Off The Leash - June 2023

Ifeel so lucky to live in the Territory. The access we have to immersive and meaningful cultural events is very special, and this edition is filled with such opportunities. I urge you to head out to experience one (or all!) of them.

This month, the small town of Barunga increases more than ten-fold with visitors as Barunga Festival presents three huge days of music, sport and culture.

This year marks 35 years since the Barunga Statement was handed to Prime Minister Bob Hawke in 1988, and although the promise of a treaty is yet to be realised, the strength of Jawoyn people and culture is unwavering. Enjoy the main feature to find out more about this much-loved festival.

Daminmin Festival returns to Limilngan-Wulna Country just east of Humpty Doo for two days of culture, connection and camping, and Malandarri Festival celebrates the dance, music and cultural practices from the four Borroloola clan groups.

Darwin Pride Festival paints the town red – and every other colour of the rainbow – to celebrate the wonderful Top End queer community. An exciting new addition is the Darwin Pride Music Festival featuring local and interstate artists,

FROM THE Editor

E: editor@offtheleash.net.au T: 08 8941 7413 GPO BOX 2325, Darwin NT 0801

DJs and drag queens, headlined by international dance music darling and Darwin local VASSY, who I had the pleasure of having a good ol' chinwag with.

On the topic of music festivals, the legends at 8CCC Community Radio launch the inaugural One Frequency Festival in the desert, a huge two-day program putting local artists front and centre, right where they belong. Darwin Symphony Orchestra brings the music of the 90s to the masses in their huge annual Darwin Amphitheatre spectacular. If you haven’t been to one of these yet, do it – they are an absolute hoot!

Of course, we are spoiled for choice when it comes to art, a bounty of beauty on display across the NT. The remote community of Gunbalanya in West Arnhem Land closed to the public for almost three years to keep the community safe during the pandemic, and the wonderful artists of Injalak Arts are over the moon to welcome visitors back into their creative hub. Read about this incredible Art Centre, and check out what other art exhibitions are on, in Visual Arts.

It's June and a busy time, but if you happen to have any wiggle room in your schedule, there’s a fair chunk of inspo coming your way in this edish!

Off The Leash Inc. acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

In 2022, OTL became a Territory-wide publication due to the generous support of Michael Sitzler, for all Territorians.

Cover proudly sponsored by Barunga Festival

Image: Digital reproduction from the original 1988 Barunga Festival poster, original artwork by ©Chips Mackinolty in recognition of 35 years of the Barunga Statement

Tierney Seccull Managing Editor & Development Manager

Kate Conway Editorial Assistant

Danny Crichton Graphic Designer

OTL is proudly supported by

Betty Sweetlove & Kodi Twiner

Contributing writers

At the 1988 Barunga Festival, Prime Minister Bob Hawke was presented with a painted bark containing words in English, surrounded by art symbolic of the mobs in northern and central Australia, calling on the Australian Government to recognise the rights of Aboriginal people in this country. It was the Barunga Statement.

By Tierney Seccull

FROM LITTLE THINGS

BIG THINGS GROW

THIS MONTH, 35 years since the Barunga Statement was handed over, the time to gather on Jawoyn Country for the annual Barunga Festival has come. And although the promise of a treaty made in 1988 as a result of the Barunga Statement is yet to be fulfilled, the resilience of the Jawoyn people of Barunga Community, the connection to and celebration of their culture, remains steadfast.

Offering three huge days of Indigenous music, culture and sport, Barunga Festival has grown to be one of the most anticipated cultural festivals in the country.

Founded in 1985 by Peter Apaak Jupurrula Miller, a proud Aboriginal man who has fought for land rights and devoted much of his life to teaching, the festival was formed through his vision to create a space for all to meet.

“What I believe is special about Barunga, when you’re looking at it from a traditional cultural point of view, is that it was always regarded as the go-between community between the Top End and the desert … the trade link between tribes from up north on the coastal areas, and the desert tribes way down in and around Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, and beyond,” Apaak says.

“Back in the early eighties, I thought what a fantastic place this could be if I could found something that’s going to bring everyone together from all walks of life. That’s what I want Australia to become, where we come together and share our unique thoughts and processes about where we want to go as a country … it’s like a meeting place between all walks of life.”

For almost 40 years, the small community of Barunga – home to approximately 360 people – sees almost 4,000 festival-goers come together for the annual celebration.

Beloved Barunga offers three days of camping with AFL, Rugby Sevens and basketball, food stalls, a traditional art and craft fair, and screenings of documentaries from the region. Ticketed cultural workshops give you the chance to learn the art of weaving, didgeridoo making, damper making, and bush medicine.

“I’m excited that Bagala has ownership, and that there’s recognition of the community members for their contribution to Barunga Community itself. We all have to remember that it’s 35 years since the Barunga Statement, which is very huge and significant for the people of Barunga.”

Apaak says the festival represents so much more than a three-day event, once a year, planting seeds of change and action within the community.

“We’ve had some very important visits, like Prime Minister Bob Hawke when he came and spoke at large about the treaty process. Everything that’s going on today, like the Voice to Parliament, that’s all generated from festivals like Barunga,” he says.

Barunga Festival

WHEN FRI 9 – MON 12 JUN

AT BARUNGA COMMUNITY COST $55 | $20 YOUTH | $5 CHILD INCLUDES CAMPING INFO barungafestival.com.au

TOP: The Barunga Statement 1988. Natural pigments on composition board with attached printed text on paper presented by the Central Land Council and Northern Land Council in 1988. Gifts collection, Parliament House Art Collection

BOTTOM: Image supplied by Red Flag Dancers

This year, Numbulwar’s Red Flag Dancers return to perform at a traditional buŋgul – a special ceremony and meeting place of dance, song and ritual. And as music is integral to Barunga, bands hit the stage throughout the weekend to blast out tunes ‘til late.

For the past decade, Skinnyfish Music has presented the festival with the Bagala Traditional Owners and Barunga Festival Committee, a collaboration that has seen it blossom into the huge event it is today.

This year, the festival is under ownership of the Bagala Aboriginal Corporation after beginning the transition to self-management from Aboriginal Investment Group support last year, something General Manager Helen Lee says is an exciting development.

“Paul Kelly, the singer from down south, he wrote a song ‘From Little Things, Big Things Grow’ – that really is what it’s all about.”

Senior Traditional Owner Esther Bulumbara says her people welcome the opportunity to hear about the plan for a Voice to Parliament, Treaty and truth-telling at this year’s Barunga.

“This is important information we need to know, particularly for our young people … we also invite visitors with open arms to come and stay on our Country, and enjoy and participate in First Nation People’s culture and way of life.“

If immersing yourself in Jawoyn Culture, side-by-side with the Barunga Community and the Bagala clan sounds special, that’s because it is. Apaak urges you to join them.

“Please. If you’ve got nothing to lose, but millions to gain, come there. Get into the spirit of togetherness, that’s what Australia is all about, coming together. Barunga Festival was made just for that reason.”

