screening via Foxtel from 8.30pm on Monday, December 7, with new episodes airing each week. All six episodes will also be available to stream on the same date via Foxtel Go and Foxtel Now. Top image: Liam Daniel/HBO.
This exhibition at Edmund Pearce Gallery embraces its defiance to categorisation. Curator Sharon Flynn wrangles some disparate responses to the themes of rupture and identity by seven artists whose work operates across a vast spectrum of forms – from lens-based media to live art. It is also the first time this gallery has allowed the use of live bodies and performance within the space. This show was one of our top picks for Midsumma 2014, see our full list here.
An offshoot of Hannah Brontë's feminist rap Still I Rise for Next Wave Festival, this Sunday night gig at Howler in Brunswick will see a selection of Indigenous fem-cees and DJs take control of the decks and the dancefloor. Curated by Brontë, the lineup will include SEZZO, SOVTRAK, Busty Beatz and Amrita Amrita, as well as an open mic session which will be open to all female MCs. Should be the perfect way to shake the lead out ahead of the final week of the fest.
While social distancing and public gathering rules are still in place across the country, some companies are starting to look to the less-restricted future. Qantas yesterday said interstate travel could be back on the cards by July, Restaurant and Catering Australia wants hospitality venues reopened in June and, now, Falls Festival has announced it's powering ahead with plans for its New Year's festival — with some big changes. In a statement released this morning, Falls Co-Producers Jessica Ducro and Paul Piticco said they'd decided to push ahead with the end-of-year festival. "As Australia heads towards the recovery phase of COVID-19 we have decided to move forward with optimism, and work towards presenting our Dec 2020/Jan 2021 event in a way that will best bolster Australia's live music industry," the statement said. Details of the summer festival, which usually takes places at Tassie's Marion Bay, Lorne in Victoria, North Byron and Fremantle, are scarce for now, but the duo has announced one big change: an all-Aussie lineup. With Australia's borders currently closed and even travel between just Australia and New Zealand "still some time away", keeping the lineup local does seem the smart choice — and it has the added bonus of helping Aussie musicians, many of which have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown. According to website I Lost My Gig, Australian music industry workers have lost approximately $340 million worth of income since the crisis began. Falls Festival hopes it'll be able to help support some of those impacted with its locally focused festival. "We have some of the most exciting acts in the world and this special 'home grown' edition of Falls will ensure that money stays in our local economy, providing maximum financial benefit for the Australian music community – artists, management, crew, agents, roadies, production etc — as well as the thousands of contractors and suppliers who rely on our events for their income," Ducro and Piticco said in the statement. The festival will also help raise funds for Support Act, a charity delivery crisis relief services to those in the music industry. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_04sZGhybw/ It's positive news for those in the industry and music fans alike, but the the festival is not yet set in stone. Two-person public gathering rules are still currently in place in Victoria, NSW and Queensland, and Australia's ban on non-essential mass gatherings of over 500 people was one of the first restrictions implemented — way back on March 13, 2020 — so could, if we're to work backwards, be one of the last lifted. The Australian Government has also said some level of social distancing measures will need to remain in place until a vaccine is found, which Federal Science Minister Karen Andrews told the ABC earlier this week was still 10–15 months away. So, if the festival is to go ahead, it could look a little different — and a have a lot less punters in tow. Falls Byron usually has around 25,000 attendees, while Falls Lorne has 9000. Last year, the music festival was impacted by the bushfires, with the Lorne leg cancelled one day in because of extreme and hazardous weather. Falls Festival is hoping to go ahead in December 2020/January 2021. We'll let you know if and when more details are announced.
The 40th parallel is much more than simply a line of latitude spanning the distance of America from East to West; and Bruce Myren's photographs of it are much more than just photos. The line N 40° 00' 00'' bisects the country from New Jersey's shore crossing through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, over the border between Nebraska and Kansas, following on past Colorado, Utah, Nevada and finally finishing in California. Myren is not only capturing the stunning surroundings of these landscapes, but is trying to understand and portray the "human desire to create systems and then locate ourselves within them". The fortieth parallel north is a tool for measurement, as well as acting as the baseline for creating homesteads and townships, functioning as a useful marker during Western settlement. The project began as a fairly small and basic undertaking, using maps to identify the areas because GPS's were not widely available during that time. However, as geographical technology began to grow and develop, so too did Myren's photo series. Using an 8 x 10 Deardoff camera and colour transparency film, Myren produced panoramas by snapping three shots moving from left to right then adding them together during editing. The photographer is aiming to take a landscape panorama shot at every longitudinal point along the line, adding up to a total of 52 locations and images, spaced roughly 53 miles apart from each other. So far he has captured 28 stunning images of these locations. Here are 10 of the inspired images from his series, aimed to make you "consider the history of landscape photography, American development , but most importantly [your] own relationship to place." N 40° 00' o0'' W 109° 00' 00", Rangely, Colorado, 2000 N 40° 00' 00" W 108° 00' 00", Meeker, Colorado, 2000 N 40° 00' 00" W 101° 00' 00", Ludell, Kansas, 2011 N 40° 00' 00" W 98° 00' 00", Webber, Kansas, 2007 N 40° 00' 00" W 97° 00' 00", Hollenberg, Kansas, 2007 N 40° 00' 00" W 95° 00' 00", Fillmore, Missouri, 2007 N 40° 00' 00" W 93° 00' 00", Winigan, Missouri, 2011 N 40° 00' 00" W 81° 00' 00", Belmont, Ohio, 1999 N 40° 00' 00" W 76° 00' 00", Gap, Pennsylvania, 1999 N 40° 00' 00" W 74° 03' 32", Normandy Beach, New Jersey, 1998
As part of the flurry of new streaming services competing for our eyeballs, FanForce TV joined the online viewing fold during the COVID-19 pandemic — with the pay-per-view platform not only screening movies, but pairing them with virtual Q&A sessions as well. Now, between Wednesday, November 11–Sunday, November 15 it's also hosting an online film fest: its second Virtual Indigenous Film Festival. The returning event coincides with NAIDOC Week, and will showcase five films: In My Own Words, The Song Keepers, The Flood, Wik vs Queensland and Westwind: Djalu's Legacy. That means you can watch your way through an array of Aussie movies focused on Indigenous stories, spanning both dramas and documentaries — and exploring race relations in the process. Sessions will also feature guest speakers, such as The Flood's writer/director/producer Victoria Wharfe McIntyre, The Song Keepers' filmmaker Naina Sen and Ben Strunin from Westwind: Djalu's Legacy. Viewers can tune in on a film-by-film basis, or buy an all-access pass to tune into everything. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY3O5LtMo9Q&feature=emb_logo Top image: Westwind: Djalu's Legacy
Whiplash is a drama about the pursuit of artistic greatness. Its characters push the boundaries in their determination to reach their goal. The film stars Miles Teller as an aspiring jazz percussionist, Andrew Neyman, who becomes so absorbed in his art he overworks himself mentally and physically, making his fingers bleed from overwork on multiple occasions. Starring alongside him is JK Simmons, playing his volatile music teacher, Terrence Fletcher, at a prestigious music academy. Wholly absorbed in a desire to create the best musicians of our time, Fletcher adopts a sort of survival-of-the-fittest teaching method, which borders on sociopathic. Oscillating between cruel mind games, verbal attacks and feigned pleasantness, he continually isolates his students — forcing nothing but the best. The film has won a string of awards, including the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award (US Dramatic) at the Sundance Film Festival, and is so far 96 percent certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Whiplash is in cinemas on October 23 (with sneak previews 17-19 October at select locations). Thanks to Sony Pictures, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Read our review of Whiplash here. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=8J6JH-R-TN0
What were you doing on 10/10/10? It appears that innumerable professional and amateur filmmakers from over 200 countries were filming the world around them as part of the One Day On Earth Project. The initiative aimed to collect the many and varied stories and images of that particular day - pregnant bellies, soccer games, guitar playing, arrests, little colourful fish and hair-washing to name but a few - and in the process became one of the biggest participatory events in history. The project was the brainchild of founder Kyle Ruddick who, in 2008, had the idea of using cinema to connect people from across the globe. Since then, with the support of non-government organisations and the United Nations Development Program, it has turned into a social networking phenomenon where not only films but stories and information are shared. A feature length film of the project will be released in the near future, but for now a trailer has been released to give a brief glimpse into this ambitious project.
In our brunch-obsessed times, lunch can sometimes feel like the neglected middle child of the dining scene. If you're a lunch lover keen to convert your breakfast-biased friends, now's your chance. Appletiser and Sunday Style have teamed up with over 30 of the leading eateries in Sydney and Melbourne to create the Appletiser Lunch Club. With a collection of speciality menus and exclusive offers to suit a range of budgets, a memorable leisurely lunch can soon be yours. Sydney gourmands can dine to their hearts content at venues including The Commons in Darlinghurst, Balcony Bar in the city and Alexandria's Vicinity Dining. For $30 per person, Redfern's Black Penny is offering share plates like tiger prawn skewers and zucchini flower bouquets stuffed with pumpkin, onion and goats cheese, accompanied by an Appletiser Pimms cocktail. North shore-dwellers can head to Roseville's HUX Dining for their Appletiser-roasted pork belly with apple and fennel sauce for just $25. Melburnians, you can patronise restaurants including the Southbank's Red Emperor, Platform 28 in the heart of the Docklands, Mail Exchange on Bourke Street and North Melbourne's Castle Hotel. Slide into Chuckle Park for a Summer Appletiser Pimms Cocktail and your choice of their signature pork roll, meatball wrap or frittata roll for $25. The same amount at Captain Melville gets you a trio of signature sliders: soft shell crab, western plains pork belly and a mini parmie, served with (of course) Appletiser. If your taste buds are already tingling in anticipation, make sure to book in your lunch before offers end on December 15. For the full list of participating restaurants, visit www.appletiser.com.au/LunchClub.
