Back in September, an initiative and Kickstarter campaign was launched to help provide both financial assistance and industry support for BIPOC theatre performers. Tarik Frimpong, founder of the Artists of Colour Initiative joins Richard to talk about the announcement of the six finalists. Prizes include scholarships from the Patrick School of Arts, plus a share of the total money raised from the crowdfunding campaign.
The coronavirus pandemic's arrival in Australia in March 2020 caused multiple arts festivals to cancel events earlier in the year. One such event was the Melbourne Queer Film Festival which was 5 days into its programming when restrictions and lockdowns began. Program Director of MQFF, Spiro Economopoulos, joins Richard to chat about MQFF Interrupted, the online relaunch of the festival’s 2020 programming. Streaming from November 19th to 30th, the program will show the best of top-notch queer cinema.
As restrictions ease, Artistic Director of Heide Museum of Modern Art, Lesley Harding joins Richard to chat about the gallery’s 2021 programming announcements, the future plans of the gallery, and Heide Summer Festival, an outdoor event series designed to support local performing artists, live music and cultural festivals. Tickets for the Summer Festival will go on sale from December 1st with Heide reopening on November 28th.
AOC Initiative Website
About this program
Visual art, theatre, film and literature. Segments include:
- 'Art Attack' - fortnightly visual arts reviews with Ace Wagstaff and Tai Snaith.
- 'Shoot the Messenger' - fortnightly theatre news & reviews with Fleur Kilpatrick.
- 'Drawn Out' - monthly chat about comic books and graphic novels with Bernard Caleo.
Please email talks@rrr.org.au for all interview requests.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Richard Watts has many years experience working in the arts industry, including five years as the Artistic Director of the youth arts organisation Express Media, seven years on the Board of Melbourne Fringe (including three years as Chair), and six years on the Committee of Management at La Mama Theatre, where he currently serves as Chair. Richard has helped program a range of festivals including Next Wave, the National Young Writers' Festival, the Melbourne Queer Film Festival and the Emerging Writers' Festival (which he founded) and he has written for various broadsheets, journals, zines and magazines. Currently he pays the rent by working as the Performing Arts Editor at www.artshub.com.au. In his spare time he watches old Doctor Who episodes.
The podcast intro and outro theme is Soft Illusion and was generously provided by Andras.
https://andras.bandcamp.com/track/soft-illusion