BIG DAY OUT in Harmony

Get Your Comic Con On

By Tierney Seccull

THE DAY TO celebrate Alice Springs’ vibrant and diverse community has arrived, with the biggest multicultural event of the year, Big Day Out in Harmony.

In collaboration with Alice Springs Town Council (ASTC), it’s run by the friendly crew at Multicultural Community Services of Central Australia (MCSCA), an organisation that exists to deliver quality confidential services to people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Spend a day meeting and learning about members of the community from a range of backgrounds, and enjoy traditional cultural dance and

music performances, food stalls, and plenty of fun activities for the kiddos, including hand henna painting.

There’s also a special performance from Chik Chika, fresh to the desert from performances at Dark Mofo and Womadelaide!

Make your way to the ASTC Lawns and embrace culture, community and inclusiveness.

WHEN SAT 3 JUN | 12-4.30PM AT ASTC LAWNS, ALICE SPRINGS COST FREE INFO mcsca.org.au

JUST LIKE CAPTAIN Planet and his Planeteers, magic can happen when the right powers combine. This month, the joining of forces between Wild North Comics and comic store Stone Monkey, in its new location at Coconut Grove, results in Wild North Comic Con, Darwin’s first dedicated comic convention.

Comic and geek culture is having a moment – one that looks like it’s here to stay – and Wild North Creative Producer Timothy Parish says the time to start a local comic con is now.

“We were so inspired by TROPiCON, and Geekfest out at Palmerston, and I went down to Oz Comic Con down in Melbourne … I was really blown away by the bigger Australian comic scene,” Parish says.

“Geek culture is so massive … so we really wanted to focus on this beautiful art form, comics and graphic novels, which is really thriving up here at the moment. There’s lots of amazing artists, and we thought this would be a great chance to put some attention and light onto those creatives.”

Wild North Comic Con features a variety of activities for comic book fans with an artist’s alley, live digital drawing, cosplay competition, food

from Mad Snake Café, plus the launch of four new titles by Wild North Comics creators.

One of those is award-winning screenwriter Philip Tarl Denson, who launches Future Tales Volume One. He says he’s excited the comic community is connecting.

“Things like this, it’s the first one, really kind of unites a group of people that can often be pushed to the corners, reading comics or playing different games, often in their own house – it really brings them together,” he says.

“It’s been really interesting to see people realise that there’s others that have the same passion that they do, instead of just being at home on the computer ... It’s about bringing people together, young to old, as comics have been around for a long time – I think Superman was first created in 1938 – so it’s a long history and it’s good to see people from different walks of life coming together to celebrate passions.”

Other titles launching include the second issue of Zero-Point: Origins by award-winning animator Jonathon Saunders, and the surrealist indie comic Heavengrad by animator, novelist and playwright Levin Diatschenko. Parish also launches his own title, Chronos: The Spacetime Machine Chapter One.

“Throughout the day, people can come and look around, meet the artists and buy some art. We’re also launching our new project – an Australian comic stand called Wizards of Oz Comics at Stone Monkey,” Parish says.

“We’ve been looking into how to get our comics beyond Darwin … and thought we could be a national distributor of Australian comics. The first shop we’ll try is here in Darwin at Stone Monkey, where we’ll have 40 different titles from around the country.”

Make tracks to Stone Monkey and get your comic on at Wild North Comic Con. It’s good to be geeky.

Funky Junk

ART MADE OF rubbish, garbage fashioned into hats, and sculptures crafted from trash can only mean one thing. It’s Katherine Junk Festival time!

K-Town’s trashy night of nights is back, turning trash into treasure to highlight the catastrophic effects our actions as consumers have on the environment.

There’s food stalls and kids’ play spaces, a fashion show, plus the highly anticipated Junk Sculpture Competition, featuring creations made entirely from reused and recycled materials with some cold hard cash up for grabs.

Head along to find out this year’s winners, marvel at the makings, and soak up the creative vibes of a trashy night on K-Town.

Wild North Comic Con WHEN SAT 3 JUN | 12-6PM AT STONE MONKEY, COCONUT GROVE COST FREE

wildnorthcomics.com

Run by the friendly crew at Katherine Regional Arts, Junk Fest offers a fun evening for the whole family, with live music and dance performances, including a crowd dance performance – the result of weekly rehearsals with Britt Hedrick.

Katherine Junk Festival

WHEN SAT 3 JUN | 5PM AT LINDSAY ST, KATHERINE COST GOLD COIN

LISTINGS

Variety NT Trivia Night

Round up your mates and head along to this fun pub trivia night celebrating National Reconciliation Week. Raising funds for Miriam Rose Foundation and Variety NT, settle in with a complimentary icy cold bevvie, enjoy the sunset and test your general knowledge.

WHEN THU 1 JUN | 6.30-9.30PM

AT DARWIN TRAILER BOAT CLUB COST $20 INFO darwintickets.com.au

City of Palmerston Youth Media Team

City of Palmerston's Youth Media Team is the voice of young people in Palmerston, a group of 14-25-year-olds that come together to share what is important to the next-gen.

WHEN THU 1 & 15 JUN | 4.30-5.15PM

AT PALMERSTON REC CENTRE COST FREE INFO palmerston.nt.gov.au

Jabiru Dry Season Markets

Youth Workshop - Self Portrait Collages

This special workshop for kids aged 11 and over draws inspiration from Archie 100. Create a highly recognisable self–portrait based on a headshot taken of you at the beginning of the workshop.

WHEN SAT 3 JUN | 1.30-4.30PM AT MAGNT COST $30 INFO magnt.net.au

Birth and Beyond Car Boot Market

This car boot sale gives you the chance to make some coin from anything you might have lying around at home. Nothing to sell? Head along to grab a bargain and tuck into some delish fare from Yaye’s Café.

WHEN SUN 4 JUN | 10AM-12PM AT ARALUEN CAR PARK, ALICE SPRINGS INFO facebook.com/ birthandbeyondalicesprings

Tatts Finke Desert Race Gear up for this off road, multi-terrain two-day race for bikes, cars and buggies through desert country, from Alice Springs to the small Aputula (Finke) community.

WHEN FRI 9 – MON 12 JUN AT ALICE SPRINGS/MPARNTWE INFO finkedesertrace.com.au

Deep Ecology

Todd Mall Markets

Todd Mall comes alive with Sunday Market Days. Browse the wide range of stalls selling art, craft, local produce, handcrafted jewellery, clothing and homewares. Plus, there’s food, glorious food, including new kids on the block, Marty’s Dogs!

WHEN SUN 4 & 18 JUN | 9AM-1PM AT TODD MALL, ALICE SPRINGS COST FREE INFO toddmallmarkets.com.au

COST FREE INFO vinniesnt.org.au

Geek Up

An afternoon filled with enjoyable, geeky activities for young people aged 15-25, keen to meet new people and connect with friends.

WHEN SUN 25 JUN | 1-4PM AT CASUARINA LIBRARY COST FREE INFO launchdarwin.com.au

Art Jam – Creative Meet Up

Bring along your art projects and get creative at this weekly meet up for anyone aged 15 years and over.