Radiohead do things a little differently to most bands. When they released In Rainbows in 2007 using a pay-what-you-think-is-fair approach to selling records, they engineered a recalibration of the music world as a whole and showed us that it wasn't the industry that was dying after all, just the traditional businesses and approaches within it. Since then bands have created their own TV shows and asked fans to make their albums for them, technology companies have launched music services and broadcast entire music festivals live, and Radiohead has continued to produce some of the most consistently innovative work of them all. The band premiered a broadcast of The King of Limbs 'Live From The Basement' on Spanish TV over the weekend, and it has now surfaced online. Whilst no Australian air date has been announced, you can watch the entire performance here, including new tracks 'The Daily Mail' and 'Staircase'. https://youtube.com/watch?v=k8byXSML4bY
The world's first wandering institution dedicated to showcasing the creative efforts of ordinary folks is coming to Australia. That'd be the The Museum of Everything, which will head to Tasmania for a ten-month stint filled with pieces that you won't find in any other gallery. Launching during MONA's Dark Mofo in June, then running through until April 2, 2018, the exhibition will feature over 1500 works in themed spaces, taking visitors on an informal journey through human making. Drawings, sculptures, paintings, ceramics, collage, photography, assemblage, found objects and installations will all be on display during its first trip to our shores. Starting in London in 2009, and touring to Paris, Venice, Moscow and Rotterdam since, The Museum of Everything aims to improve the profile of art that falls outside of the usual channels. Forget famous names — you won't find them here. Instead, lining its walls are works crafted by untrained, unintentional, undiscovered and and otherwise unclassifiable artists from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Indeed, the people responsible for the kind of pieces favoured by the travelling display are compelled to channel their creativity into new, different and experimental works, but they don't fit the conventional definition of artists. As founder James Brett explains, "our artists do not create for the markets or museums. They make because they must and— from Henry Darger to Nek Chand Saini — have something vital to say about the essence of their lives". Image: George Widener, c. 2007, courtesy of The Museum of Everything.
Did you know that for the last 12 years, Richard Linklater has been tinkering away on the same project? Oh yes, in between Before Midnight and Before Sunset, A Scanner Darkly and Bernie, there's been Boyhood, an intimate coming-of-age drama utilising the same cast (Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette and kids Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater) and interested in the kind of authenticity that can be created when you're not artificially ageing or swapping in older actors. "There has simply never been anything like this film," wrote Rolling Stone, and we're inclined to agree. It's a unique way to experience the growing pains of a child — and that of his young, still-nutting-things-out parents. Boyhood is in cinemas on September 4, and in advanced screenings this weekend. Thanks to Universal Pictures, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ys-mbHXyWX4
If you haven't nabbed tickets to see Kendrick Lamar when he tours Australia at the end of 2025, you now have more chances to head along. First, in news worth exclaiming "DAMN"- and "LOVE" about, he was announced as Spilt Milk's 2025 headliner. Then, not content with taking to the stage Down Under in Ballarat, Perth, Canberra and on the Gold Coast, the acclaimed hip hop artist locked in two solo Aussie stadium shows — one each in Melbourne and Sydney. Now Lamar has expanded those standalone gigs on his Grand National tour, adding an extra date in each city. Accordingly, after making its way around North America and Europe, Lamar's latest string of live dates now spans two nights apiece in the Victorian and New South Wales capitals. First up: Melbourne, at AAMI Park across Wednesday, December 3–Thursday, December 4, 2025. Then comes Allianz Stadium in the Harbour City over Wednesday, December 10–Thursday, December 11, 2025. [caption id="attachment_1008775" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gregory Shamus/Getty Images[/caption] Lamar's Aussie stadium shows still kick off before his Spilt Milk dates, then slot in-between the festival's two weekend runs. The fest hits Ballarat on Saturday, December 6; Perth on Sunday, December 7; Canberra on Saturday, December 13; and the Gold Coast on Sunday, December 14. For company at his solo gigs, he'll have ScHoolboy Q in support on Wednesday, December 3 and Wednesday, December 10, as previously announced. On the new dates — so on Thursday, December 4 and Thursday, December 11 — Doechii will be doing the honours. December clearly suits Lamar for a jaunt Down Under — that's when the Pulitzer Music Prize-winning musician also made the trip in 2022. Lamar is one of the most-critically acclaimed and successful hip hop artists of our generation. He currently has 22 Grammys to his name, plus an Academy Award nomination for one of his contributions to the Black Panther soundtrack. He won the 2017 Triple J Hottest 100 and, when he nabbed his Pulitzer in 2018, he also became the first ever artist to take out the prestigious award for contemporary music. GNX, his most-recent studio album, dropped in November 2024 — with his extensive catalogue also spanning 2011's Section.80, 2012's good kid, m.A.A.d city, 2015's To Pimp A Butterfly, 2017's DAMN and 2022's Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. Kendrick Lamar Grand National Tour 2025 Australian Dates Wednesday, December 3–Thursday, December 4 — AAMI Park, Melbourne Wednesday, December 10–Thursday, December 11 — Allianz Stadium, Sydney Spilt Milk 2025 Dates Saturday, December 6 — Victoria Park, Ballarat Sunday, December 7 — Claremont Showground, Perth Saturday, December 13 — Exhibition Park, Canberra Sunday, December 14 — Gold Coast Sports Precinct, Gold Coast Kendrick Lamar is touring Australia in December 2025, with ticket presales for his second Melbourne gig kicking off at 11am on Thursday, August 7, and for his second Sydney gig at 12pm on Thursday, August 7 — with general sales from 1pm on Monday, August 11 in Melbourne and 2pm on Monday, August 11 in Sydney. Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Timothy Norris/Getty Images for pgLang, Amazon Music, & Free Lunch.
Keen to combine romance and gambling? Sadly an overnight getaway to Vegas is probably off the cards for a while yet, so if you're looking for an over-the-top way to celebrate Valentine's Day this year, this might be the next best thing. QT Hotels around New Zealand and Australia are offering loved-up couples the chance to win big when they book a Valentine's stay at any of their hotels in February, and we mean really big. Live in the hotel for the rest of the month, big. Yup, that's right Chuck Bass. For the price of one night's stay, you could be living it up in a hotel for weeks, ordering breakfast to your bed and dialling into Zoom calls poolside. View this post on Instagram A post shared by QT Auckland (@qtauckland) It's all part of the new Love Is Blind promotion run by QT, inviting guests to roll the dice in a low-risk, high-reward game of romantic roulette. Book a stay with your beau (or bestie, or even your mum) between Friday, February 11 and Tuesday, February and you'll be surprised with either an upgrade or downgrade on check-in. The upgrades are all looking pretty sweet. You might get your champagne bottle levelled up to a magnum, or even your room upgraded to a suite. The best prize on offer is having your stay extended until Monday, February 28 — that's 17 nights for the price of one. And that offer is on at every QT Hotel in Australia and New Zealand, so you're in with a decent shot at winning. Of course, the flipside is risking a downgrade — that's gambling for you. QT promises that downgrades are "rare" but they're there: you might get a mere chocolate on the pillow (still sounds yum tbh) or have your King-sized bed downgraded to two twin beds. Sexy! The novel promotion is not out of character for the hotel chain, which is known for its quirky campaigns. Back in 2020, it ran a Rock Star package encouraging you to book out an entire floor to party with your mates. Upon opening in Auckland, the hotel hid 150 room keys around the city in a giant treasure hunt. In this case, you're relying on a fair bit of luck to be on your side — but if you're already lucky in love, this will just be the icing on the cake. The Love Is Blind package is available at QT Sydney, QT Bondi, QT Canberra, QT Melbourne, QT Gold Coast, QT Perth, QT Auckland, QT Wellington and QT Queenstown between Friday 11 February to Tuesday 15 February 2022. Bookings are available now, with February 14 the last available day to book.
This week, the Gillard Government announced their long-awaited arts and cultural policy: Creative Australia. Fashioned as a sort of 21st-century sequel to Keating's groundbreaking Creative Nation, the $235 million policy is perhaps the most comprehensive and wide-ranging articulation of and investment in the arts ever seen in Australia. And thus far the policy has been met with the sort of response that the Gillard Government has grown increasingly unaccustomed to: overwhelming support. But what does Creative Australia actually have to offer? The 152-page policy takes real steps to reflect the artistic diversity of Australia through major investments in Aboriginal art and international artistic partnerships, particularly in Asia. It also demonstrates the government's desire to support the cultural industry as exactly that: an industry. By putting money in the pockets of artists and cultural institutions, the government is hoping to create jobs and expand an industry that currently employs over 531,000 people and has produced an estimated $93.2 billion in profits. Having ploughed through pages of the usual PR guff, it has been a pleasant surprise to find that Creative Australia actually has the potential to radically expand and reform Australia's cultural industry. As the policy states, "culture is not created by government but enabled by it", and while this statement has a distinctly hollow political ring to it, it is a surprisingly accurate way of describing how these four features of Creative Australia could revamp our artistic landscape. A GREATER FOCUS ON ASIA A couple of generations ago, depending on who you speak to, Australians began celebrating and/or bemoaning the invasion of American culture into our own artistic landscape. These days, Asia is the new kid on the block, and the Australian government are hoping to capitalise on Asia’s growing cultural dominance through the creation and strengthening of various formal and informal artistic partnerships with the region. In the world of cinema, this means more co-production agreements between Australian and Asian filmmakers. Such partnerships with Singapore have already produced the Jaws-esque horror blockbuster Bait 3D (which reached number one at the box office in China) and the forthcoming TV project Serangoon Road, which is set to air on the ABC and Home Box Office Asia later this year. In the world of visual art, this means the introduction of new legislation protecting overseas loans, such that more Japanese and Chinese art will be popping up in your local gallery in exchange for Australian artworks gaining greater exposure in Asian galleries. SUPPORTING THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION Australia's most neglected (yet highest grossing) digital artform is finally getting the sort of government attention it most richly deserves: video games. The newly formed Australian Interactive Games Fund is set to receive $20 million over the next three years in an effort to support Australia's independent games studios in the creation of digital content. Digital media has likewise radicalised the way we consume music, films and television and the Creative Australia policy reflects this converging cultural market. The Federal Government has outlined a variety of policy initiatives including the creation of an online production fund, a $10 million investment to support the production of screen and television suitable for digital platforms, a $5.4 million investment into Australian music and radio and a comprehensive review of Australia's copyright laws to determine whether they appropriately reflect Australia's digital media landscape. INCREASED FUNDING FOR SIX PERFORMING ARTS COMPANIES A central component of the Creative Australia policy has been to support artistic institutions that tell distinctly Australian stories. While once upon a time, the term 'Australian stories' was synonymous with ocker comedies and gross stereotypes of the Crocodile Dundee and Barry McKenzie variety, the term has now come to represent a multiplicity of experiences that have a uniquely Australian character. The Federal Government have invested $9.3 million in six performing arts companies who by their estimations have developed a reputation for telling meaningful Australian stories, whether this be through original productions or contemporary reinterpretations of classics. The six companies are Bangarra Dance Theatre (NSW), Belvoir (Company B) (NSW), Black Swan State Theatre Company (WA), Malthouse Theatre (Vic), Circus Oz (Vic) and West Australian Ballet (WA). This funding has the potential to transform these often small, boutique performing arts companies into world-beating artistic hubs. FURTHER JOB CREATION IN THE ARTS Creating jobs in the cultural industry takes one primary form in the Creative Australia policy: nurturing and capturing talent through investment in educational institutes. This investment isn't just for elite training organisations, though the government is pumping an extra $20.8 million into these institutions, but also for younger budding artists and performers. Particularly notable is the investment of $8.1 million into the Creative Young Stars Program, encouraging artists from primary school age to those in their early twenties to roll up their sleeves and get stuck into the arts. The Gillard government have also recognised the increasing difficultly faced by artists and performers in transitioning from tertiary education into the workforce. This is seen in the $9.7 million investment into ArtStart, which focuses on making artists more business-savvy in the dog-eat-dog world of art and the $3.4 million given to the ArtsReady program to support school and university graduates transform their love of art, music, dance, performance or drama into a fulltime profession.
