Arts

The Clarence Valley will welcome Stuart Easton, one of the worlds leading exponents of the Great Highland Bagpipe and the finest New Zealand piper of his generation, to the 117th Maclean Highland Gathering on April 15 and 16 ... He has been a prolific prizewinner throughout his homeland, Australia, France and Scotland.

The author has set himself an enormous task to survey in depth the history of the Surrey Hills district of north-west Tasmania. Fires, Farms and Forests represents the culmination of much detailed and careful research, combined with the author’s extensive personal experience as a forester, and, in particular, his role managing the native grasslands and buttongrass moorlands on Surrey Hills. All this enables the author to weave a story which encompasses both general history as well as specialist insights into the management of land and forests.

This year’s Rockin' on East Festival is set to be bigger and better to make amends for the last two events being cancelled due to COVID. It will be like a scene from yesteryear when rock and roll bands and dancers, dressed in 1950s attire, descend on Narrandera to create a fun, family event scheduled for the October long weekend.

In commenting on the Whyalla City Council’s Gold Award win, the judges said that the sculpture was a functional piece that also honoured a spectacular local marine species and had been designed with accessibility in mind, making it a winning combination.

Former Tennant Creek rockers – Unbroken Expanse (UBX) – have released what they call a “killer” new single and music video. Bootstrap Billy tells the tale of this mythical character who knows how to spin a yarn, keen for a good time and loves a drink and a laugh.

Gabrielle Duykers. A unique Kingston art project will see participants fashion miniature lobsters out of ocean rubbish, in the hopes of increasing public understanding on the dangers of plastic pollution. The project is part of the Fringe on Tour Festival which will visit the coastal community from March 4 to March 6.

Emma Pritchard. Close to 300 attendees filled the Maclean Bowling Club on February 26 as the venue hosted the highly anticipated local music festival Clarence Tunes ... “Everyone who was there on the night was really happy and said it was crazy good" : Organiser, Nash Crofton.

“To be able to tour where my people have walked for thousands of years gives me a feeling that no other show has. This is for my old people, my mob, my ancestors watching over us”: Gomeroi rapper, Kobie Dee.

Gabrielle Duykers. After being out of order for almost a decade, the distinctive fountain afront the Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery is flowing once again thanks to community efforts. The Ibis Rising fountain was installed in 2005 and is the work of Melbourne based sculptor and potter Heather Ellis, who also produced the William Mackintosh bust in Jones Street.

Josephine Emery’s EP was launched for her 75th birthday last Friday at The Book Wolf ... "It’s an absolutely beautiful album, where Josie is able to write beautiful poetry and put music to it”: Producer of the EP Michael Clay.

The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) has launched a new commemorative book, at a function held at Government House in Sydney, honouring the bicentenary of the organisation in July this year.  

It’s not until you’re up close to the mural drawn onto Casino’s water tower that you can really know the scale of the artwork. It is huge. Mural painters Steve Falco and Jordan Bruce are aware of the impact the mural will have on the town’s residents. The water tower can be seen from nearly everywhere.

Geoff Helisma. ‘Not out’ septuagenarian Bob Walker came to comedy relatively late. “It saved my life. I was deeply depressed when I took it up – it’s changed how I think about myself and my outlook on life.” ... the Tucabia man is back with a stellar line-up of comedians at the Maclean Bowling Club – and all of the money from ticket sales will be used to potentially save lives.

An unusual sculpture that pays homage to Whyalla’s giant cuttlefish has been named as one of the best public art experiences in the nation. The ‘Accessible Cuttlefish Throne’ at the Whyalla jetty has been shortlisted for the 2021 Australian Street Art Awards’ Best Landmark Sculpture gong.

SteamPacket. It’s a golden voice. A high tenor. And it comes with the rich overtones of a life lived hard and full. Normie Rowe is booked to play at the Maldon Golf Club, Saturday 12 March. Tickets on sale now.

A Charles Sturt engineer, a world-famous architect and a renowned composer have transformed a water tank in Cobar into a globally recognised, sound-art masterpiece putting Cobar on the global tourist map.

Emma Pritchard. Country music sensation and proud Graftonian Brooke McClymont loves coming back to her hometown. After being announced as the 2022 Grafton Jacaranda Festival’s Guest of Honour, the singer-songwriter now has an extra special reason to return to the Clarence Valley later this year. And she can’t bloody wait.

The Lismore Friendship Festival will host the second annual Italian  Film  Festival at Lismore's bccEvent Cinemas on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3 2022.

Young artists are being encouraged to showcase their talents on one of the busiest weekends in Port Fairy for the chance to win some great prizes – including a spot on the 2023 Port Fairy Folk Festival Program.

Simon Dow. Esteemed artist and Archibald winner in 2018, Yvette Coppersmith, judge of this year’s Maldon Portrait Prize titled I Be Human, addressed the finalists for the prize at the exhibition opening, at EDGE Galleries in Maldon. Yvette expressed her delight at the quality and diversity of the exhibiting portraits. This made her task of selecting the winner, Gabrielle Martin’s portrait ‘The Ecologist’ all the more challenging.

Make sure to visit the Newstead Arts Hub this February to see a collection of portraits taken by local Anglican Church Reverend Darcy Vaughan. The exhibition, open during the weekends, tackles issues of social isolation and how our communities function when faced with anxiety and uncertainty.

The hard-working team of artists from Apparition Media have completed the final artwork on the Narrandera Water Tower. This impressive new addition was completed in just four days adding to the already popular attraction overlooking Narrandera.