WHEN EVERY MON (EXC. 12 JUN)

5-7PM

AT DURACK COMMUNITY ARTS CENTRE COST FREE INFO palmerston.nt.gov.au

Salsa Classes

WHEN EVERY TUE & THU

7.40-9.40PM

AT CWA HALL COST $20 INFO salsitadarwin.com.au

Qi Gong

Qi gong is a Taoist moving meditation that is incredibly effective in treating stress, depression, high blood pressure, and much more. Join Nick Sun for these weekly sessions, and unite the mind with the body and breath.

TACTILE ARTS WORKSHOPS

tactilearts.org.au

Coral Glass Bowls

Join local artist Melanie Tribe at this glass-fusing workshop. Suitable for beginners, learn the coral technique to create a unique, glass bowl.

WHEN SAT 3 JUN | 1-5PM

COST $215 | $200 MEMB

Masterclass | Sea Bird Weaving

Using found materials such as repurposed fishing-line, and a recycled take away soup spoon, learn several basket making techniques with Darwin artist Aly de Groot.

WHEN WED 14 & THU 15 JUN 5-8PM COST $200 | $185 MEMB

Paper Cutting Plants

Head to the heart of Kakadu for the monthly Jabiru Dry Season Markets. There’s handmade craft, second hand items and local tour group info. Oh, and coffee. Gotta have coffee!

WHEN SAT 3 JUN | 8-11AM AT JABIRU LAKE PLAY PARK COST FREE INFO facebook.com/jabirumarkets

Children’s Workshop - Paintbrush Portrait Painting

This special workshop, inspired by touring exhibition Archie 100: A Century of the Archibald Prize, uses repurposed paint brushes caked with dry paint, children learn to transform them into beautiful works of art.

WHEN SAT 3 JUN | 10.30AM-1PM AT MAGNT COST $30 INFO magnt.net.au

In this workshop, explore the spiritual and psychological symptoms underlying environmental crises. BYO camping gear, vegetarian meals provided.

WHEN FRI 16 – SUN 18 JUN AT SOLAR VILLAGE COST $200-$800 INFO humantix.com

Argentine Tango

WHEN SUN 18 JUN | 6-9PM AT RAMADA SUITES ZEN QUARTER COST FREE INFO northerntango.com.au

NT CEO Sleep Out

Vinnies invites community leaders to sleep rough to raise awareness and funds for those experiencing homelessness. NT CEOs and leaders join Vinnies NT for a night of concrete and cardboard for a cause. Jump online to donate.

WHEN THU 22 JUN

WHEN EVERY THU | 5.30-7PM AT THE WELLNESS HUB DARWIN COST $20 | $15 CONC INFO thewellnesshubdarwin.com.au

Movement Medicine

WHEN EVERY SUN (EXC. 4 JUN)

10-11.30AM

AT NIGHTCLIFF COMMUNITY CENTRE COST $20 INFO facebook.com/ movementmedicinedarwin

PALMERSTON LIBRARY palmerston.nt.gov.au

Storytime

WHEN EVERY TUE & THU

10-10.45AM

Geek Squad

WHEN EVERY THU | 3-4.30PM

Code Club

WHEN EVERY SAT | 10AM-1PM

Learn to create a series of fresh and vibrant papercut artworks using plants as inspiration.

WHEN SUN 18 JUN | 10AM-2PM

COST $150 | $135 MEMB

Hammered Earrings Workshop

Learn embellishing, embossing and soldering techniques to create three pairs of rustic look embossed copper, brass and silver earrings.

WHEN SAT 24 JUN | 9AM-12.30PM COST $150 | $130 MEMB

Darwin Pride Festival WHEN THU 22 – SUN 25 JUN INFO topendpride.com.au

Every June, the LGBTQIA+ community is celebrated across the country during national Pride Month. And although equality is something to be celebrated every day of the year, it’s a wonderful opportunity to reflect on how far civil rights have come in Australia. And, of course, the perfect excuse to party.

DARWIN

PRIDE FESTIVAL

The bulk of the action takes place around the Brown’s Mart Precinct, the fun and games spilling out into the neighbouring grassy grounds of Civic Park. There, the stage is set for one of the biggest events in Darwin Pride history, the jewel in this year’s crown, the inaugural Darwin Pride Music Festival.

Chair of Top End Pride Sean Taylor says the inaugural Music Festival makes 2023 one the biggest on record, showcasing a diverse melting pot of talent.

PROUD TO PAR TY

Daminmin Festival

WHEN

CAMPING INFO facebook.com/ daminminfestival

“It’s one of the biggest, because of the Music Festival … we wanted to showcase different types of LGBTQIA+ talent, and music is one of the ways of sharing and expressing messages around what LGBTQIA+ people face,” he says.

“Our theme is Embrace Different, Somewhere Different, and we wanted it to be something different for Darwin ... People can relate to music, about the struggles they are facing.”

charts with her tune ‘Pieces’ and making history as the first woman to win the EDMA ICON Award – but says coming home to perform is very special.

“I’m really excited to do this, because coming home to perform in my hometown – for such a special occasion, as a first time going down in history – it’s an honour. I’ve performed so many Pride festivals all around the US every year, and I’ve never done a Pride for Darwin, let alone perform in my hometown. It’s really, really special on so many fronts,” she says.

“And I’m performing with a full band, which is going to be great because I haven’t done that in a while … and it’s all locals – I’ve involved all of the local guys in it so that everyone can be part of it and celebrate. You know, it’s not just me – it’s sharing with my community and showcasing local talent. We’re gonna have fun!”

Choirs, Camping & Culture

PRESENTED THROUGH A creative partnership between Pudakul Aboriginal Cultural Tours and Darwin Community Arts, the festival is thoughtfully curated under the artistic and cultural direction of Lynette and Graham Kenyon.

Celebrating the bounty of art and culture in the rural area, the festival showcases First Nations culture

fused with contemporary artistic practice.

Daminmin means ‘turtle place’ according to the Dreamtime Story of the Limingun and Wulna language groups relating to the creation story of the turtle, the festival held at Pudakul Billabong in the Adelaide River wetlands.

VASSY

Pride offers the chance to have a great time whilst reflecting on how far we’ve come. Although we’ve seen some movement in the station with the progression of queer rights, Pride Chair Sean Taylor says it’s important to remember the continued need to shine a light on these challenges.

“Pride represents the history, the fight and the struggles our LGBTQIA+ activists and the population have faced over the years since the Stonewall Riots. Many people are still facing the discrimination, the stigma, and the unacceptance of people in the wider community, so we still need to educate … these types of events make people feel as though they are part of the community, they are not different.”

For a few fun and frivolous days supporting our queer community, get frocked up and pop on your dancing shoes – it’s time to party with Pride!

Festivities kick off with an opening ceremony featuring the Garramilla Dancers before two jam-packed days of arts activities and cultural workshops ensue, including bush food and medicine, clap stick making, weaving, indigo dyeing, and en plein air (open air) drawing.