Hollywood is giving video games to the film and TV treatment like it's collecting loot, with Borderlands the latest button-mashing favourite heading to cinemas. Cate Blanchett (The New Boy) as Lilith, Kevin Hart (Lift) as Roland, Jack Black (The Super Mario Bros Movie) voicing Claptrap, Eli Roth (Thanksgiving) writing and directing, treasure-hunting antics, seemingly trying to make the next Guardians of the Galaxy: that's all in store, as the just-dropped first trailer for the movie shows. Set for an August 2024 release, the Borderlands film isn't done with its familiar names and faces yet. Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis also features, alongside everyone from Edgar Ramírez (Dr Death) and Ariana Greenblatt (Barbie) to Florian Munteanu (Creed III) and Gina Gershon (reteaming with Roth after Thanksgiving). And the tale they're telling? It focuses on bounty hunter Lilith's return to the chaotic Pandora, her home planet — and a "dumpster fire of a world", she notes — to find Atlas' (Ramírez) missing daughter. To do so, she needs assistance from mercenary Roland, demolitionist Tiny Tina (Greenblatt), the beefy Krieg (Munteanu) and scientist Tannis (Curtis) — and, from robot Claptrap, with Black lending his voice to another flick based on a hugely popular game after his stint as Bowser in 2023. In the colourful debut sneak peek, mayhem ensues as the movie's main crew navigate bandits and aliens, and have saving the universe as one of their aims. So, if you're new to all things Borderlands and this first glimpse at the film has you thinking of Guardians of the Galaxy, that's understandable. The vibe invites the comparison, right down to the use of a 70s hit: Electric Light Orchestra's 'Do Ya'. A film version of Borderlands has been in the works for almost a decade, with the game itself first arriving in 2009 and spawning three more so far in its main series — 2012's Borderlands 2, 2014's Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and 2019's Borderlands 3 — plus a number of spinoffs. Shot in 2021 but finally hitting screens in 2024, the Borderlands flick comes after 2023 proved big for game adaptations thanks to The Super Mario Bros Movie, the TV take on The Last of Us and cinema's Five Nights at Freddy's. 2024 will also deliver a Fallout streaming series, plus the third Sonic the Hedgehog movie. The list of upcoming titles doesn't end there, either, including turning The Legend of Zelda into a live-action film. Check out the trailer for Borderlands below: Borderlands will release in cinemas releases in US cinemas on August 9 — we'll update you with a Down Under release date when one is confirmed. Images: courtesy of Lionsgate.
It's time to break out those picnic rugs and farewell festival season in style, as The Peninsula Picnic returns for its annual celebration of food, wine and good times. Taking over the Mornington Racecourse on Saturday, April 1, this year's lineup promises to be as impressive as ever, showcasing the region's finest epicurean delights, alongside a rather nifty musical offering. Showing off their goods on the day — and ensuring bellies and wine glasses stay happily full — will be a hand-picked selection of local producers. Expect offerings from renowned wineries like Green Olive and Montalto, and dining hot-spots like D.O.C Mornington and McCrae's Alatonero, plus a series of cooking demonstrations and tastings headed by chef Adam D'Sylva (Coda, Tonka), introducing the best of the Peninsula Pantry farmers market. Topping it all off, The Peninsula Picnic has landed a cracking lineup of live tunes, headlined by Melbourne's own Cat Empire. They'll be joined by the likes of Sydney folk outfit All Our Exes Live in Texas, Jebediah frontman Bob Evans, and emerging local acts nyck and Harrison Storm.
Forget microwave dinners. Come the not too distant future, you could be cooking your food in the washing machine. A university student in Tel Aviv has recently devised a new type of instant meal that cooks sous-vide style in the laundry along with your dirty socks. How very appetising. Created by Iftach Gazit of the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, the Sous La Vie bags are made from waterproof Tyvek paper, and contain a sealed inner plastic bag — ensuring you don't end up with mixed veggies in your undies, or soap in your salmon teriyaki. "In sous-vide, the food is cooked in a bath-like device at temperatures usually around 50 to 70 degrees Celsius," explains Gazit in a blog post. "The same conditions can be found in a washing machine." "Instead of following a sous-vide recipe and cooking a piece of meat at 58 degrees Celsius for two and a half hours, just set your washing machine to 'synthetics' for a long duration program," he suggests. "Cooking vegetables? Set your machine to 'cotton' for a short duration program." In addition to being a convenient — if rather disconcerting — option for those of us who don't have a lot of time to prepare food, Gazit also believes that his invention could help those who are sleeping rough, pointing out that all night laundromats often double as impromptu accommodation for the homeless. "They offer a hassle-free shelter," he explains. "So why shouldn't you be able to cook some food while there?" It's not clear if and when Gazit's product will ever hit the market, or whether it would ever really be embraced by consumers. Still… surely you'd be curious to try it at least once. Via Dezeen.
So many places to visit, such little time to see them all: that's about to become the kind of problem Aussies absolutely love to have. International travel from Australia is set to resume on a state-by-state basis from November, kicking off in New South Wales on Monday, November 1. And, because it's all happening faster than expected, Qantas has announced that it's speeding up some of its plans. The Aussie airline revealed back in August that it was planning to begin flying overseas again in December this year, based on when it forecast that Australia's international borders would reopen again. Then, it advised that it was moving forward its flights from Sydney to London and Los Angeles — the former direct via Darwin — to mid-November. So, in an ever-changing space, its latest announcement is hardly surprising news. It's still thoroughly welcome by everyone already mentally packing their bags, obviously. Overall, Qantas' Australian-based Qantas and Jetstar employees will all head back to work in early December, ahead of international travel resuming nationwide — but some flights will kick off before that. At present, just the Sydney details have been revealed, with trips to Singapore recommencing on Tuesday, November 23, four weeks earlier than initially scheduled; legs to Fiji beginning on Tuesday, December 7, just under two weeks early; and flights to Johannesburg starting on Wednesday, January 5, a huge three months before originally outlined. Also, if you're keen to head to Thailand, flights to Phuket and Bangkok will restart on Wednesday, January 12 and Friday, January 14, respectively. That's more than two months early, and perfectly timed to kick off 2022 with a getaway. Qantas has also announced a new route, from Sydney to Delhi via Darwin, starting Monday, December 6. It'll mark the carrier's first commercial flights between Australia and India in nearly a decade. Before you go digging out your passport, it's worth remembering that different border rules apply both internationally and domestically. So, the rules at your destination — and the requirements upon coming home, depending on where you live in Australia — will vary. One place where the conditions might soon be cemented: Singapore. At the same press conference where Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce announced the airline's latest change of plans, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison also revealed that an agreement should soon be finalised regarding Aussie travel to the southeast Asian city-state. "We are in the final stages of concluding an arrangement with the Singapore Government. I was in a position, as you know, some months ago when I met with the Prime Minister of Singapore, Prime Minister Lee in Singapore, to set up a new arrangement which will see our borders open more quickly to Singapore. We anticipate that being able to be achieved within the next week or so, as we would open up to more visa class holders coming out of the Singapore. We will see that occur," said the Prime Minister. News of a possible quarantine-free travel bubble with Singapore was first floated back in March, and mentioned again by both Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has just met with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong in June. For more information about Qantas' international routes or to book, visit the airline's website.
This summer, your nearest beach will transform into an international food market. And it doesn't matter where you live — be it near St Kilda, Bondi or Broadbeach. How? As of now, Deliveroo, the food delivery service that transports tasty meals from your favourite eateries directly to your door, can travel to the sand. And, more specifically, right to your beach towel. That's right, next time you're sprawled out on the beach catching some rays and hunger pangs, you won't have to go anywhere. Jump on your phone, make your order and, somehow or other, your faithful Deliveroo driver will be at your side. Yes, this is going to be very, very interesting to watch on Bondi Beach on a stinking hot day in January when beachgoers number in the thousands and thousands. The food delivery app is now delivering to 150 beaches around the country, having recently launched its services in Hobart, the Sunshine Coast, Cairns and Newcastle. Deliveroo is now delivering to 150 beaches around the country. To see if it delivers to you, check your app.
