Arts Sunday is your extra dose of arts news, artist profiles and photo galleries from the NSW Central West, brought to you by Arts OutWest and Fairfax. Arts Sunday is published online on the first Sunday of the month. If you’ve got a story to share contact artsoutwest@csu.edu.au
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There’s nothing like a good long weekend road trip, and nothing better than one that includes a great selection of arts and cultural activities right here in our own region.
Grenfell is the birthplace of Henry Lawson.
The famous Australia poet was born on Grenfell's gold fields in 1867.
The town celebrates all things art, poetry and community spirit over the June long weekend with the annual Henry Lawson Festival of Arts.
Events include the festival exhibition held at the Grenfell Art Gallery which attracts high calibre artists from around the country.
Poetry is, as you would imagine, an important part of the weekend with the popular Poetry on the Boards competition open to anyone who’d like to read or recite a favourite poem and the Poetry in the Park performed annually for the last 26 years at the Henry Lawson Obelisk by two local retired school teachers John Hetherington and Bruce Roberts.
There’s a Friday night concert with local bands and choirs and the Dramatic Society always puts on a show, this year they’re doing Agatha Christie’s ‘And the there were none’.
The Saturday highlight will be ‘Rain in the Mountains - Songs from Henry Lawson’, a unique folk musical performance of poems at the Grenfell Bowling Club. Contrary to rumour, the guinea pig races are still on, BYO guinea pig.
North of Parkes is the historic mining town of Peak Hill. Peak Hill's Annual Arts & Craft Exhibition is always a popular stop for those taking the Newell Highway. In its 40th year there’ll be large displays of members works in art, folk art, patchwork glass slumping and photography as well as demonstrators and over 20 market stalls over two venues.
Head east from Peak Hill to Wellington and you can drop into the exciting local exhibition ‘Drift’ on at the Macquarie Theatre. Local photographers, painters, videographers, foodies and general creatives show work that celebrates life in our Macquarie River communities.
Take the road west for an hour from Condobolin and you reach stunning Lake Cargelligo. The lake alone makes the visit worthwhile, but the long weekend is also when quilters, painters, crafters and needleworkers send their work west to vie for a place in one of 66 different categories of the Blue Waters Arts and Crafts Exhibition.
Crafts are also on show at the Evans Arts Council’s annual crafts and photography exhibition at the Lee Street Hall in Kelso (Bathurst).
Over near the edge of the Blue Mountains, Jenolan Caves is a popular destination. Performing on the Saturday of the long weekend is Bruce Cale and Colin Day with a feast of Jazz Duets deep inside the caves. Nearby at the Lithgow Valley Community Cinema their showing a Classic 1950s double feature of English classics Sailor of the King (1953) and Storm over the Nile (1955).
Art, music, film, crafts or a speedy guinea pig – there’s something for everyone in the Central West this June long weekend.
* Henry Lawson Festival of Arts
Saturday June 8, Sunday June 9, Monday June 10
* Peak Hill's Annual Arts & Craft Exhibition
Saturday June 8, Sunday June 9, Monday June 10, 9.30am - 4pm
Peak Hill Leisure Centre & Peak Hill Arts and Crafts, both on the Newell Highway
$2 at each venue
* Drift
7 – 14 June, 9am-5pm
Macquarie Theatre, 36-42 Swift Street WELLINGTON
6845 1382
* Blue Waters Arts and Crafts Exhibition
June 7-10
Lake Cargelligo Memorial Hall, Foster St Lake Cargelligo
* Evans Arts Council 2013 Craft and Photographic Exhibition
Official Opening Saturday, 8 June, 10.30am
Exhibition Open Saturday 8 June to Monday 10 June, 10am – 4pm
Lee Street Hall, Lee Street, Kelso
* Bruce Cale & Colin Day Present Jazz Duets
Saturday 8 June, 4pm
Jenolan Caves
1300 763 311
* Classic 1950s Double Feature Session: 2 Top English Movies
Public Holiday: Monday June 10, 1.30pm
Lithgow Valley Community Cinema
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