Day one ends with flicks under the stars from the Northern Territory Travelling Film Festival, and day two offers an exciting program of musical performances, including the Wairuk Band and a special performance from Shellie Morris and the Arrkula Yinbayarra - Together We Sing choir from Borroloola.

The collaborative project merging the sweet voices of the Tiwi Strong Women’s Choir with the Borroloola Women’s Choir was created to elevate women’s voices and help preserve traditional languages. Morris says the sunset concert on the banks of the billabong offers an

important opportunity for audiences to experience the beauty of precious dialects.

“I’m so very honoured to be performing with my aunties and grandmothers to share what we have created through Arrkula Yinbayarra … We’ll be singing in four seriously endangered languages of Yanyuwa, Marra, Garrwa and Gudanji, and we’re looking forward to the audience hearing these beautiful songs,” she says.

“We urge people to visit the festival, and hear us singing and keeping culture strong, as well as enjoying all the other acts and entertainment.”

Pack the camping gear and immerse yourself in Daminmin’s bounty of art and culture, right on Darwin’s doorstep.

returns to shine a light on our colourful queer community, offering a program of free and ticketed events over four huge days and nights with music, dance, comedy, workshops, forums, brunch – of the bottomless kind! – and the much loved, hugely attended Pride March.

Vogue MegaQueen

Darwin Pride March

7

Beautiful borroloola

By Tierney Seccull

Back in 2013, in the small town of Borroloola located on the McArthur River, locals and visitors gathered to celebrate traditional and contemporary dance, music and cultural practices from the four Borroloola clan groups.

IN THE YEARS since, the Yanyuwa, Garrwa, Gurdanji and Mara peoples have welcomed guests back to Country to take a peek into their home and culture. This month, the beautiful, unique and intimate two-day event that is Malandarri Festival makes a sweet return.

Festival Director Marlene Timothy is a local Yanyuwa/Garrwa woman who works for Artback NT and Waralungku Arts Centre, and also represents her region as a councillor with Roper Gulf Regional Council. This year marks her 10th year at the helm.

“Looking back since the festival started, I realise that it has strengthened me in lots of ways through directing the event,” she says.

“Malandarri Festival is such a special event. It is a place where we come together to share our culture through the importance of traditional dancing, singing and storytelling, whether it's traditional or contemporary,

we want to keep our culture strong.”

In addition to traditional dance and music, there are some exciting new offerings for the 2023 event. Caiti Baker hits the stage to perform, and also runs workshops for young women in the lead up to the festival on music development, song writing and stage presence.

A special debut collaboration sees the poetry of Margaret Allwood put to music by producer James Mangohig. Allwood started penning poems when she moved from her

Unleash the Beast

GET READY TO get weird, Darwin, as the 2023 Darwin Fringe Festival program officially launches this month, and you’re invited!

This year’s program reveal takes place at Brown’s Mart, the main hub of all the Darwin Fringe action, with more than 70 shows programmed in the 2023 festival. Fringe Director Hannah Illingworth says there’s one key message she’s keen for you to know about this year’s program.

“There’s some really amazing works coming out from local artists that I think will surprise people,” she says.

“You’ll be surprised by some of the

themes being explored – people might see themselves reflected in the program more than they might expect.”

Mingle with other Fringe fans, grab a drink from the bar, enjoy some tasty complimentary nibbles and pore over the program pages. We hear there may even be a sneaky surprise performance on the cards!

home Country to New South Wales where she raised her family, and is now back on home soil, open to sharing her poetry in this unique way.

Perhaps one of the biggest additions this year is the introduction of a big screen, especially exciting as it is used to screen Duwarra Wujara (Two Young Men). This gorgeous animation features the history, traditional customs and songs from the Roper Gulf region, the project developed by anthropologist and long-term friend John Bradley in

cahoots with Borroloola Community. This family-friendly, alcohol-free event also includes market stalls, food and art, and a special performance from The Borroloola Women's Cultural Song Group. Embark on a special journey to the gulf, and immerse yourself in the beauty of Borroloola.

Malandarri Festival

WHEN FRI 16 & SAT 17 JUN AT BORROLOOLA SHOWGROUND COST GOLD COIN DONATION INFO artbacknt.com.au

Darwin Festival tix on sale

WHEN FRI 2 JUN | 9AM INFO darwinfestival.org.au

Festival Tix Fix

FESTIVAL SEASON IS well and truly here, and the Territory’s biggest arts and cultural festival is gearing up to deliver almost three weeks of fun and frivolity in August. This month, the full Darwin Festival program is let loose and on sale.

Huge news for 2023 – much to the delight of… everyone – is that the Spiegeltent makes a triumphant, welcome return. Home to Strut & Fret’s Blanc de Blanc Encore for the duration of the Festival, the Spiegeltent takes up residence in the expanded Festival Lawns space, smack-bang in front of Parliament House.

Also sprouting from the green grass of Festival Lawns is Moho Magic Bar. This exciting part bar, part show combo with neon-lit Tokyo vibes offers a gorgeously refined bar and entertainment space spread across six performance areas, with magic tricks, performances, cocktails and a few laughs.

So set your alarms, fire up the laptops and desktops, phone and tablets, and jump online to lock in your Darwin Festival hot tix.

Women dancers Rachael McDinny and Eunice Isaac, Malandarri Festival 2022.

Photos: Benjamin Warlngundu Ellis Bayliss

2023 Darwin Fringe Festival Program Launch

Photo: Flowpyre

Photo: Mike King

Moho Magic Bar

By Kate Conway

A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM

This month, Tracks Dance Company presents New Light, a special performance in partnership with the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) to showcase a choreographic response to touring exhibition, Archie 100: A Century of the Archibald Prize.

BORN OUT OF a desire to get dance out of theatres and into public spaces – a signature move from Tracks – the dance company was in talks with MAGNT on a number of exciting concepts when Archie 100 rolled into town, presenting the perfect opportunity to collaborate.

Part performance, part gallery tour, New Light consists of eight short and shiny solo works put together by talented Territory choreographers, interpreting themes represented in the portraiture exhibition through the personal lens of their different dance backgrounds and interests.

Outdoor performances being one of Tracks’ distinguishing traits, and having previously performed at the museum, David McMicken, Tracks Dance Artistic Co-Director and New Light Co-Creative Director, says the site-responsive performance is a first.

“This is the first time we’ve had a good, really creative environment … not just beaming it in, this is using the sites quite specifically,” he says.

“It’s quite explorative, we’re really trying to have the audience discover things rather than just having it sit on the wall in front of them so they come on the journey with us, it’s quite a little trip to go on.”

Dancers and choreographers occupy museum spaces during open hours to create the works, and welcome guests to stop by for a gander. Briony Nainby, MAGNT Senior Curator of Arts, partakes in an artist talk exploring the differences between art curation and performance choreography, allowing audiences to delve deeper into the thought-provoking project.

If you’ve ever wanted to peek behind the scenes at the museum, this is your chance. The performance takes place after opening

ROADSHOW A ROARING

Melbourne International Comedy Roadshow hits stages in Alice Springs and Darwin this month, an entourage of four comedians in tow for the Roadshow’s 25th year to serve big laughs over two delightful hours.