If you've always dreamed of running away to join the circus, then this might be as close as you're ever going to get. Incredible acrobatics and daring displays are set to fill Melbourne's streets this January, taking over the city's iconic laneways, shopfronts and balconies. A circus show is normally confined to Big Top tents, but the city itself will be the stage this summer in Circus Oz's brand new show Everything But The Circus. Dubbed "a love letter to Melbourne", the newly-announced show promises a mix of gravity-defying acrobatics, live music, flash mobs, tight-wires and aerial stunts. Rather than sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in a cramped tent, audiences will meet at one of six secret locations and walk together to take in the various acts, before converging on one spot for what promises to be a "spectacular" finale. [caption id="attachment_834390" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anne Moffat[/caption] "We're not telling people where we are going, but we will guide them through a rediscovery of their city. This is a show without barriers, a performance without fear and an experience not to be missed," Executive Producer Brian Robertson said in a media statement. The razzle-dazzle is sure to draw Melburnians back into the city after a couple of long years of lengthy lockdowns, reminding us of everything the CBD has to offer. 'Everything But The Circus' runs in Melbourne from Friday, January 14 until Saturday, January 29, with tickets going on sale Wednesday, December 8. For more information and to buy tickets, head to Circus OZ's official website. Top image: Anne Moffat
UPDATE: JULY 31, 2018 — You can stop bulk-buying chocolate bars, 50,000 more golden tickets to Charlie And the Chocolate Factory have just been released. And you can buy them right here. Two show dates have been added in January and the season has been extended to May 31, 2019. If you'd like to catch Willy Wonka and his orange-hued friends on the stage, we suggest moving quickly. Everyone's favourite 'candy man' is hitting Aussie shores next January, with the announcement that Sydney's Capitol Theatre will play host to the smash-hit musical production of Charlie And the Chocolate Factory. Roald Dahl's classic sugar-dusted tale is being brought to life in its Australian debut by a collaboration between theatre producers John Frost, Craig Donnell, Langley Park Productions, Neal Street Productions and Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures. Following the worldwide popularity of both the original book and the 1971 Gene Wilder film of the same name, the musical has been confirmed a sweet success internationally, scoring rave reviews during its stint on Broadway last year. With original songs like The Candy Man and I've Got a Golden Ticket featured alongside new tunes from the songwriters of Hairspray, this confection of a show promises to lure audiences of all ages into, shall we say, a land of pure imagination. It's directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien, with music by Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner Marc Shaiman, lyrics courtesy of Grammy and Tony Award winners Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, and choreography by Tony Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's Sydney season will kick off on January 8, 2019, with performances running on Tuesday to Sunday. Tickets for the first month of shows are now on sale at charliethemusical.com.au. Top image: Joan Marcus, the original Broadway cast 2017.
Back in January, it was announced that Patricia Piccinini's fantastical Skywhale, the 34-metre-long inflatable art piece that has repeatedly captured the attention and the hearts of Australians, would be joined by a new floating companion. Skywhalepapa, Piccinini's new other-worldly creation, stands as tall as a ten-storey building and was unveiled to the public in the early hours of Sunday, February 7. Both Skywhale and Skywhalepapa were scheduled to take off from the National Gallery of Australia on Saturday, February 6 as part of the Skywhales: Every Heart Sings exhibition, however, that date was postponed to Sunday in hopes of better flying conditions. Unfortunately, come Sunday, weather conditions hadn't improved enough to allow the Skywhales to fly. Despite being unable to take off over Canberra, the pair of fantastical hot air balloons were inflated and able to float tethered in front of the gallery. The Skywhales will have future opportunity to fly in the sky on Monday, March 8 and Saturday, April 3, too, with free tickets to the second and third flights set to be released in coming weeks. These flights are running concurrently with a multimedia exhibition at the NGA that includes Piccinini's new children's book Every Heart Sings, which tells the story of the Skywhale family. Skywhale-inspired croissants made by Three Mills Bakery, an open-source Skywhale knitting pattern and a Skywhale song titled 'We Are the Skywhales' were also created alongside the exhibition. Following the March and April flights, the Skywhales are scheduled to go on tour, floating across the skies of Australia throughout 2021 and 22. The tour will kick off in Albury, NSW sometime in mid-April and will make it's way around to several states, providing more Australians with the opportunity to marvel at the enormous art projects. Skywhalepapa was created using 3.6 kilometres of fabric and features nine baby Skywhales, safely tucked beneath their father's fins. To learn more about the Skywhale family, you can purchase the book Every Heart Sings from the NGA website. Skywhales: Every Heart Sings will take place at the National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes, ACT on Monday, March 8 and Saturday, April 3. For more information on the exhibition, visit the NGA website and follow the NGA on Twitter for regular updates on the Skywhales and on tickets to future events. Images: Skywhale 2013, Skywhalepapa 2020, Patricia Piccinini. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Copyright the artist.
Sydneysiders will have the chance to cut their Uber spend in half, as the city welcomes Australia's first UberPool services next week. Set to launch on Tuesday, April 3, this is the local spin-off of Uber's USA-based Uber Express Pool, which sees multiple passengers using the ride-share cars at once, in a carpooling scenario. And if you're happy to share your Uber with a stranger, the new service promises to shave up to half-price off your typical Uber ride, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. To start, UberPool will service an area between Bondi and Leichhardt, and from Mascot to Sydney Harbour, where the company found the biggest number of riders to be travelling along similar routes. When using the app, UberPool riders simply request a ride, follow directions to the designated 'dynamic spot' nearby, and then hop in the car with others that are travelling a similar way and who'll help share the cost of the trip. The savings will vary depending on when you use the service, while drivers will earn about the same as they would behind the wheel of a regular UberX service. Uber's general manager for Australia and New Zealand Henry Greenacre said that UberPool would save customers around 50 percent to start with, before levelling out at about two-thirds of the cost of a standard Uber trip. Uber looks to be trying to win back a few customers, following stiff competition from new rival services like Ola and Taxify. More Sydney UberPool routes are expected to be added in the coming months, with a Melbourne launch following soon.
If you are feeling like your wardrobe needs a bit of an update, then you're in luck. Australian clothing brand Assembly Label is hosting an online warehouse sale for a limited time, so you can buy some new linen pants, simple tees and easy breezy button-ups without going too hard on the wallet. Known for its timeless, minimalist pieces, Assembly Label is a go-to for top-quality staples that'll take you from your morning coffee to working in your living room (aka the office), lounging around on weekends and going out for lunch with mates — really, you won't need much else. The online warehouse sale kicks off Monday, March 7 with a wide range of both men's and women's wear on offer. If you've not quite accepted that summer's over — or if you're planning ahead for a mid-year trip to the northern hemisphere — you can stock up on Assembly signature summery linen dresses, swimwear, skirts and shorts. Best of all, the selection will be on sale at up to 70 percent off for a limited time only with free shipping across Australia, too. Shipping to New Zealand costs $15. Assembly Label's online warehouse sale runs from March 7-9. To check what you can nab for up to 70 percent off, head here.
You know those Recently Travelled Friends of yours. The insufferable show-offs that come back from Europe all like, "... and there were these gooooooorgeous Christmas night markets and everything was adorable and it was sahhhhh European, you wouldn't understand." Well now you can earn a few bragging rights and shut 'em up a tad; Madame Brussels Lane has brought you your own little European night market, right here in Melbourne. Leaving out the slushy snow and negative temperatures, the European Night Market offers pretty much the same experience as its overseas inspiration — all snuggled into one laneway. Featuring delectable European goodies such as German beer and sausages, Italian bomboloni (YES), mulled wine and... wait for it... freshly baked pretzels, the market has your hearty Euro-dinner covered. On top of this delicious smorgasbord, there will also be plenty of pop-up stalls from local retailers and an array of live music and performances to keep you well entertained. Running every Friday night from July 18 for four weeks, the night market is a perfect wind down after a long week of not being European.
Yep, we're back in lockdown, Melbourne. But having to stay home doesn't mean we need to take a culture break. Heaps of events, galleries, film festivals and architectural displays have transitioned to online — so you can enjoy it all in from the comfort of your home. Learn to draw like Dali, visit a famous New York art gallery and view Melbourne's best-loved buildings, all without leaving the couch. Australia's latest exhibitions are calling you, Melburnians, and all you have to do is click the link.
I’ve an Uncle Ivan is a free-wheeling rhyme children's book written and illustrated by the prodigious Ben Sanders. Described by Sanders as "Seuss meets Sasek", it's kind of like Shag decided to drive an ice cream van to a Cuban Jazz festival in the 1950s. Lamington Drive gallery, run by creative stable The Jacky Winter Group, is proudly hosting the book launch, accompanied by an exhibition of work by Sanders including new prints from the book on Saturday 6th April. The playful, nostalgic illustrations in I've An Uncle Ivan are reminiscent of an age of innocence in Sanders own life, when he first discovered the joys of his craft — he was just twelve when he completed his first paid job. Don't regret your own childhood spent eating dirt and shoving clag up your nose, it's never too late to discover your inner child and lamingtons are not a bad place to start. As well as sweetie treaties, expect looped-in conversations between illustrators, cartoonists, photographers and designers. Watch this and this to get you in the mood. Image credit Ben Sanders.
Two years ago, a pop-up bar made of Lego descended on Australia. Now, in a time of social distancing and self-isolation, the country's next kidult-friendly, Lego-inspired experience is, of course, a subscription service. The Brick Box, as it has fittingly been dubbed, delivers a new box of bricks and building challenges to your door each month. You can sign up for one ($20), three ($50), six ($100) or 12 ($200) months, with the price getting cheaper as you commit to a longer period of time. There's no word on exactly what blocks, challenges and designs you'll be sent each month, but it's promising that "each box will give you ideas and different challenges to build whilst you're stuck in the house". And, if you're not a huge fan of the challenges they've suggested, you can always set your own. YouTube is filled with endless inspiration and tutorials, after all. If Lego isn't your thing, the same company also offers subscription puzzle boxes, board game boxes and soap boxes. Check out all of the options over here. If you're sick of being on your screen — sliding down endless Twitter holes and glued to live streams — this may be the perfect antidote. If you can't get enough of your screen, however, check out our round up of the best virtual events. You can sign up to The Brick Box over here.
Melbourne is no stranger to new bars popping up, especially now we're steadfastly heading into 'spritzes in the sun' season. But, thanks to the weather's notorious unpredictability, there's still plenty of hiding from the outdoors to be done. For those occasions, new Flinders Lane space Trinket is ready and waiting. With a secret cellar bar and art deco vibes a-plenty, Trinket is the ideal hideaway to satisfy your escapist needs. And, to entice you further, it's holding a delightfully dark high tea. Every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, the bar will serve up 'boozy bites and dark delights' for $45 per person. With sweet treats matched to a cocktail of your choice, it'll be a masterclass in pairing food to drink that strays away from a traditional high tea. Sweet and savoury treats are included — think triple cheese cigars with ash aioli, black sesame macarons and espresso martini 'gaytime' pops — as is a glass of Champagne along with the cocktail options. Plus, throughout October and November, this dark high tea will be given a pink twist for breast cancer awareness. The treats will have a delightful touch of pink, as will the drinks (read: rose Champagne), with $5 from each booking donated to Breast Cancer Network Australia. Trinket's Dark Tea is available across two sittings: 12–2pm and 2.30–4.30pm, every Saturday and Sunday. To make a booking, visit the website.
