Twilight Sessions at the Old Darlinghurst Gaol

Overview

Staying back after school has never been more stocked with good art and a cheeky tipple. The National Art School is launching Sydney's newest after-hours art party: Twilight Sessions. A free series of midweek soirees featuring art, live music, workshops, talks and film, Twilight Sessions has all the art party trimmings, with one marked difference: it's all going down in the Old Darlinghurst Gaol.

Created to coincide with the International Year of Light (which it is, apparently), Twilight Sessions is launching on Wednesday, February 25 — the first of four dotted throughout the year. So what's in store for this Wednesday hootenanny? Sticking around after Sydney Festival, celebrated, light-based installation artist Bill Culbert will be showcasing his largest solo work in Australia to date — after he blitzed the 55th Venice Biennale. You can partake in free twilight drawing sessions in the gallery, inspired by Culpert's exhibition and led by artists and NAS faculty Lynne Eastaway, Margaret Roberts and Tania Rollond, or a photography workshop with respected Australian photographer Peter Solness (places limited, bookings essential, $25 per person).

Once you're all arted out, you'll find Astral People's Mike Who spinning a few tunes at the pop-up bar. Mike Who has warmed up stages for the likes of Action Bronson, Oneman and Peanut Butter Wolf, so it's a pretty big pull for NAS. For the nibblers and noshers, there'll be tasty treats and wine and beer available on the night.

Now you're nice and wine-fuelled, wander through NAS's Chapel for an an exhibition from Margaret Olley Drawing Week, and upstairs, Sydney artist Gary Warner invites you to make music on the social 'lamellaphone', an interactive musical instrument made from discarded street sweeper bristles, designed to be played by several people in tandem in a manner similar to an African thumb piano.

Twilight Sessions will launch on Wednesday, February 25, and run from 6-9pm. It'll be back four times in the year to coincide with NAS Gallery’s 2015 exhibition program, including the Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize, New Disciples: 50 Years of Ceramics and Rosemary Laing.