Here are the latest opportunities and events all bundled up for your reading. Keep up to date with everything happening throughout the month by following our Facebook and Instagram and as always, remember to support our #creativeriverina!
Make your vote count with our Riverina Candidates Survey
There’s plenty of big ideas being thrown about during this election campaign but what do our Riverina candidates plan to do to support Arts and culture? We pressed each candidate with very specific questions about their (and their party’s) positions.
Get the information you need before heading to the polls: read our analysis and find out what each candidate had to say on our website.
THIS FRIDAY | The Caring Effect: Perspectives on Care
Artist Vic McEwan from The Cad Factory brings together practitioners in arts and health to offer an experiential exploration of caring. With participation from the Art Health Network, NSW and ACT, Murrumbidgee local Health district, Art Gallery of New South Wales and individual practitioners and carers, we draw you into a creative reflection on what is it to care, be caring and be cared for.
FITZ FEST is a free original music festival featuring the most exciting local and returning original musical talent from Wagga Wagga at multiple venues all day and til late at night along Fitzmaurice Street on Sat May 21, 2022. Incredible bands, sensual soloists and delightful duos will be offering a musical feast throughout the day from 10am.
THIS SUNDAY | Pop-up Creative Workshops in the park
Nest Studio Collective have been hosting free pop-up creative workshops for young people (and the young at heart) in Wagga each Sunday this month.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Hosted by Brittany & Tayla, explore narrative building and photo collage. Sunday 22 May, 2-4pm at Wagga Beach. Please bring your phone or tablet.
MIXED MEDIUM: Join the Nest Studio gals as we collaborate to explore a combination of art-making skills. Sunday 29 May 2-4pm at the Victory Memorial Gardens.
The Illabo Melodrama Group will have you laughing in the isles with this hilarious, sometimes affectionate and full of Irish humour, look at the ‘shenanigans’ surrounding an Irish funeral.
With a dedicated cast of players, you will see the Devlin family struggle to agree on the final resting place of their father while at the same time uniting against their long time rivals the Milligans.
The Brandenburg Orchestra is coming to Wagga Wagga
French elegance meets Italian passion, with proper German rigour and a dash of Polish folk dance – Baroque Fusions celebrates a blend of Italian, French, German and Polish national styles. Featuring Georg Philipp Telemann, one of the most prolific composers of all time and arguably the greatest exponent of the German mixed style alongside JS Bach, and the music of Vivaldi and others that inspired them.
The Winter suite showcases the early photographic campaign work of Helen Grace in Justice for Violet and Bruce, the contemporary quilt practice of Jenny Bowker in Pack and Follow, and political print and posters in both Talking Posters: Garage Graphix 1981–1998 and Techniques of Persuasion – Second Strike from the Gallery’s own collection.
Wagga Wagga artist Arthur Wicks is showing Works on Paper 1972 – 1989 (mining the archive) from 18th May to 30 July 2022 at Docker St Picture Frame Gallery 125A. Docker St Wagga Wagga NSW 2650
His upcoming show Painted Sketches 1991-92, is a group of 20 painted sketches; oil on board at on show at the Curious Rabbit between 30 May and 25 June.
Ten 10 minute plays from new and experienced playwrights.
Venue: Basement Theatre Where: The CSU Riverina Playhouse When: Friday May 27th at 7.30 pm
Saturday May 28th at 7.30 pm
Sunday May 29th at 3.00 pm
The Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail, a major new, permanent public collection of over 25 sculptures by renowned artists from across Australia and the world, was officially opened as part of four days of local celebrations.
With the aim of being recognised as a world class sculpture collection and one of the most important sculpture collections in Australia, the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail is a great reason for people from across Australia to visit this hidden and relatively unknown gem that has much to offer from bike and walking paths to the world class Tumbarumba region vineyards.
The Riverina Light Horse turned out to unveil ‘The Last Charge’ by Harrie Fasher on the Adelong Creek Walk on Saturday 7 May.
This powerful and emotive sculpture is a memorial to the Battle of Beersheba fought by the Australian Light Horse in Palestine on 31 October, 1917. ABC Radio interviewed Harrie just before she participated in the Community Celebrations for the launch of the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail. Listen here.
Take a trip sometime this month to explore the new collection!