When summertime comes around in Melbourne, there's no shortage of events and activities to keep you busy, but few are quite as popular as the Australian Open. This huge annual sporting event is a Melbourne mainstay, drawing huge crowds every year without fail. One of the biggest draw cards is Canadian Club's opening party. 2025 keeps the tradition alive, with a cracker of a DJ party set to kick things off — and we've got tickets and drink vouchers at the ready. Held at the Canadian Club Racquet Club on the AO Hilltop at Birrarung Marr, the launch party is set to open the Happy Slam with a bang — a bangin' soundtrack by The Jungle Giants' (DJ set) supported by Brooke Evers and Nite Theory on Sunday, January 12. This event is open to you and three mates thanks to this giveaway, as well as Rod Laver Arena tickets to an AO day session the following week on Sunday, January 19. That's not even all; since no VIP experience is complete without a meal, you'll get yours at The Bistro by Rockpool on-site before the match. If you're not the lucky winner of this prize pack, you've got good odds to be one of the winners who'll get seats at the opening party and over $200 worth of Canadian Club drink vouchers. The only way to find out is to enter below. [competition]983672[/competition]
Do you remember making time capsules when you were younger? You'd fill a little shoebox with your most prized possessions like an Eiffel 65 CD, a daisy chain your friend made you, and a battered magazine cut-out of Titanic-era Leonardo DiCaprio, and then write a letter to your future self. Twenty years later when it came time to open it you'd either forgotten where it was entirely or found it and wished you hadn't. Well, legendary author Margaret Atwood is essentially doing that with her latest book. It may be housed in a more sophisticated version of your shoebox, but her current work-in-progress will be stowed away unread for the next 100 years. This will all take place because of a larger initiative started by Scottish artist Katie Paterson. The Future Library Project will see one author per year contribute to a collection of works to be published in 2114. This year organisers planted 1,000 trees in Norway that will be used to print the books in 100 years time. Atwood is the first author to take part, but she seems unfazed by the project and its absolutely crippling reminder of our collective mortality. "When you write any book you do not know who's going to read it, and you do not know when they're going to read it," she told The Guardian. "You don't know who they will be, you don't know their age, or gender, or nationality, or anything else about them. So books, anyway, really are like the message in the bottle." In fact, the project raises many questions about the nature of writing and reception. Will people still have books then? Will we speak exclusively in emojis and gifs? How will they convert the text into the direct brain waves they use to input information from their flying cars and jetpacks? In speaking about the project, Paterson stated the 100-year time span was very deliberate. "[It's] not vast in cosmic terms ... it is beyond many of our current lifespans, but close enough to come face to face with it, to comprehend and relativise," she said. It's a scary prospect, and an extremely daring project to take on as a writer. Where an author's job is usually to articulate and discuss life in historical and social context, this throws everything out of whack. The people who will read and review this upcoming work haven't even been born yet! Personally, we've got out fingers crossed we're going to make it. Modern science and all, right? Either that, or we'll just give our great, great grandkids the heads up. Via The Guardian.
Things are always better in miniature. Baby animals, bonsai trees and miniature adults (read: children) never fail to excite squeals of adoration and appreciation in normal human beings. So why don't we turn the shrink ray on other everyday items? Good question. Lea Redmond, 'Postmaster' of the World's Smallest Postal Service (WSPS) has therefore created a range of ridiculously tiny letters, packages and custom stationery. Submit a message on her website and your words will be transcribed into a little letter and sent directly to the recipient of your choice. You can also send packages containing buttons, little compasses or paper flowers, or order your own tiny custom stationery. Think of all the uses! You need to send a birthday card to your friend who lives on the island of Lilliput, but you know the average Hallmark missive will squish her tiny frame flat? Send her a tiny letter just the right size for her little lady paws! You want to break up with your boyfriend, but hate confrontation? Send him a tiny break-up letter that cannot be read by the naked eye! By the time he gets a magnifying glass and the heartbreaking disappointment sinks in, you'll be in Barbados lounging on the beach with his best friend! You need to send your own obituary to The Herald, because you've actually perished from a cute overdose? Signed, sealed, delivered. *If you order a package, you also get a tiny mailbox, as featured below.
When a film or TV show is crafted with a deep-seated love for its chosen genre, it shows. When it wants to do more than just nod and wink at greats gone by like a big on-screen super fan — when its creators passionately hope that it might become a classic in its own right, rather than a mere imitation of better titles — that comes through, too. That's the case with Starstruck. Across the new sitcom's six-episode first season, it takes Notting Hill's premise, gives it a 22-years-later update and delivers a smart, sidesplittingly funny and all-round charming rom-com. It also features series creator and star Rose Matafeo enjoying a morning-after stride of pride to the sounds of 90s hit 'Return of the Mack', which is instantly as delightful as it sounds. When she last graced our screens, Matafeo took on pregnancy-centric rom-coms in 2020's similarly winsome Baby Done. There, she helped slice through the typical on-screen rhetoric that usually surrounds motherhood, playing a professional arborist who is so far from thrilled when she finds out she's expecting that she keeps living her tree-climbing life in complete denial. The New Zealand comedian wasn't just plucky and relatable in the film; she ensured that her character was always the sum of both clear strengths and overt struggles. The jump from that engaging and thoughtful performance to Starstruck's Jessie is an easy one, but that doesn't mean that the vibrant Matafeo is merely doing the same thing twice. A 28-year-old New Zealander in London who splits her time between working in a cinema and nannying, Jessie isn't expecting much when her best friend and roommate Kate (Emma Sidi, Pls Like) drags her out to a bar on New Year's Eve. And, for most of the evening, her lack of enthusiasm proves astute. Then she meets Tom (Nikesh Patel, Four Weddings and a Funeral). He overhears her rambling drunkenly to herself in the men's bathroom, they chat at the bar and, when sparks fly, she ends up back at his sprawling flat. It isn't until the next morning, however — when she sees a poster adorned with his face leaning against his living room wall — that she realises that he's actually one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Jessie is never just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her. While she likes Tom, she's also initially content that they've had their night together and now their lives will follow separate paths — "he can't take it back!" she tells Kate. But Jessie unexpectedly keeps bumping into Tom, and their attraction keeps bubbling. He's still ridiculously famous, she still isn't, and that places more than a few obstacles in their way. When she leaves after their first night together, the paparazzi mistake her for a cleaner. When he meets her friends, they all take the show's title as literally as anyone can. As the duo navigate all the baggage that comes with his job and her unwillingness to swoon over said job, Starstruck pairs the fairytale of hooking up with a celebrity with the all-too-relatable awkwardness that can come after spending a night with anyone — and it finds the perfect balance. With impeccable timing a given thanks to her stand-up background, Matafeo is a force of nature as Jessie; as in Baby Done, the comedian plays a strong, confident twentysomething who doesn't always know what she wants, and doesn't always make the best decisions, but owns her choices, emotions and mistakes because they're hers. Patel, jumping into Hugh Grant's back catalogue again after his aforementioned role in the recent Four Weddings and a Funeral TV remake, is just as engaging as Tom — who he plays with charm but never arrogance, and also with a healthy scepticism about the trappings of being a well-known actor. Also stellar: the constantly hilarious script by Matafeo and fellow comedian Alice Snedden, the light and buoyant direction by Obvious Child screenwriter and Yes, God, Yes writer/director Karen Maine, and the love of both cinema in general and rom-coms specifically that's baked into every frame. Indeed, it's no wonder that HBO Max, which funded and aired the series in the US, renewed the series for a second season on the day that it debuted in America. Whenever that new batch of episodes lands, they'll also feature Minnie Driver (with the About a Boy star first popping up in season one as Tom's agent) and Russell Tovey (Years and Years). For now, though, ABC iView in Australia also knows that viewers will want more Starstruck instantly, with the entire first season available to stream in one go. Check out the trailer for Starstruck below: Starstruck's first six-episode season is now available to stream via ABC iView. Images: Mark Johnson/HBO Max.
This month, life is going to be a little more normal for Melburnians. Two new phases of eased COVID-19 restrictions have come into effect over the past fortnight — at the end of October and again on November 8 — and another is slated for November 22. And, as part of the just-implemented set of changes, the city's cultural institutions can reopen — so get ready to visit galleries and museums. While Premier Daniel Andrews said that the reopening of these kinds of entertainment venues became permissible from 11.59pm on November 8, Melbourne's major cultural institutions are staggering their relaunch dates across the next month or so. Similarly to restaurants, bars, pubs and cafes, they'll need to adhere to strict social-distancing guidelines, with 20 people per venue or 20 per space (if that applies) permitted inside at present. Times will need to be staggered, too, so that there's a minimum interval of 30 minutes between sessions to avoid crowds milling around in foyers. Come Monday, November 16, you'll be able to head to Melbourne Museum, the Immigration Museum and Scienceworks, with tickets going on sale at 1pm on Friday, November 13. Bookings are obviously essential given the restricted patron numbers. Over at National Gallery of Victoria, it's splitting its relaunch dates. At The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, the doors will swing back open on Monday, November 23 — with retrospective exhibition DESTINY, featuring the work of artist Destiny Deacon — and free tickets are available to book from Monday, November 16. At NGV International, however, patrons won't be able to head back in until Saturday, December 19, with the site reopening in line with its huge NGV Triennial. Given that Premier Andrews only announced this past weekend that galleries and museums could welcome back Melburnians this week, expect more reopening dates to be announced over the coming weeks — just in time for you to escape the summer heat while looking at stunning art and informative exhibitions. For more information about Melbourne Museum, the Immigration Museum and Scienceworks's reopening, head to the Museums Victoria website. For further details about the National Gallery of Victoria's reopening plans, head to its website as well. Top image: Scienceworks 'Beyond Perception' courtesy of Museums Victoria.