By Kodi Twiner

Melbourne International Comedy Roadshow

WHEN THU 15 JUN | 7.30PM

AT ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE

COST $55 | $45 MEMB

$43 CONC/STUD

INFO araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au

WHEN FRI 16 JUN | 8PM

AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT

CENTRE

COST $45 | $40 MEMB/CONC

INFO araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au

DRAWING RAVE REVIEWS from across the continent, and a great reputation after years on the road, there’s no doubt the loyal fanbase for this side-splitting show are getting their ticket’s worth this year.

Hitting the stage is He Huang, known for her deadpan delivery and dry humour, self-identified bogan Brett Blake, the upbeat and relatable Kirsty Webeck (who doesn’t mind chucking a sickie), and rising star Blake Freeman, who just moved back in with his mum. All fresh from their own tours, they’re in fine form on their own winding comedic journeys.

Huang won Melbourne’s RAW Comedy in 2021 and has since toured the US, with more tours on the horizon. She’s surprised to realise she might be professionally funny, a big change from her days of aspiring to be a public servant.

“My grandparents are farmers, my parents are first generation –

they’re funny people, but they never thought about comedy as a profession. It’s not a straight road. It’s a journey to find out who I am.”

Huang says audiences can expect to hear about what’s bothering her right now.

“Being a single woman in my 30s, being harassed by my parents to get married. My show has a lot of cultural observation and anecdotal humour.”

The Melbourne International Comedy Roadshow is set to be a very, very good time. Bold and unapologetic, it’s a chance to step away from day-to-day stresses, and be uplifted by a good old chuckle.

“Comedy is entertainment, don’t expect comedians to be serious people. Come and have a laugh, take things light-heartedly and enjoy!”

hours, and meanders through both public and backstage areas.

“Being there at night time, I think it’s going to be quite magical,” McMicken says.

“It’s going to be incredibly beautiful, but also challenging in the same way that the exhibition is – not all artworks are liked by all people. And so to put things in front sometimes, to create a response or a reaction, is a good thing, too.”

Archie 100 Talk - Choreographers and Curators WHEN SAT 17 JUN | 11AM-12PM AT MAGNT THEATERETTE COST FREE INFO magnt.net.au

A New Light WHEN THU 22 – SAT 24 JUN | 6-7PM AT MAGNT COST $25 | $15 CONC INFO tracksdance.com.au

He Huang

Henry Rollins Good To See You

EMIL & THE DETECTIVES Catch a ride with

South Australia’s Slingsby Theatre Company returns to Araluen Arts Centre this month, with a magical production about the power of community and finding friends in unlikely places.

By Betty Sweetlove

FULL OF COLOURFUL characters, miniature elements, intrigue and delight, the play follows young Emil and a band of other kids as they outsmart a thief who has stolen something precious. A powerhouse acting duo brings to life this fresh adaption of Erich Kästner’s 1929 much loved children’s book.

Slingsby has made its name touring intimate theatrical experiences for audiences aged eight and up. CEO & Artistic Director Andy Packer, who also directs the play, says community is at the heart of this outstanding work.

“We want young people to know that if you find yourself in trouble, and if you ask for help, the world is full of beautiful people and even strangers will come to your assistance. This is a story written between the world wars, about the powerless in society coming together to demand justice.”

For Slingsby, theatre is all about making the most of the live experience, co-creating a shared world where, for a moment, anything is possible.

Arriving at the theatre, the first thing the audience discovers is that they’re now at a train station, and people from Emil’s world need their help to rebuild the city. After making miniature model buildings in a whimsical, immersive start to the show, audiences can keep a lookout for their creations being used as shadow elements later onstage.

“We will spend weeks finding the most interesting theatrical way to tell this story … the audience have to be involved. We’re making suggestions and invitations, and the audience are completing that with their imagination, which is where theatre is such a wonderful art form.”

To create their award-winning adaptation, Slingsby invited playwright Nikki Bloom and a host of creatives into the rehearsal room to explore what they call “paths less travelled”. Finding the perfect balance between action and dialogue, the company then set themselves the extra challenge of bringing the show to audiences far and wide.

Having performed Emil & the Detectives around the world since 2017, the company is delighted it has become such a firm family favourite.

“A lot of people grew up with this story, and older audiences in particular really love this show. It evokes a beautiful nostalgic world.”

Join Emil and friends, and embark on an enchanting, mischievous adventure for all ages.

HENRY ROLLINS IS a punk rock icon, writer, producer, actor and director – plus a swag of other things – and brings his new show, Good to See You, to stages in Darwin and Alice Springs this month.

In his first spoken word tour in Australia since 2016, he recounts stories and the events of his life in

the brief pre-COVID period since he last visited Aussie shores.

The strange events of recent years make for great stories to share, so don’t miss Rollins as he rolls into a town near you, and enjoy a special evening of storytelling, Henry Rollins style.

VISUAL ARTS

INJALAK ARTS

By Tierney Seccull

CDU ART GALLERY

A strong pulse beats in the small Aboriginal community of Gunbalanya in West Arnhem Land. Since 1989, Injalak Arts has been a thriving hub for art, craft and community, growing over the years to support over 200 practising artists, weavers and craftspeople.

INJALAK MEANS ‘SHELTER’ in Kunwinjku, the language of the artists, and the Art Centre has provided a safe place for culture, creativity and knowledge to bloom for the people of Gunbalanya and surrounding homelands.

After closing their doors to the public during the pandemic years, they have recently been flung open – something Studio Coordinator Nina Haigh says the artists very much look forward to.

“The artists are feeling excited about welcoming visitors back through the doors again, to have visitors witnessing the deep connection between their artwork, and the breathtaking surroundings again," she says.

“The Art Centre and its artists were greatly impacted by the closure of tourist access due to COVID-19. Without visitors coming to Gunbalanya, the Art centre lost the invaluable opportunity to engage directly with visitors, which allowed the artists to share their ancestral Djang and traditional creative processes directly."

Art Centres play an integral role in maintaining and strengthening cultural practices in remote communities, and operate as meeting places to provide opportunities for training and education.

Orange 12, CDU Casuarina Campus | cdu.edu.au/gallery

WED-FRI, 10AM-4PM | SAT, 10AM-2PM

Gurindji community members, Joanna Barrkman and Chips Mackinolty, 'Walk-off banner; the Gurindji freedom banner series', 2000, applique and hand-painted textile, 163x316cm. Reproduced courtesy of Karungkarni Arts and Culture

They also play an important economic role, with art sales contributing directly to the artists and the community, and can often be the sole source of income for an artist and their family.

Injalak Arts' talented artists create sculptures, weavings and natural canvases, and often feature in art fairs and galleries across the country. Their hand-printed textiles are highly sought after, the Art Centre recently becoming proud owners of two 14-metre printing tables as part of NT Government's Art Trail investment in an effort to increase their capacity to produce beautiful fabrics.

