Blacktown Arts Update

 

Term two workshops

The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre 20 April - 26 June We have a range of engaging workshops and term programs on offer for children, young people, adults and families in Term two. Join us to learn acrylic pouring, henna or clay jewellery-making in a one-off workshop or book into a term program to get creative, develop your skills and experiment with new techniques and materials. There is something for everyone at Blacktown Arts. We can't wait to see you!

Workshops for adults

Workshops for children, young people and families

FUTURE-PROOF

The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre 10 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. Future-Proof is a month-long, multi-artform experience for audiences including an exhibition, performances and artist talks.

Future-Proof artists

Emmanuel Asante A visual artist whose practice critically examines and reflects on his own identity as a young Ghanaian immigrant, incorporating traditional African motifs, metaphors and symbols to evoke a unique visual aesthetic to tell a story. With diasporic and afro-centred lenses into issues of social and racial justice, Emmanuel doesn’t create work to make people feel comfortable; but rather art that speaks to people across borders and culture.

Mahnaz Giahparvar  Mahnaz is a director, scriptwriter, performer and actor. As a director, her main area of practice, she is interested in taking a story or script and shaping a vision to create an immersive theatrical experience. Working with multi-art forms and intergeneric texts, having had to develop an adaptive practice informed by the limits of a regime in the past, Mahnaz has an ongoing artistic commitment to experimental art that creates new ways of imagining and thinking about the human experience.

Payam Gouya Approaching creativity as an energising process that brings life to a story, Payam’s interdisciplinary practice combines arts and psychology. According to him, the combo brings about the exploration of inner feelings and making sense of the world. Payam’s creative practice is also grounded in research and collaborative processes of development, having worked in multiple projects in Iran, Eastern Europe and lately in Sydney, he has established a diverse and grounded experience bringing his insights and craft to create new art into the future.

Images: Marcelo Geraldes (Highline Media)

Learn more

Stories from 2148 Saturday 17 April 2021 Noon - 2 pm Free admission Join us for Stories from 2148, a panel discussion presented by Blacktown Arts and Sweatshop Western Sydney Literacy Movement. 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 Sarah Malik

The Woman Who Crossed The Road | Performance and artist talks Friday 7 and Saturday 8 May 2021 5.30 - 7.30 pm  Free admission The Woman Who Crossed The Road is an uplifting, one-woman play by Najmeh Shoara about the female experience, brimming with determination to survive, live and flourish.  This event is part of our Future-Proof program presented by Blacktown Arts and Settlement Services International (SSI). Learn more Image credit: Marcelo Geraldes (Highline Media)

Heech - Beyond Nothingness 21 April – 22 May 2021 Free admission Heech - Beyond Nothingness is a solo exhibition by artist Reza Taghipour, featuring his work in Persian ‘Siah Mashq’ or ‘Black Practice’ (in which calligraphic practice sheets are often covered completely with writing) combined with abstract expressionism over the last two decades. This exhibition will showcase his work across calligraphy, figurative and portrait painting. Learn more Image: Reza Taghipour

Hayakal al Noor, Bodies of Light 24 April - 1 May 2021 Free admission Hayakal al Noor, Bodies of Light is an interactive light-installation artwork by Narjis Mirza inspired by the medieval Islamic philosophy of illumination. Animated Arabic calligraphy, projection, textile, subtle fragrances and voices provoke the seers’ imagination beyond the visible and the apparent. Learn more Image: Courtesy of Narjis Mirza

Eleni - Navigators of Polynesia virtual tour If you missed out on seeing Eleni - Navigators of Polynesia at the Arts Centre, you'll love this. We are working on a 360° virtual reality tour of the exhibition so you'll be able to experience Faraimo Paulo's incredible solo exhibition from anywhere in the world. Stay tuned!

Youth Week graffiti workshop Saturday 24 April 10 am - 3 pm Free - registrations essential Hone your graffiti skills on a ten metre pop-up wall in this practical graffiti workshop with talented aerosol artist Sam Absurd. Learn how to paint letter designs with aerosol paint and gain experience and insight into this unique artform. Register now