A certain snappable chocolate bar has told us to 'take a break' for years, but if you happen to find yourself craving creamy, coated wafer fingers in Japan, 'sell your first-born to hunt down every flavour you can' works just as well. Yes, the nation is well-known for its many weird and wonderful varieties, most of which you won't find elsewhere (we've tried). Think Australia's first Kit Kat chocolatory and those salted chocolate, cookies and cream, and choc mint whirl Kit Kats on Aussie supermarket shelves are special? Not even close. What's a chocolate lover to do when they find themselves in the country that ramps Kit Kat appreciation up to eleven? Try them all, of course. It's a tastier alternative to catching all the Pokémon. Here's our flavour-by-flavour guide to all the varieties you should try when in Japan. Prepare to have your tastebuds blown. GREEN TEA It's the Kit Kat you have when you don't have time for a cuppa — or when you want to combine one habit with the other. It's also the light green addition to the chocolate fold that you'll find absolutely everywhere in Japan. And yes, as it melts in your mouth, you'll enjoy the unmistakable flavour of green tea. A word of warning: these are sold in every convenience store on every corner for a reason. Pace yourself. PUMPKIN If you happen to be in Japan at the right time of year (aka October), prepare to find another kind of Kit Kat lining the shelves. The packaging is tinged with orange, features witches and ghosts, and contains a Halloween-themed pumpkin surprise. And yes, that sweet smell that reaches your nostrils when you open the packet is indicative of the flavour. It's more coconut-leaning than pumpkin, really, but given that it's also an acquired taste, maybe that's a good thing. SHINSHU APPLE If there was any justice in the world, dark chocolate Kit Kats would sit on every store shelf next to the regular milk chocolate varieties. They don't, but Japan's special Shinshu apple flavour offers the next best thing — as long as you're keen on rich fruit-laced chocolate that retains the taste of both. Unsurprisingly, they emit a powerful scent of fake apple, but we're happy to report the taste is much more subtle. WA-ICHIGO If the pink chocolate doesn't give it away, then the aroma and taste will: this is Japan's popular strawberry flavour. Reminiscent of an extra sweet, very strong serving of strawberries and cream, this is one sweet treat you really will want to savour/eat again and again. You can buy them at the airport by the 68-piece boxful — the decadent purchase is highly recommended. HOKKAIDO MELON Hokkaido melons (that is, yubari melons that are available on the island of Hokkaido) are considered a delicacy. In Kit Kat form, they smell and taste like rockmelons — and those sensations somehow happen to be both strong and refreshing. This chocolate has a secret though, and it's a good one: it's also flavoured with mascarpone cheese. Yum. WASABI They had to do it, didn't they? Wasabi Kit Kats are the things that curious eaters' dreams are made of — and the kind of food mashup even those that aren't fond of the plant-based nose-burning paste that's commonly eaten with sushi will probably ponder trying. The good news: it takes a while for the taste to kick in, but once it does, you'll know about. You mightn't want to eat too many of these morsels at once, but you'll be happy enough to give them a second try. SAKURA MATCHA Ever wanted to know what cherry blossoms and matcha tea would taste like if they were smashed together, mixed with chocolate and poured over wafers? Primarily available in Japan in spring, the sakura matcha Kit Kats have you covered. If you've already scoffed some matcha ones, these ones will taste similar — but it has a stronger, floral-like aftertaste. YOKOHAMA STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE Japan's Kit Kat powers that be clearly believe that you can make something great into something even better. Take the Yokohama strawberry cheesecake flavour, for example. If you want a creamier, slightly more subdued — but somehow even more mouthwatering — version of the wa-ichigo variety, this is the chocolate to stuff your suitcase full of. RUM RAISIN Everyone knows that one of the the best things about Christmas is rum balls. So how would you feel about savouring that delicious boozy taste all year-round in wafer-based chocolate form? Rum raisin Kit Kats are right up there with the best of them — and given that even the highly acquired tastes are delicious, that's high praise. It looks like a white chocolate Kit Kat, smells rummy, tastes rummy, and will make you think of many a drunken family get-together. SAKE How good is sake? It's great to drink, and it is so, so, so, so good as a Kit Kat flavour. The first thing you'll notice when you open your bottle-shaped box of chocolates is the uncanny aroma that really does trick your tastebuds into thinking that you're about to sip the real thing. If we could only eat one type of Kit Kat for the rest of our lives, we'd want it to be this one. Top image: Mira Pangkey via Flickr.
Whether you've been directly affected or have watched from afar, this summer's catastrophic bushfires have taken a physical and mental toll on many of us. With fires burning record amounts of land, and flooding making things worse in some spots, you might be looking for a way to help out as areas begin to recover. While there are plenty of charities and organisations to donate money to, you can also donate your time as a volunteer to help those in need. From caring for injured wildlife to answering the phones at evacuation centres, here are seven ways that you can use your time (and your skills) to lend a hand. GET OUT IN NATURE WITH YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE With more than ten percent of forest destroyed by bushfires in NSW's national parks alone this season, our national park services are going to need plenty of volunteers around the country to help with wildlife recovery. From caring for and spotting animals to conserving the bush and educating visitors, there's something for everyone. In NSW, you can register your interest with the National Parks and Wildlife Service here. Once you've done that, sit tight as NPWS will be contacting potential volunteers once bushfire recovery activities have been planned. Or, you can have a look through its current job opportunities and find something that tickles your fancy. In Melbourne, you can register to volunteer for Parks Victoria here and Brisbanites can check out Queensland National Parks. LEND A HAND TO BUSHFIRE-AFFECTED FAMILIES IN THE REBUILD If you're keen to get your hands dirty, volunteering with BlazeAid might be your cup of tea. As a BlazeAid volunteer, you'll head out to a basecamp in a bushfire-affected area and spend the day helping property owners rebuild damaged fences and other structures. You don't need any experience and all your meals and protective gear will be provided — all you need is some camping gear. Plus, you can volunteer for as little or long as you like. Sounds right up your alley? There are open BlazeAid basecamps in NSW, Victoria and South Australia, so find one near you here, and contact them a few days before you arrive. CARE FOR INJURED KOALAS, BIRDS AND CRITTERS One of the biggest impacts of the bushfires has been on our native animal populations — there are millions of creatures of all sizes in need of medical care, habitat relocation and food supplies. If you're passionate about helping animals, there are organisations all around the country where you can donate your time and skills to. Sydneysiders should check out WIRES. To get started, you'll need to become a licensed carer by completing a training course run by WIRES. At $125 per person, you'll learn how to handle, examine and immediately care for animals — you can find available training sessions here. There's also the Wildlife Volunteers Association on the Sunshine Coast and southeast Queensland's Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Wildlife Victoria isn't currently accepting new volunteers (there have been so many people offering to help that the organisation doesn't have time to train everyone), but you can follow its Facebook to keep up to date on new opportunities as they pop up. You can also register with Conservation Volunteers Australia here to get more info, or get in touch with your state's RSPCA. [caption id="attachment_761222" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Organic Regenerative Investment Co-operative[/caption] HELP ORGANIC FARMERS GET BACK ON THEIR FEET With bushfires putting even more pressure on already drought-affected farmers across the country, the Organic and Regenerative Investment Co-Operative (ORICoop) is looking for volunteers to help them get back on their feet. The company is aiding organic and biodynamic farmers across NSW, Victoria and SA with bushfire-recovery efforts and helping them maintain their organic status. ORICoop is looking for assistance of all kinds from volunteers with different skills. You can offer on-the-ground support or help out with logistics — think everything from tree planting to marketing and coordinating volunteers. There is plenty to do. If you want to find out more or sign up to volunteer in your state, head here. GET CRAFTY FOR A GOOD CAUSE For the crafty volunteer, you can use your skills to help rescued animals, too, even if you aren't located near a bushfire zone. Whether you sew, knit, crochet or quilt (or you've always wanted to learn), there's something you can do. If you're into knitting and sewing, why not make some pouches for joeys and other young animals rescued by WIRES, Wildlife Victoria or the Wildlife Volunteers Association? Before you do, though, check what each charity is looking for. You can also join the Animal Rescue Collective Craft Guild, which shares patterns and guides for all sorts of items like knitted jumpers and crocheted bird nests. Interested in joining? Sign up with their Facebook group and start with this post. [caption id="attachment_761225" align="alignnone" width="1920"] NSW State Emergency Service[/caption] DON THE BRIGHT ORANGE GET UP OF THE SES While responding to emergencies might seem daunting, there are a bunch of ways you can help your state's emergency services by becoming a volunteer. You can assist the SES by clearing debris, helping residents prepare for severe weather, answering phones and supporting teams in the field in a logistics role. Plus, NSW SES lets you sign up as a spontaneous volunteer, so can get involved without committing long term or having previous experience. To find out more about volunteering and to apply, head to the NSW, Victorian and Queensland SES websites. LEARN FIRST AID OR ANSWER PHONES WITH ST JOHN You might have seen St John volunteers at concerts, sporting events or local festivals, but they have also been supporting our firefighters and the police during the bushfires, too. And there are plenty of ways you can get involved. As well as providing first aid (which you'll need a first aid certificate for), St John volunteers can assist in communications and logistics roles. Currently, you can help at evacuation centres or answer phones at police-run emergency call centres. Along the way, you'll pick up even more skills, including how to use different medications and what to do during to life-threatening emergencies. To become a volunteer with your local division, fill in an application here.
This Wednesday, November 23 ten of Melbourne's bars and pubs will be transformed into classrooms for a night of talks — 20 of them, to be exact, which means there are at least 20 new things for you to discuss and learn about. Raising the Bar will see academics deliver free talks around the city, bringing the concept that "good ideas are born at the bar" to life. Previously established a few years back by students from New York and Columbia Universities and having been hosted in Sydney twice already, this is the first year the event will come to Melbourne to showcase a range of speakers, ideas, and themes. Pick one that'll interest you, teach you something new, or get you animated, standing and gesturing dramatically with your beer glass. Hear what Mindfulness Everywhere's Rohan Gunatillake has to say about the 'trend' of mindfulness and meditation upstairs at Blue Diamond, or head to Lily Blacks to listen to barrister and writer Hilary Bonney talk about the role of storytelling in real (and unreal) court cases. If you want to get some fresh air, openair bar Arbory will host Monash University's Kate Burridge for a talk on swearing in Australian culture. It's a free event, but booking is required and recommended so you don't miss out.
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? If 50 of the world's most renowned street artists transform a derelict, glamorous 19th-century bathhouse-turned-nightclub into a temporary gallery space but no-one sees it, does it even exist? Paris's historic Les Bains-Douches building is steeped in history — built in 1885 as a civic bathhouse where Marcel Proust reportedly enjoyed a morning dip, the grandiose space became a pumping discotheque in the late '70s, until some overzealous renovation attempts led to the iconic club's closure in 2010. It's set to reopen as a mystery venue in 2014, but for now owner Jean Pierre-Marois has invited a stable of prominent urban artists, commissioned by the Magda Danysz Gallery, to reimagine the soon-to-be demolished space. Les Bain's fleeting metamorphosis as a gallery space will never open to the public; instead it's memorialised exclusively in the online exhibition platform Un Artiste Un Jour ('One day one artist), as captured by photographers Stephane Bisseuil and Jerome Coton. Perhaps a throwback to the pleasure-seeking days of disco when Les Bains was a playground for the debauchery of Andy Warhol, Yves Saint Laurent, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Grace Jones, Kate Moss, Mick Jagger and Johnny Depp, the beautifully decaying artwork is here for a good time, not a long time. Hedonistic? Perhaps, but what is art if not beauty for beauty's sake alone. Take a sneak peek below, no fake ID necessary. Lek and Sowat Thomas Canto Jeanne Susplugas Joachim Sauter Sten Lex Zeer Image credits: Sambre, Lek and Sowat, Thomas Canto, Jeanne Susplugas, Joachim Sauter, Sten Lex, Zeer by Jerome Coton and Stephane Bisseuil. See more images here.
