Blacktown Arts - Future Proof, Blacktown City Council

 

FUTURE-PROOF The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre 9 April – 8 May 2021 Emmanuel Asante, Maher Al Khoury, Mariam Abbas, Mahnaz Giahparvar, Payam Gouya, Mehrdad Mehraeen, Raneen Shamon and Najmeh Shoara Settlement Services International in partnership with Blacktown Arts presents the Future-Proof showcase. The showcase is a unique interpretation from eight artists about the many facets of life reflecting on their personal backgrounds and experiences as recently arrived refugees in Australia. The Future-Proof showcase will be a month-long, multi-artform experience for audiences.   Future-Proof artists Mariam Abbas Growing up in a house of art, Mariam chooses paint instead of talk. For the visual artist, her work is a healing process and the place to go to in order to explore the emotional, the social and the political drawing on her unique insight. Informed by the ruptures her family experienced as a result of war and displacement, Mariam explores ideas of “not belonging” and “being an outsider” allowing her to look at events and frame them in a way that brings her truth to the fore. In 2019, Mariam won First prize for sculpture & other 3D work in the 22nd Annual Arts Exhibition at the Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre. Maher Al Khoury Art has long been in Maher’s world; a world where he can lose himself in the mastery of making visual objects that come to life from a place of beauty and creativity. When choosing a subject, Maher looks for the relationship between objects. As a professional artist, he challenges himself to see things anew, to allow objects and subjects to take on identities that throw a different light on how they appear to be. Images: Marcelo Geraldes (Highline Media) Learn more Autumn school holidays Workshop program The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre 7 - 16 April These Autumn school holidays, Blacktown Arts has an extensive school holiday workshop program on offer for children and families. Meet the talented artists of our Autumn school holidays program: Sima Alikhani, Dr Fan Dongwang, Daniela Cristallo, Irina Iris, Elaine Butler, Teresa Small and Nico Bauer. Meet the artists Easter long weekend Closed from Good Friday 2 April Reopening Tuesday 6 April The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre will be closed over the Easter long weekend. Our current exhibition, Eleni - Navigators of Polynesia will close Thursday 1 April. Visit us to see it before it closes.    Creative Arts Fund application deadline extended Applications due Tuesday 6 April We have extended the deadline for the Creative Arts Fund to midnight on Tuesday 6 April. Blacktown City-based artists, collectives and community organisations, apply for $2,000 to $3,000 in funding to develop or deliver an arts or cultural project, event or workshop in 2021 to 2022. Apply now Image: Sahar Nabinik, 2019 Creative Arts Fund recipient. Photograph by Joshua Morris. Stories from 2148 Saturday 17 April 2021 Free admission Stories from 2148 celebrates the sovereignty, diversity and creativity present in women artists who have grown up and reside within Blacktown city featuring Evelyn Araluen, Maryam Azam, Sarah Malik, and Joy Adan. Hosted by Tongan-Australian writer, editor and Mount Druitt local Winnie Dunn. Learn more Image: Courtesy of Maryam Azam Rekindling Youth program Monday 12 April – Friday 16 April 9.30 am to 2.30 pm  The Smith Family is providing the opportunity for high school students to take part in free workshops with Bangarra Dance Theatre, Australia’s leading First Nations dance company. Learn more Image: Courtesy of Bangarra Dance Theatre Making your Mark with Daniela Cristallo Friday 9 April 10.30 am – 1.00 pm $15 per child Make your mark on the world in this experimental art workshop using found and recycled objects, collage and paint. Let your imaginative artistic mind run free to create unique artworks with contemporary abstract artist Daniela Cristallo. Book now Creative Roar – Mixed media wall sculpture workshop Thursday 15 April 10.30 am – 1.00 pm $15 per child Join talented artist facilitator Elaine Butler to create your own wild animal wall sculpture using simple textile, fabric and fur sculpting techniques and learn how to draw and paint your animal creations to make an illustrative picture book.  Book now Image: Gerrie Mifsud Our Creative City | Blacktown City Council Cultural Plan Creativity and culture make our cities and neighbourhoods great places to live and work. They spark our imagination, are good for our health, bring our communities together and boost our economy. Help us imagine the future of Our Creative City and have your say in the new cultural plan for Blacktown. Have your say Drawn to the West | Life Drawing Society Main Hall, 20 Sir Hercules Parade Bungarribee Drawn to the West is a traditional art school where students learn to draw people from life. With a diverse selection of models and high quality easels, this joyous practice is about to come to life in a beautiful location. Learn more Feature in our next e-news Are you a local artist or group or an organisation servicing the Blacktown community and want to be featured in our next e-news and/or on our social media? We want to hear from you! Tell us about your upcoming creative project or what you're doing in the community along with a short blurb, image, link and social media handles. Contact us Image: Spoken performance at Magnify 2019. Photograph by Gerrie Mifsud. 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