Image: Norton Flavel, 'And Another', Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail in Tumbarumba 2022. Photo by: John Riddell
fourW thirty-three
fourW - annual anthology of new writing is one of Australia's longest running annual anthologies of new poetry and prose from Australian and international writers. Published each November, and launched in Wagga Wagga and Sydney, the Booranga Literary Prizes are valued at a total of $1000 and are awarded annually in November at the launch of Booranga’s anthology of new writing, fourW.
Each Booranga Prize is $500 and will be awarded to the works selected as the best poem and best short story received during the submission period. Winning entries are published in fourW, along with other new writing.
The Paul Guest Prize is an award and exhibition held biennially that highlights contemporary drawing practice in Australia. The Prize was initiated by former Family Court Judge and Olympic rower, The Honourable Paul Guest OAM QC and encourages artists from across Australia to engage with the important medium of drawing in contemporary art practice. The Prize is a non-acquisitive cash award of $15,000.
The Head On Photo Awards represents a global selection of the best work from emerging and established photographers across three categories, portrait, landscape and student. Enter by 5 June for your chance to win a share of $30,000.
Image: 'Perfect stranger' by Mark Forbes
2021 Head On Portrait Award | Australian Runner-up
CREATIVE RIVERINA is a community AND an arts directory, connecting you to artists and artistic organisations throughout the entire Riverina region of NSW.
Looking to get your name out there? Artists and performers of all kinds are listed on CREATIVE RIVERINA, the go-to online directory for creatives in our region! Make sure people can find you - create your FREE listing today! Artists on the directory are also invited to join the CREATIVE RIVERINA Facebook group, a place to share ideas, events and simply connect! Join the CREATIVE RIVERINA group now!
Far South Film Festival
Calling all regional filmmakers and screen content creators from around Australia to submit their films to the Far South Film Festival.
The overall Best Film Award is a $1000 cash prize and all Finalists will be offered free tickets to the in-person or online screenings. The festival also encourages young filmmakers under 25 years to enter films that tell their stories and have them seen by a wider audience, with a cash prize of $500 for the winning Youth Film.
Normal entry deadline: Monday 9 May Late entry deadline: Monday 30 May
The mission of the 2022 Swan Hill Print and Drawing Acquisitive Awards is to promote excellence in Australian prints and drawings; present an exhibition of contemporary Australian prints and drawings, and continue to build a high quality collection for Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery. There is a $16,000 prize for the winner.
The judges this year are Vanessa Gerrans, Director, Warrnambool Art Gallery and Dr. Thomas A. Middlemost, Art Curator, Charles Sturt University Art Collection.
The Dobell Exhibition Grant program provides financial assistance towards the development of new, curated exhibitions of visual arts at regional galleries in New South Wales. The program aims to support high quality exhibitions that speak to a broad audience across NSW.
Closing date: 1 September 2022, 5.00pm
IMAGE: Interactive installation Hit the Road Jack by John Turier, exhibited in BOARD an exhibition supported by the Dobell Exhibition Grant at Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery December 2017, photo by Nicola Ward'
For creation, development and presentation of new work and professional development or promotion for professional artists and arts and cultural workers. $500 to $5,000
Regional Arts Fund, Quick Response Grants are now open! Rounds are assessed at the end of each month with applicants eligible to receive $3,000 for individuals and $5,000 for organisations. Open until Nov 30 2022.
The Backroads Initiative is established to enable high-quality, small-scale professional productions to smaller towns and remote communities in regional NSW. Backroads can support up to 50% of the performance/ delivery fee (including touring costs) of a touring production.
Applicants can submit a proposal to:
extend a regional tour to one or more non-professional venues in regional NSW;
support a new tour to two or more non-professional venues in regional NSW.
Applications open: Tuesday 26 April Webinar: Tuesday 10 May Applications close: Wednesday 25 May
Are you an artist looking to level up your creative practice in 2022? Are you a group, collective or company with a bold creative project in the works?
Eastern Riverina Arts’ Country Arts Support Program (CASP) program in 2022 is offering two streams of funding to support arts and cultural activity in any artform.
For Individuals, max $750 – for professional development or the realisation/presentation of an ambitious artistic outcome, or
For Projects, max $4000 – for original creative projects and collaborations that meet the eligibility criteria (outlined on our website).
Start thinking about what projects you are applying for now.