My my, how can you resist this? MAMMA MIA! The Musical is bringing its Greek-set onstage party back to Australia in 2023 — and if you're a musical fan, an ABBA devotee or perennially keen to indulge in 70s nostalgia, you'll want to be there. By now, the hit production is well-known around the world, including from previous Aussie runs. It has spawned not one but two movies, too. And, its tale of a young bride-to-be's quest to find her father before her wedding will liven up Sydney Lyric from next autumn. So far, only a Sydney season has been locked in for MAMMA MIA! The Musical's Australian return, starting in May 2023. For folks outside the Harbour City, cross your fingers that this restaging of the popular 2017 production will also take its romantic chaos and 22 ABBA tracks around the country — or, you'll need to take a chance on a Sydney trip. Here we go again with one of the biggest jukebox musical hits of the past quarter-century, as seen by over 65 million people worldwide so far. The story, as theatre audiences have enjoyed since 1999, follows 20-year-old Sophie, who is about to marry her fiancé Sky on the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi. It's her dream for her dad to walk her down the aisle, but courtesy of her mother Donna's old diary, she learns that her father could be one of three men: Sam Carmichael, Bill Austin or Harry Bright. Calling all dancing queens, obviously — with that track, the titular number, and everything from 'Money, Money, Money', 'Thank You for the Music', 'Super Trouper' and 'The Name of the Game' to 'SOS', 'Does Your Mother Know', 'Waterloo' and 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' featuring (and 'Take a Chance on Me', 'The Winner Takes It All' and, of course, 'I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do', too). The new Australian run hails from producers Michael Coppel, Louise Withers and Linda Bewick, plus Helpmann Award-winning director Gary Young, choreographer Tom Hodgson and musical supervisor Stephen Amos. Exactly who'll be playing Sophie, Donna, Sam, Bill and Harry hasn't yet been revealed — but if you already know and love the show and the soundtrack, that won't matter. MAMMA MIA! The Musical plays Sydney Lyric from May 2023, with tickets on sale from Thursday, November 24. For further details or to join the waitlist, head to the production's website. Images: James D Morgan.
He's been a presence on comedy stages and screens large and small for decades. He has three Grammys to his name, four Emmys as well, and once made a loveable TV sitcom about his childhood. He's popped up in everything from Beverly Hills Cop II, the Madagascar flicks and Spiral: From the Book of Saw to Saturday Night Live and Fargo. And, he'll be now forever synonymous with the 2022 Oscars — as the entire world won't stop talking about. The performer in question? Chris Rock, of course. And if you're keen to see him bust out his comedic best without Will Smith in the room, he's coming to Australia and New Zealand in August. This'll mark his first tour in five years, with his latest show playing seven big arena gigs Down Under. Rock heads our way in-between a long run of US dates — and while his Australian and NZ tour was announced before the Academy Awards it is unsurprisingly getting more attention now. Wondering if he'll mention the obvious? Taking to the stage in America just days after the Oscars to kick off the tour, he didn't work it into his set. "I don't have a bunch of shit about what happened," he said, according to reviews. "So if you came to hear that... I've got a whole show I wrote before this weekend. And I'm still kind of processing what happened." AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND! After 5 years, I'm returning with my Ego Death World Tour 2022 this August. I can't wait. Tickets on sale Fri 18 March: https://t.co/H0deIjBRKR pic.twitter.com/BDYlxnqqhf — Chris Rock (@chrisrock) March 9, 2022 CHRIS ROCK 'EGO DEATH' TOUR DATES: August 7 — Spark Arena, Auckland August 8 — Christchurch Arena, Christchurch August 10 — Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne August 15 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney August 17 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide August 20 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane August 23 — Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Gold Coast Chris Rock's 'Ego Death' tour will hit Australia and New Zealand in August 2022. For further details, and to buy tickets, head to the tour's website. Top image: Andy Witchger via Wikimedia Commons.
Have you seen a perfect stranger perform a random act of kindness? A school kid give up their seat for a little old lady on the bus? Had some mystery Sydneysider, without expecting a word of thanks, paid for your flat white? Then the Kaldor Public Arts Projects wants to hear from you. For the last forty odd years, John Kaldor has been inviting international artists to bring their innovative ideas and public arts projects to our shores. Their most recent project was John Baldessari's Your Name In Lights, which gave Sydneysiders their chance to have their 15 seconds of fame, and quickly became the talking point of the 2011 Sydney Festival. Now, they have brought UK artist Michael Landy to Sydney to create his installation piece, Acts of Kindness. Landy's idea for the project is to collect everyday (and seemingly unnoticed) stories of random acts of kindness, then turn them into an artwork which will - both artistically and literally - return the stories to the busy Sydney streets from which they came. It may even inspire a few more. The work will be shown in the city centre for one month from September 23, 2011.
2023's working year might've only just begun, but it's already time to book in a big overseas holiday. Put in that leave request ASAP. Block out your calendar. Bust out your suitcase, too, and make sure your passport is up to date. Your destination: the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, because Coachella is back for 2023 with a characteristically impressive roster of acts. Mark April 14–16 and April 21–23 in your diaries — including if you you're just keen to check out the livestream. (Remember, Coachella was livestreaming its sets long before the pandemic.) The full bill is a jaw-dropper, as usual, with Bad Bunny headlining the Friday nights, BLACKPINK doing the Saturday nights and Frank Ocean on Sunday nights. Also on the bill: a stacked array of acts that also spans everyone from Calvin Harris, Gorillaz, The Chemical Brothers, ROSALÍA and Blondie through to The Kid LAROI, Björk, Fisher, Charlie XCX, Porter Robinson and Idris Elba. Whether you're after new tunes, the biggest music names right now or dripping nostalgia, it's on offer at Coachella 2023. Anyway, let's be honest, you haven't truly read any of those words — you'll be wanting this: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coachella (@coachella) For music lovers planning to watch along from home, Coachella will once again team up with YouTube to livestream the festival. That's no longer such a novelty in these pandemic times but, given the calibre of Coachella's lineup, it's still a mighty fine way to spend a weekend. For those eager to attend in-person, you can signup for access to tickets over at the festival's website — with pre-sales starting at 11am PT on Friday, January 13 (aka 5am AEST/6am AEDT on Saturday, January 14). At the time of writing, the festival advises that there are very limited passes left for weekend one, so your best bet is the second weekend. COACHELLA 2023 LINEUP: $uicideboy$ ¿Téo? 070 Shake 1999.ODDS 2manydjs A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie Adam Beyer AG Club Airrica Alex G Ali Sethi Angèle Ashnikko Bad Bunny Bakar Becky G BENEE Big Wild Björk BLACKPINK Blondie Boris Brejcha boygenius BRATTY Burna Boy Calvin Harris Camelphat Cannons Cassian Charli XCX Chloé Caillet Chris Stussy Christine and the Queens Chromeo Colyn Conexión Divina DannyLux Dennis Cruz + PAWSA Despacio Destroy Boys Diljit Dosanjh Dinner Party featuring Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper and Kamasi Washington DJ Tennis + Carlita Doechii Dombresky Domi & JD Beck Dominic Fike Donavan's Yard DPR LIVE + DPR IAN DRAMA EARTHGANG El Michels Affair Eladio Carrión Elderbrook Elyanna Eric Prydz presents HOLO Ethel Cain Fisher + Chris Lake FKJ Flo Milli Fousheé Francis Mercier Frank Ocean Gabriels GloRilla Gordo Gorillaz Hiatus Kaiyote Horsegirl Hot Since 82 IDK Idris Elba Jackson Wang Jai Paul Jai Wolf Jamie Jones Jan Blomqvist Joy Crookes Juliet Mendoza Jupiter & Okwess Kali Uchis Kaytranad Keinemusik Kenny Beats Knocked Loose Kyle Watson Labrinth Latto Lava La Rue Lewis OfMan Los Bitchos Los Fabulosos Cadillacs LP Giobbi Maceo Plex Magdalena Bay Malaa Marc Rebillet Mareux Mathame Metro Boomin Minus the Light MK Mochakk Momma Monolink MUNA Mura Masa NIA ARCHIVES Noname Nora En Pure Oliver Koletzki Overmono Paris Texas Pi'erre Bourne Porter Robinson Pusha T Rae Sremmurd Rebelution Remi Wolf Romy ROSALÍA Saba Sasha & John Digweed Sasha Alex Sloan Scowl SG Lewis Shenseea Sleaford Mods Snail Mail SOFI TUKKER Soul Glo Stick Figure Sudan Archives Sunset Rollercoaster Tale Of Us TESTPILOT The Blaze The Breeders The Chemical Brothers The Comet Is Coming The Garden The Kid LAROI The Linda Lindas The Murder Capital Tobe Nwigwe TSHA TV Girl Two Friends UMI Uncle Waffles Underworld Vintage Culture Wet Leg Weyes Blood WhoMadeWho Whyte Fang Willow Yaeji Yung Lean YUNGBLUD Yves Tumor Coachella runs from April 14–16 and April 21–23 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Find out more information and register for tickets at coachella.com — with pre-sales starting at 11am PT on Friday, January 13 (aka 5am AEST/6am AEDT on Saturday, January 14).
The World's 50 Best Restaurants for 2013 have just been announced, and it seems the trend towards all things natural and sustainable is here to stay, along with a speckling of Australian culinary talent working here and abroad. The Acqua de Panna award for Australasia's best went to Attica in Melbourne, a Ripponlea gem helmed by Patrick Shewry. The New Zealand-born chef has brought a certain sensitivity to his kitchen and earned a reputation for sustainable practice that showcases natural flavours and textures. Breaking into the list at no. 21, Attica was also honoured with the highest placed new entry. Peter Gilmore's usual suspect, Quay, came in at no. 48 to secure its fifth consecutive year on the list and rounded out our national presence. The result of 900 food journalist, restaurateurs, gastronomes and chefs working across the planet, the World's 50 Best Restaurants named Catalonia's El Celler de Can Roca as this year's premier international culinary destination. Run by the three Roca brothers — Joan (chef), Jordi (pastry chef) and Josep (sommelier), pictured — it has sat at no.2 for the last two years behind Denmark's Noma, which left the number one ranking for the first time in three years to slip to no.2. The United States and France confirmed their ascendancy with six restaurants in the top 50 each, including the celebrity-magnet Per Se in New York. Homegrown talent working abroad also nabbed a few spots, with Brett Graham's Notting Hill restaurant, The Ledbury, finishing at no. 13 and ex-Sydneysider David Thompson coming in at no.32 with Nahm in Bangkok. Thompson became the Sydney authority on Thai cuisine during the '90s with his well-remembered Darley Street Thai.
