There are exciting things on the cultural horizon of Sydney’s west, from a new theatre opening in Rooty Hill to the massive massive stars hitting the stage at Parramatta’s FOMO Festival. Now, you can get to know the local artists of Blacktown at Magnify.
The seven-week arts festival is bringing eight exciting performances and installations to the region. Alternative film screenings, live gigs, food journeys and visual artworks will be popping up at laneways, showgrounds, restaurants, nursing homes, libraries and arts centres around Blacktown from August 3-September 15.
Local stars on the bill include singer and actress Ursula Yovich, who’ll be performing Memory, an intimate concert with her band based on conversations with Indigenous elders. The August 3 gig is free, but you’ll want to book to reserve a spot. On August 16 and 17, Blacktown community leader Assefa Bekele will be hosting the Teret Teret dinner at Abyssina Ethiopian Restaurant, where he’ll share his story of leaving Africa to settle in Australia.
Blacktown Shorts will showcase five local filmmakers with screenings on August 24, while The Good Woman – a play based on the experiences of local social worker Maryam Zahid – will show at the Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre on August 30.
Head to the Dawson Mall in Mount Druitt to see a free mash-up of poetry, hip-hop, live music and breakdance sets called Spoken from 5pm on September 5, or check seek out Flamenco guitar recitals and paella in Rooty Hill on September 15. The centre of this Spanish fiesta is Perceptions – Prohibido dar el cante, which is a dance choreographed and performed by Pepa Molina that explores the experiences and memories of the residents of the Spanish-speaking Frail Aged Nursing Home.
Art installations ‘Amplified’ (August 3-17) and ‘Woven Home’ (August 7-30) will use contrasting mediums in a conversation about the Blacktown area. The first explores the region’s everyday activity through digital and analogue multimedia art, and the second is a collaborative textile work signifying connections to home and the importance of social inclusion.