Gabriel Maralngurra is a senior artist and founding member of Injalak Arts, and says the Art Centre allows the opportunity to share culture through art.

“Our art helps us share our stories, our songlines. It is important for us to share our history and culture with our visitors, and we get to do this when they can come here to Injalak Arts and see it in person for themselves.”

Make the trip to West Arnhem Land to step into the beating heart of Gunbalanya, and take shelter in Injalak.

WHEN MON-FRI, 8.30AM-5PM | SAT, 9AM-2PM AT LOT 383, GUNBALANYA INFO injalak.com

GURINDJI FREEDOM BANNERS

MUMKURLA-NGINYI-MA

PARRNGALINYPARLA, FROM THE DARKNESS INTO THE LIGHT

THE GURINDJI FREEDOM banners celebrate the 1966 Wave Hill Walk-off, when Vincent Lingiari AM led Gurindji, Mudbura, Bilnara, Ngarinman and Warlpiri peoples on a strike from Wave Hill Station. This industrial dispute over appalling work and living conditions at Wave Hill Station became a demand by the Gurindji for the return of their traditional lands. It eventuated in the first historic handback of lands to First Nations Australians, 1975 and the Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act, 1976.

Where Lakes Once Had Water

“WHERE LAKES ONCE Had Water contemplates how the Earth is experienced and understood through different ontologies – ways of being, seeing, sensing, listening and thinking – that reverberate across art, Indigenous thought, science, ancient and modern cultures, the non-human and in between." – Sonia Leber and David Chesworth

UNTIL SAT 15 JUL

Sonia Leber and David Chesworth, 'Where Lakes Once Had Water', video still, 2020, University of Wollongong Art Collection. CABAH Art Series Commission in association with Bundanon. Filmed on the lands and waters of the Mudburra, Marlinja, Jingili, Elliot, Jawoyn and Larrakia communities

Artist Connie Nayinggul with one of her stunning woven fibre works

Artist Larry Bangarr working on his artwork depicting a billabong scene

Territory

19 Conacher Street The Gardens, Darwin NT | magnt.net.au

DAILY, 10AM-4PM

TACTILE ARTS

19 Conacher Street, Fannie Bay | 8981 6616 | tactilearts.org.au

TUE-FRI, 10AM-4PM | SAT, 10AM-2PM

Portraits

Archie 100 A Century of the Archibald Prize

AUSTRALIA’S OLDEST AND most prestigious portrait award, the Archibald Prize, celebrated its 100th birthday in 2021. To mark the occasion, the Art Gallery of NSW presents the touring exhibition Archie 100: A Century of the Archibald Prize. The exhibition celebrates the winners and the losers, the controversies and the commonplace and, above all, the artists who have made the Archibald Prize the most sought after accolade in the Australian art world today.

WHEN DAILY UNTIL SUN 25 JUN | 10AM-4PM | $12, $10 CONC, $5 CHILD (5-15)

Public Program

The Archie 100 goodness continues, with an exciting public program of events in full swing. Places are limited so check out the MAGNT website and scoop up some hot tickets. Events are free unless cost is listed, and registrations are required.

AT MAGNT INFO magnt.net.au

Talk | Choreographers and Curators

Tracks Dance choreographers and MAGNT Senior Curator of Art, Bryony Nainby, talk about the process they went through to create new works responding to the exhibition and its themes.

WHEN SAT 17 JUN | 11AM-12PM

Talk | Archibald Prize Artist Kate Beynon

Join visiting artist and nine-time Archibald Prize finalist Kate Beynon, as she leads a tour of selected works in the exhibition and discusses her personal insights and responses.

WHEN FRI 23 JUN | 3.30-4.30PM

Talk | Mythical Beasts, Spirits and The Self: Contemporary Manifestations

Join Kate Beynon and MAGNT Senior Curator of Art Bryony Nainby for a conversation over drinks and nibbles, before a tour of the Archie 100 exhibition.

WHEN SAT 24 JUN | 2-4PM COST $30

Workshop | Archibald Prize Artist Kate Beynon Blending traditional and contemporary imagery, Kate Beynon presents this special workshop for budding artists.

WHEN SUN 25 JUN | 11AM COST $30

JOIN TACTILE ARTS for their first members' exhibition of 2023. Portraits runs in conjunction with Archie 100 at the Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Archibald Prize, Australia’s most prestigious portrait award. Talented local artists explore the theme of Portraits through the mediums of ceramics, glass, textiles, paintings, mosaics, sculpture, jewellery and more.

until SUN 18 JUN

MUTANTS: A BLUE LOBSTER COLLABORATION

Em Frank (Mparntwe/Alice Springs) and Tarzan JungleQueen (Garramilla/ Darwin) come together in celebration of bodies and beings that mutate and deviate. Combining collage, perspex, printing and ceramics, this collaboration pays homage to the strange, abnormal and freaky among us, who question convention, embrace queerness and fluidity, inspire wonder, and carve out space for the so-called monsters and mutants that dwell in the shadowy underbelly of mainstream societies.

when FRI 23 JUN – SUN 16 JUL | OPENING FRI 23 JUN, 5.30PM DARWIN PRIDE FESTIVAL WORKSHOP SAT 24 JUN, 1-4PM

Em Frank, Iron Ox Cups, 2023, stoneware, 7x13cm

Ingrid Gersmanis, 'The Kitchen Queen' (detail), 2020, found objects

MAGNT Museum and Gallery of the Northern

Kate Beynon ‘Self-portrait with guardian spirits’ (detail), 2009 –10, synthetic polymer paint on linen, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Contemporary Collection Benefactors 2012 © Kate Beynon/Copyright Agency, 2023

Tarzan JungleQueen, 'FLESH', 2023, digital image, 148x210mm

NCCA Northern Centre for Contemporary Art

Vimy Lane, Parap | 8981 5368 | 0402 379 630 | nccart.com

WED-FRI, 10AM-4PM | SAT, 8AM-2PM | OR BY APPOINTMENT

JAMES DRINKWATER:

P A S S A G E

P A S S A G E IS AN exhibition of paintings by acclaimed abstract artist, James Drinkwater. Curated by Ken McGregor, the paintings were produced during the artist's painting trips to Central Australia and the Top End, and include a number of important works from his sojourns in Paris and Tahiti. Described as one of the most exciting contemporary artists working in Australia today, Drinkwater is at his best when he is on the road.

