Festivals and conferences - News and events

Events | Conferences | Call for entries | Announcements


The Festivals and Conferences news page covers events with a mixture of art forms. For music festivals, see the Performance news page. For writers festivals, see the Language and Literature news page. See also Film and Digital Media festivals.

Events

Testing the Fibre exhibition, Alice Springs Beanie Festival - Alice Springs, Northern Territory

beanie

Image courtesy of the Alice Springs Beanie Festival.

Festival 26 - 29 June 2009, exhibition 26 June - mid August 2009

The Alice Springs Beanie Festival is a community-based event that aims to develop Aboriginal women's textiles, promote women's culture and the beanie as a regional art form, as well as promote handmade textile arts. Each year over 500 entries are received for the Beanie Competition. Araluen Arts Centre.

Darwin Fringe Festival - Darwin

11 - 22 August 2009

darwin fringe

Image courtesy of the Darwin Fringe Festival.

As a unique arts festival for presenting developmental work, the Darwin Fringe encourages artists and interested community members and groups to collaborate, explore new ideas, approaches and networks. Fringe @ the Bank is a project of Darwin Community Arts and Darwin Festival. The ‘open’ format of this year’s Fringe @ the Bank – no tickets, no bookings, no barriers – will further encourage artistic experimentation and interaction with the public. Old Commonwealth Bank.

Reggaetown - Tjapukai, Queensland

5 September 2009

Reggaetown is a multicultural one day event showcasing established and emerging Island Roots music artists and styles from Jamaica, Africa, the Pacific Islands and Australia & the Torres Straits. Reggaetown celebrates the tropical lifestyle and surroundings of Queensland with a blend of traditional and contemporary cultural performances, markets, workshops and films. Tjapukai.

Spring Migration - Albury, New South Wales

1–6 September 2009

Spring Migration is an annual Gay & Lesbian event offering program for all people to enjoy, regardless of their sexuality. The festival will feature live music, Unite the Clans dance party, DJs, fashion shows, wine tours and the Who's yer daddy Sunday market. Yackandandah.

Brisbane Festival 2009 - Brisbane

12 September – 3 October 2009

Brisbane Festival is one of Australia's leading international arts festivals. The festival will features international and Australian artists and productions, free world-class events, emerging fringe theatre, and fireworks. Conversation and debate will fill the theatres, parks and suburban streets for Brisbane Festival 2009. The festival combines with the former annual Riverfestival to make it one of the most inclusive and diverse arts festivals in Australia. Various locations.

this is not art - Newcastle, New South Wales

1 - 5 October 2009

This Is Not Art is a supercharged convergence of writers, performers, thinkers, independent musicians, industry people, creative researchers, electronic artists, dillettantes, and DIY culture makers in a showcase featuring over 400 local, national and international artists.

Escape ARTfest 2009 - Southern Shoalhaven area, New South Wales

2 - 11 October 2009

escape fest 2006

ARTfest 2006. Image courtesy of theARTfest 2009.

ARTfest 2009 is a celebration of all things community and reflects the appreciation of our own creative, inspiring, beautiful and healthy culture. The festival includes visual arts, literature, music, film and youth events. Various locations.

Kurrajong Scarecrow Festival - Blue Mountains, New South Wales

24–25 October 2009

Kurrajong Scarecrow Festival will provide entertainment for the whole family including Koomurri Aboriginal Performers, buskers, scarecrow cup race, dog fancy dress competition, children's activities and Don's backyard's television presenter, Don Burke, will promote his latest book. Memorial Park, Old Bells of Line Road.

Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival - Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales

23–25 October 2009

Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival has an array of Australian and international folk performers. The program includes musicians, buskers, dancers, poets, workshops, folk dances, blackboard venues and special school concerts. Various locations.

For more festivals see our Australian story on Festivals.

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Conferences

Fourth National Public Galleries Summit - Townsville, Queensland

9–11 September 2009

Join leading Australian and international keynote speakers and colleagues to be part of Fourth National Public Gallery Summit. Presented by Museum and Gallery Services Queensland, this significant industry event is being hosted by the Townsville City Council and Perc Tucker Regional Gallery and will include a two-day program and a series of masterclasses. The Summit will also feature the official opening of Twelve Degrees of Latitude, an exhibition showcasing the work of 27 regional gallery and university art collections in Queensland. Location TBA.

Working Spaces 3 - For Museum Volunteers - Galong, New South Wales

16-18 October 2009

This conference, hosted by Museums Australia, aims to provide volunteers with “hands-on” practical experience on topics such as storage conservation solutions, oral history, working with the media and conserving old photographs to name a few. All Working Spaces have an extensive hands-on component ensuring that you will be able to use your new skills and techniques.

Queensland Regional Arts and Culture Conference: ARTSpeak 2009 - Beaudesert, Queensland

18-20 November 2009

ARTSpeak 2009 will bring together more than 200 arts participants and practitioners from across Queensland and will be a valuable opportunity to explore new ideas and partnerships to ensure all Queenslanders have access to arts and culture. The four ARTSpeak themes will be: encouraging community participation and engagement through arts and culture; building strong communities; supporting vibrant regional arts and cultural practice; and activating creative spaces.

Call for entries

Arts-Activated Conference announced for 2010

Invitation to present - Call for papers - Entries by 30 August 2009

Accessible Arts is convening the second Arts Activated Conference at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney on 25-26 March 2010. The theme of the conference, Arts - Access - Excellence, will explore process, practice and innovation relating to inclusion of people with disability in the arts. Accessible Arts invites submissions for proposals to present at the conference.

Announcements

Minister Garrett announced funding for Australian festivals

16 June 2009

Nearly 30 regional and community festivals around Australia will share in more than $350,000 under the latest round of Festivals Australia funding announced by Arts Minister, Peter Garrett. Festivals Australia is an Australian Government program which funds Australian regional and community festivals to present quality cultural projects.

For more information see our Australian story on Festivals.

Key online resources

Film festivals

Digital media

Writers festivals

Jazz festivals

Folk festivals

Festivals - New South Wales

Festivals - Victoria

Festivals - South Australia

Festivals - other states