'Survival Day', 'Australia Day', and 'Invasion Day': these are just a few of the ways Australia's annual national holiday has been characterised. Holding a public holiday and national celebration on January 26 is understandably controversial: it marks the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, when Indigenous Australians were dispossessed of lands they had inhabited for tens of thousands of years previously. However, it is still a public holiday, so we've put together a list of ways you can spend your day off. ATTEND A RALLY Rallies addressing concerns from the date of Australia's national celebration to broader issues faced by Indigenous Australians, such as the treatment of juveniles in prison, are set to happen in major cities across the country. In Melbourne, an Invasion Day rally has been organised. It will start at 11am on the steps of Parliament House to lay flower in memory of Indigenous ancestors before marching through the CBD. HIT UP A FESTIVAL Belgrave Survival Day is one of greater Melbourne's major January 26 events. Held in Borthwick Park, Belgrave each year, the festival encourages Melburnians to "engage and learn the true the history of this country and its Indigenous peoples". This year marks the festival's tenth anniversary, and will feature a heap of stalls, stories, damper-making workshops, didgeridoo meditation and music, hip hop and dance performances. The alcohol-free event will be on from 12–4.30pm with free entry, and they have a shuttle running from Belgrave Station. Closer to the city, the annual Share the Spirit Festival will once again return to the Treasury Gardens with a whole day of Aboriginal dance, culture and music across two stages. You'll also find a huge food truck and arts festival happening at Coburg Velodrome, with the Hottest 100 countdown, music from local band Vaudeville Smash, and food from Messina, Taco Truck, Pierogi Pierogi and even gluten-free gnocchi truck Ardor. To cap it all off, they'll also be screening The Castle from 8.30pm. [caption id="attachment_607258" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Shimmerlands by Hayley Benoit[/caption] WATCH A CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN FILM Want to watch an Aussie classic on Australia Day? Ozflix, the first video-on-demand service dedicated to Australian films, will launch at 6pm on January 26 with a pay-per-view library of around 250 titles. With approximately 2000 Aussie-made films in existence, the streaming platform aims to become a one-stop-shop for local movies. "We are committed to making each and every Australian feature film available," says Ozflix CEO Ron V. Brown, who has been involved in the Australian screen industry since the 1970s. That includes the first works crafted in the 1900s, the newest releases, and everything from Newsfront to Strictly Ballroom, The Castle, Ten Canoes, Wolf Creek, 52 Tuesdays, Samson and Delilah and The Dressmaker. Of course, Stan and Netflix have their fair share of Aussie content too. Want to get out in that balmy Aussie air and see a newer local blockbuster instead? Moonlight Cinema is showing Red Dog: True Blue, Rooftop Cinema is screening Nick Cave doco One More Time With Feeling, Cameo will show Moonlight and new film Spear — which tells the story of young Aboriginal man Djali and is directed by Bangarra Dance Company's Stephen Page — will be showing at Shimmerlands. [caption id="attachment_607257" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Abbotsford Convent[/caption] FIND THE BEST PICNIC SPOT IN THE CITY Gather your crew or call up your best bud and have yourself a picnic to end all picnics. Melbourne's home to a bountiful array of perfect picnic and balmy barbecue spots, from bays and beaches, national parks to foreshores. Check out these fabulous Melbourne BYO barbecue locations and picnic plots (including Abbotsford Convent above). Australian barbecue is a big deal, and though Aussies may be known for their sizzling cooking technique, we by no means limit ourselves to the standard backyard barbecue nosh. Melburnians are lucky enough to be surrounded by barbecue styles from around the world, from slow-cooked Texan barbecue to Korean-style to Japanese yakitori to Brazilian churrasco — so hunt down a recipe and celebrate Australia's cultural cornucopia of cuisine on your own hotplate. These quick barbecue recipe from Three Blue Ducks might help. BRUSH UP ON YOUR AUSTRALIAN HISTORY January 26 is supposed to be about celebrating Australia, so it's good to know how we got to where we are now. Start your education by visiting the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum — they're currently showing First Peoples, an exhibition that brings together Indigenous stories, culture, identity objects and images. It was created with the Yulendj Group, a group of Elders and community members from across Victoria. If you're feeling more present-minded, check out ABC Radio National's podcast 'The Real Thing', a "podcast in search of the real Australia" highlighting individual people and stories. And if you're feeling in need of a laugh after all that, head to the Malthouse's Reconciliation Comedy Gala. Emceed by Judith Lucy and Uncle Jack Charles, it'll feature a who's who of Aussie comedians raising money for the City of Yarra's Stolen Generations Marker project. Expect plenty of laughs — some of them fairly uncomfortable — as a roster of funny folk tackle the furore around our divisive national day. SEE A BUNCH OF SMUG DACHSHUNDS DRESSED UP We're not sure why January 26 is the day the NGV decided to throw a dachshund fashion parade, but it's supremely welcome all the same. Taking over the NGV's Great Hall from midday, this pup parade is 'technically' for 'kids', but anyone can head along to see the four-legged fashionistas show off their threads for free. The whole dog thing is a homage to three dog-lovers being celebrated in NGV's hottest summer exhibitions — David Hockney (Current), and design duo Viktor & Rolf (Fashion Artists).
Winter isn't just the frosty season, or woolly clothes season, or igloos-popping-up-at-every-bar season. It isn't simply soup season, roast season or mulled wine season, either. It's also prime hot chocolate season, not that there's ever a bad time to sip warm cups of cocoa. Only winter brings Australia's dedicated Hot Chocolate Festival, however. An annual favourite running for the entire month of August — yes, from Tuesday, August 1–Thursday, August 31 — this festival is held across three locations: the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie, the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie and the Mornington Peninsula Chocolaterie. While that's excellent news for Victorians, the fest also does an at-home component, sending out its flavours nationwide. And there are flavours — 31 of them, in fact, all ranging far beyond just swapping milk chocolate for dark or white chocolate. The festival's concept is 31 hot chocolate flavours over 31 days, with different varieties on offer each week in-person. The trio of chocolate havens only tease parts of the full list in advance, but this year's includes a nod to Barbie via a pink-infused hot chocolate, as well as an Iced Vovo hot chocolate that features chocolate iced doughnuts for dunking. Or, you can sip on a poached pear and hazelnut version, a dulce de leche churros hot chocolate and a Biscoff hedgehog variety. The Happy Vegemite hot chocolate includes handcrafted caramel koalas to dip, then enjoy the melty goodness. And the Harry Potter-inspired hot choc has a chocolate wand for doing the same. Other flavours come topped with waffles or pretzels, and there's even a puppachino carob iteration so that your dog can join in. This fest gets boozy, too. In 2023, that's happening via the salted caramel espresso martini hot chocolate, plus a dark chocolate variety called French Connection that features red, white and blue balls filled with cognac. And yes, the demand for these limited-edition hot chocs is hefty, with more than 6000 usually created across the three chocolateries per year. Each hot chocolate is made with hot couverture chocolate in dark, milk, white, ruby or caramel, then served with a giant handcrafted marshmallow. For those heading along physically, each site also does tasting sessions for $24, which lets you not only sample eight hot chocolates, but pick from 50-plus ingredients to create three hot chocolate spoons to take home. Images: A Myszka.
When the Korean Film Festival in Australia made its debut in 2010, giving the country the cinema showcase that movie lovers definitely knew it needed, it kicked off in Sydney. Since then, the fest has grown and toured, but the Harbour City has always remained a focus. In 2024, in fact — 14 years after launching — the New South Wales capital is the sole location for KOFFIA proper. From Thursday, August 22–Tuesday, August 27, Event Cinema George Street will welcome a feast of Korean movies; however, this year's event won't also hit up Melbourne and Brisbane, as it has on recent runs. Instead, the festival is launching the KOFFIA Touring Program, making stops in Canberra, Burnside, Benalla and Alice Springs from late-August till mid-October. Sydneysiders can look forward to a broader range of exclusive screenings, while folks where the touring lineup is headed are in for a four-film program. For the latter, there'll be another bonus: outside of Sydney, seeing a KOFFIA flick will be free. At all five spots, FAQ will open the fest, which means getting started with a family comedy that follows an elementary-school student broadening his understanding of the world via a talking bottle of rice wine. All locations will also catch serial-killer mystery-thriller Don't Buy the Seller, the canine-adoring Dog Days with Minari Oscar-winner Youn Yuh-jung and the friendship focused Picnic. Only in the Harbour City, cinephiles will be treated to Dr Cheon and the Lost Talisman, as adapted from the Naver webtoon; rom-coms Love Reset (with Project Wolf Hunting's Jung So-min) and Single in Seoul (with Cobweb's Lim Soo-jung); and the based-on-a-true-tale trio of Citizen of a Kind (an action-comedy about taking down a voice phishing scam), Troll Factory (which dives into election intervention) and The Boys (about wrongful convictions for a robbery-homicide). Also in Sydney only, first-time FAQ filmmaker Kim Da-Min, fellow debutant and Dog Days director Kim Deok-min and Picnic's Kim Yong-gyun (Reset) will be in attendance. Counting down the days until Squid Game returns sometime before 2024 is out? Here's how to get your Korean screen fix in the interim. Korean Film Festival in Australia 2024 Dates: Korean Film Festival in Australia Thursday, August 22–Tuesday, August 27 — Event Cinema George St, Sydney KOFFIA Touring Program Saturday, August 31–Sunday, September 1 — Palace Electric Cinema, Canberra Tuesday, September 10–Friday, September 13 — The Regal Theatre, Burnside Saturday, September 14–Sunday, September 15 — Benalla Cinema, Benalla Wednesday, October 9–Saturday, October 12 — Alice Springs Cinema, Alice Springs The Korean Film Festival in Australia 2024 runs in Sydney from Thursday, August 22–Tuesday, August 27, with the KOFFIA Touring Program hitting Canberra, Burnside, Benalla and Alice Springs between August–October. For more information or to buy tickets, head to the KOFFIA website.