ABORIGINAL BUSH TRADERS

Shop 4, 19 The Mall, Charles Darwin Centre | aboriginalbushtraders.com

MON-FRI, 9AM-3PM | SAT, 8AM-2PM

Yipu Jangkarni, Big Rain:

Art from Karungkarni

Art and Culture, Kalkarindji

IN MARCH THIS year, Kalkarindji was hit by disastrous floods. Having now returned to their community, the artists at Karungkarni Art and Culture have begun their Art Centre clean up and are back producing stunning works. This exhibition looks at the importance of water, and its movement and Dreaming stories.

until SAT 10 JUN

ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE

61 Larapinta Dr, Alice Springs | araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au

DAILY 10AM-4PM

4th National Indigenous Art Triennial

CEREMONY

THE FOURTH NATIONAL Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony, is the National Gallery of Australia’s flagship exhibition of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. From the intimate and personal to the collective and collaborative, ceremonies manifest through visual art, film, music and dance. Featuring the work of 35 artists from across Australia, this exhibition reveals how ceremony is at the nexus of Country, of culture and of community.

until SUN 11 JUN

Raypiny Dhawu Fresh Water Story

Darrell Sibosado, Bard people, 'Ngarrgidj Morr (the proper path to follow)', 2022, commissioned for the 4th National Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony

Daniel Palmer, 'The Rains', acrylic on canvas, 122x122cm

Proudly Yolgnu, Bula'bula Arts is situated in Ramingining within Gurrwiliny (Arafura Wetlands) and is part of Northeast Arnhem Land. Their mission is to foster Yolgnu culture. Raypiny Dhawu - Fresh Water Story showcases Ramingining artworks that tell stories of cultural lore learned through song and dance.

Andrew Wanamilil, 'Raypiny Dhawu (Fresh Water Story)', 2023, acrylic on canvas, 50x60cm

PAUL JOHNSTONE GALLERY

2/2 Harriet Place, Darwin | 8941 2220 | pauljohnstonegallery.com.au

WED-FRI, 10AM-5PM | TUE & SAT, 10AM-2PM

Kaltjiti Arts

Tjunguku Pukulpaku Paintamilani

DARWIN VISUAL ARTS

8 McMinn St, Darwin | dvaa.net.au

WED, 12–5PM | THU-FRI, 10AM-5PM | SAT, 10AM-2PM

burst of colour on our urban landscape

FEELING INK'D

David Dalzell

SITUATED IN THE remote northwest corner of South Australia sits a powerhouse of creativity and cultural knowledge. From relative obscurity 10 years ago, this tiny art centre is now known and revered across Australia.

Tjunguku Pukulpaku Paintamilani (Happy Painting Together) celebrates the women who paint together at Kaltjiti Arts, and includes exceptional works by artists such as Matjangka (Nyukana) Norris, Imitjala Curley, Carolanne Ken and Ingrid Treakle.

COCONUT STUDIOS GALLERY

8/18 Caryota Court, Coconut Grove | facebook.com/coconutstudiosdarwin

THU-SAT, 10AM-5PM | SUN BY APPOINTMENT

until TUE 20 JUN

Emu Wars

91 years after The Great Emu Wars, Bev Garside portrays the battles between the army and emus in a humorous and slightly sarcastic light. Felt and mixed media are used to visualise the tenacious and resilient emus, who are joined in arms by other quirky fauna from around Australia.

Bev Garside, 'Headgear On' (detail), 2023, acrylic on canvas, 23x30.5cm

All that Glitters… poetics of the Barkly

PRESENTED BY COCONUT Studios and Barkly Regional Arts, this exhibition showcases paintings and sculptures by leading artists from the Barkly region alongside photography by Jesse Marlow.

All that Glitters…poetics of the Barkly celebrates the poetic and enchanting expressions of the intimate, combined with the power and tenacity of tradition.

when FRI 16 JUN – SAT 22 JUL OPENING FRI 16 JUN, 6PM

In this exhibition, David Dalzell demonstrates ink's versatility for artistic expression. From capturing a place's mood with urban sketches, to the detailed and mindful work of fine pen and indelible ink, or using Chinese ink for uncontrolled flow and spontaneity of an emotional response to the subject matter.

Symbiotic Memories by Craig

Smith

Imagine a kaleidoscope of memories, fractured and reflecting each other, threading seemingly unrelated fragments of time together, creating new combinations and overwriting the archives of neural networks. Are these memories reliable? Are they yours or from dreams, films, or stories you’ve been told? If only you remember them, did they even happen?

NT WILD

"Born and bred in the Northern Territory, I have a love of wildlife – they make up an ever-changing, diverse landscape. Filming in 120fpm showcases the movement of hunting and migrating fish, and birds of different colours and sizes... Drones are the new future, and images looking from a birds-eye view are included in the exhibition." – Brenton Marschke

when FRI 23 JUN

Photo: Joyce Robin. Image courtesy Kaltjiti Arts and Meg Hansen

Rita Beasley, 'Wutunugurra', 2022, synthetic polymer on linen, 122x9cm

Marianne Foster is a Territory artist, art teacher and mother. This exhibition explores the lesser-known architectural designs of the urban landscape that perhaps we as urban jungle dwellers take for granted. The eccentricities of Darwin's ever changing built environment combined with its rich sunset colours.

Marianne Foster, 'Fire and Rescue Service Darwin' (detail), 2023, acrylic on canvas, 60x60cm

Craig Smith, 'Cora' (detail) 2023, acrylic on canvas, 76x102cm

David Dalzell, 'Grange Jetty, Grange, South Australia' (detail), 2023, pen, ink & watercolour, 38x29cm

Launch, Panel & Performance: Dot, Circle & Frame

This stand out event includes the launch of illustrated book, Dot, Circle Frame - The Making of Papunya Tula Art, rrpwamper althart (possum public ceremony) from Anmatyerr knowledge keepers, and panel discussion about the ongoing significance of Papunya artists today.

WHEN FRI 2 JUN | 5.30-6.30PM

COST $25 | $20 MEMB/CONC

Poems from the Heart

mwantye-le awaye listen deeply

The Territory’s annual celebration of the written word, NT Writers Festival (NTWF), returns this month to invite readers, writers and lovers of storytelling to plunge into four huge days of author talks, panel discussions, truth-telling, workshops and more.

By Kate Conway

ALTERNATING BETWEEN DARWIN and Alice Springs every second year, this year’s program is delivered in Mparntwe/ Alice Springs, and deeply representative of the vibrant Red Centre – from the sprawling native-filled NTWF hub in Olive Pink Botanic Gardens, to the thoughtfully curated program, and the feature artwork from artist Wayne Eager, Desert Summer.

This year’s theme is ‘mwantye-le awaye - listen deeply’, translated with the assistance of Arrernte Elder Kumalie Riley, and created in partnership with the festival’s advisory committee, Sylvia Purrurle Neale, Dani Powell, Meg Mooney and Gabriel Curtin. Festival Director Rita Horanyi says, in a time when there are so many distractions and competing demands for our attention, the contemplative theme’s premise of looking inward is relevant.

“I was thinking about how the past continues to impact the present, and that sort of brought us all to the idea of listening more generally. How we listen to the land, how we listen to each other, and how do we take the time to do that? It feels like something that was a really important thing to be focusing on,” she says.

In exciting news, for the first time since the pandemic, the festival program features an international guest in the flesh. Through a partnership with Sydney Writer's Festival, Pulitzer Prize winning author, journalist and historical novelist Geraldine Brooks features in panels, readings, and a talk about her latest historical novel, Horse.

