Corroboree Sydney

Overview

From November 14, for 11 days and 11 nights, Sydney's major icons, from the Bangarra Dance Theatre to the Botanic Gardens to the Opera House, will be transformed for Corroboree 2013. Australia's finest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers, artists, musicians and dancers will gather for a festival that celebrates the nation's rich culture — both past and present.

The pop-up Corroboree Club at Wharf 2/3 is the place to experience this new festival's different edge. The cool social hub showcases Indigenous arts without the traditional trappings, and features two sets a night mixing music, comedy, hip-hop, drag shows and Koori-oke. It's curated by David Page (of Page 8 and Bangarra Dance Theatre), whose handpicked selections include Archie Roach, Frank Yamma and Casey Donovan.

Corroboree also features a film festival-within-the-festival, featuring the premiere of Warwick Thornton's The Darkside, and an epic new dance production, Dance Clan 3, commissioned by Stephen Page, Bangarra's artistic director. 

The event will be launched on Friday, November 15, with The Firelight Ceremony, a commissioned artwork that acknowledges Sydney Harbour's custodians, the Eora people. The official lighting will take place at Pier 2 at sunset (7.36pm), with the flame being kept alight until the festival closes.

There'll also be talks, walks, art exhibitions, food events, markets and workshops.