We hear again and again that Canberra is a ‘cultural capital’, that it’s ‘vibrant’, ‘artistic’, ‘unique’. Come for a holiday! We say. Come here to live! Go to our universities! Unfortunately for us, no city ever became a vibrant cultural capital because of its fire regulation adherence, because of its perfect egress, because the ceilings […]
Category: News
Recent Writings
A few things are up and about at the moment. First of all, some poetry. This year marks the first time I’ve shared my poetry publicly, or in fact with anyone. Terrifying. Thank you to Verity La for publishing my first tiny piece 8am and to Grapple for publishing Four Days in the lead up […]
To Festivals I’ve Loved Before – You Are Here 2014
Usually this time of year I am over-caffienated, harried, hardly sleeping and excited to the point of nausea. Usually this time of the year I am producing a festival. In 2011, 2012 and 2013 I co-produced Canberra’s You Are Here festival. Now the festival continues, but with a new team of producers and new funding […]
Critics Why, What For and Where Even Are You?
…Hopefully at this on Friday. This year The Childers Group has decided to tackle ‘The Role of the Critic’ at their public forum. And they have very kindly asked me to facilitate the discussion for them. My panel is a list of Canberra heavyweights and the list of attendees is pretty stellar itself, but we […]
Bloom Festival 2013
Thirty two years ago today Gorman House Arts Centre – back then the Gorman House Community Arts Centre – was declared open. Five months ago, I started working there, and next weekend we party. Friday 20 September and Saturday 21 is our annual Bloom festival, across both Gorman House and Ainslie Arts Centres – just […]
Reviewers of the Future
I have a new gig. A real, full-time, desk-sitting, time-sheeting gig. For two months now I’ve been program manager at Gorman House Arts Centre and Ainslie Art Centre in Braddon. As with most artistically minded Canberrans Gorman House has played a big role in my life, and I’m so excited to be able to help the organisation […]
As of April
You Are Here 2013 is done, my third and final turn as co-producer. Cue violins and hand me a tissue. I can’t even begin to tell you what an impact this festival has made on my life, professionally and otherwise, in no small part due to the huge number of incredible individuals I have had […]
On The Side
“If it matters, it’ll get done. If it doesn’t get done, it didn’t matter enough.” Author Chester Eagle (stolen from Rachel Power’s fantastic book The Divided Heart) After what has been a long drought between posts I’m excited to report I have a new project to add to the menagerie, as though I wasn’t busy […]
Because The Night Belongs To (Art) Lovers
CAPO29 is fast approaching and now is the time to nab a ticket. For those who need to be brought up to speed here, CAPO is the Contemporary Arts Patrons Organisation – a volunteer non-profit organisation that has supported the ACT region’s artists for 29 years. Since establishment in 1983, CAPO has disbursed over $1.8 million […]
All The Young Dudes
I’ve just gotten off the radio speaking to Greg Bayliss of ABC666 about a great little event I’m a part of tomorrow. Belconnen Arts Centre is presenting ‘The Next Gen’ – a Young Artists Forum, as a great way for art lovers to hear about the charms and challenges of being a young artist in […]
Yolande Norris 