Serious issues are put front and centre, with important conversations carefully curated in this year’s program. Solidarity and Survival is a panel discussion featuring three queer First Nations writers, Billy-Ray Belcourt of the Driftpile Cree Nation (joining via video link from Vancouver), Mununjali Yugambeh poet Ellen van Neerven, and Victoria Alondra, a Mestizx multi-disciplinary artist originally from Anáhuac (México).

Listening to the land is a recurring theme throughout the program, with storied walk events in the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens with agrostologist, botanist and author Peter Latz, and Arrernte language teacher, botanist and ecologist, Veronica Perrurle Dobson.

The NTWF is renowned amongst interstate and local visitors for its site-specific events and strong First Nations offerings, with something for all ages, including the little ones. Horanyi says it’s a unique experience, and offers the opportunity to listen deeply.

“It’s contemplative, thoughtful and it takes you on a journey to how we might listen to the non-human world and the land. How we might listen to ourselves, others and how we might listen to the past and all of those strands interweave … Hopefully, at the end of it, you’ve been taken somewhere and thought differently about things.”

An exciting line-up of artists perform heartfelt verses and rhymes that challenge audiences to listen to ourselves, to others and the world.

WHEN FRI 2 JUN | 7.30-9.30PM

COST $20 | $15 MEMB/CONC

The Voice to Parliament Handbook

Author and Statement from the Heart campaigner Thomas Mayo is joined by veteran journalist Kerry O’Brien to discuss their new book, The Voice to Parliament Handbook. The discussion is a chance to learn more before the referendum on The Voice to Parliament set for later in the year.

WHEN SAT 3 JUN | 2-3.15PM

COST $18 | $15 MEMB/CONC FREE FIRST NATIONS

Horse – Geraldine Brooks

WHEN SAT 3 JUN | 7.30-9.30PM COST $30 | $25 CONC

Storytime at Megafauna Central –Engawala Women’s Art Group

Join women from the Engawala Women’s Art Group for readings and fun activities around Tim’s Journey Back in Time, a picture book in English and Anmatyerre about a young boy’s time-travelling adventures to meet megafauna. There are fossils to play with, and colouring and drawings activities, too!

WHEN SUN 4 JUN | 10.45-11.30PM AT MEGAFAUNA CENTRAL COST FREE

Reckoning with the Past

Join award-winning author, Geraldine Brooks, for a discussion about her sweeping historical novel, Horse, a multi-layered novel that reckons with the legacy of slavery and racism in America.

WHEN SAT 3 JUN | 5.30-6.30PM

COST $30 | $25 MEMB/CONC

Campfire Stories

Settle around the fire under a radiant desert sky to hear stories of all kinds – from ancient to new, from verse novels to soundscapes –exploring the 2023 NTWF theme.

In conversation with author Kim Mahood, join Arrernte and Kalkadoon filmmaker Rachel Perkins to discuss her documentary series, The Australian Wars, debunking the myth of peaceful settlement and telling the history of Aboriginal resistance and bravery.

WHEN SUN 4 JUN | 3.15-4.15PM COST $18 | $15 MEMB/CONC

Playreads in the Afternoon

Sit back as local actors perform excerpts, and bring to life scenes from a selection of works by some of the Territory’s finest playwrights. Theatre maker and writer Dani Powell chats to the playwrights about the pleasures and challenges of putting words on the stage.

WHEN SUN 4 JUN | 4.30-6PM AT TOTEM THEATRE COST $20 | $15 MEMB/CONC

Photo: Anna Cadden

Roanna Gonsalves at NTWF 2019

The 2023 NTWF program is full of incredible events to experience, so here's a little taster. All events held at Olive Pink Botanic Gardens unless otherwise stated.

MUSIC

90s NOSTALGIA

Break out the brown lip liner and dust off the dungarees! Darwin

Symphony Orchestra (DSO) presents Rhythm of the 90s, the annual amphitheatre spectacular back for a time travellin’ celebration to the decade that brought boy bands, girl bands, pop princesses and grunge.

By Kate Conway

FOLLOWING LAST YEAR’S 80s extravaganza, the next decade in line was an obvious choice. Jon Tooby, DSO Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, says it was the plethora of bangers that excited DSO the most.

“There’s such extraordinary music from that time. When we write these programs, we start with 150-200 songs that we have to narrow down to 20, and it always sparks really lively debates, they’re all classics!” he says.

The whole shebang opens with a goose-bump inducing performance of The Verve’s ‘Bittersweet Symphony’, and the performance builds from there.

“We’ve shaped it in a way that it has a beginning and end and it just gets bigger and bigger as we go,” Tooby says.

“We’ve divided it up into different sets, we’ve got an RnB set, we’re doing some Australian hits and we’re doing a whole lot of really fun dance numbers at the end, so everyone can get up and have a dance.”

The orchestra is joined by a talented front band of local musicians and vocalists, including songstress Natalie Pelligrino, who returns to lend her well-pitched pipes to the varied program.

“This year, it’s such a huge range – we’re not just doing pop songs, we’re doing metal and we’re doing hip hop … I’m doing a big power ballad, I don’t want to give too much away but it’s from a movie, and it’s going to be a huge song,” she says.

The outdoor location of Darwin Amphitheatre has all the right ingredients for a fabulous Dry season outing, with food trucks and bars on site, plus a dedicated dance floor so the audience can get jiggy with it and soak up the festive atmosphere.

“It’s just a really fun, family event,” Tooby says.

“It’s ageless, and it really taps into that Darwin community spirit which is intoxicating and it’s something I’ve never really experienced anywhere else.”

Pack your picnic blanket for a trip down memory lane and head along for a night of 90s nostalgia under the stars.

Rhythm of the 90s

WHEN SAT 24 JUN | 5.30PM AT DARWIN AMPHITHEATRE COST GOLD COIN | $80 VIP INFO DSO.ORG.AU

Rediscovered & Reimagined

MUSIC IS TYPICALLY composed in a specific style, with a particular set of instruments in mind. Music can also transcend genres, reimagined to be experienced in new and exciting ways. This is the thinking behind Arafura Collective’s performance this month, held in the acoustic setting of the NT Supreme Court.

Experience the music of Karl Jenkins, a renowned jazz-rock composer, who reconsiders early music into contemporary masterpieces and film scores, while Ottoman Empire classical songs are reimagined for Baroque instruments. Crowded House classic ‘You Better Be Home Soon’, penned by Tim Finn, is given a rework for flute, tuba and keyboard.

Arafura Music Collective Coordinator and Creative Director Claire Kilgariff says the ensemble is always looking for innovative ways to engage audiences.

“We want to engage our wonderful audience in the intimate beauty of chamber music, and to share the rich musical heritage that is part of the chamber music tradition,” she says.

“Reconsidering and presenting music in another style offers opportunities for exploration, reaching new audiences, revitalisation, creativity, and cultural exchange as musicians learn about music from diverse cultures. It encourages artistic growth, stimulates innovation, and contributes to the evolving nature of music as a universal language, especially in such a diverse and multicultural community such as Darwin.”

One of the works presented in the program unites the artistic dexterity of cellist Michael Bardon, also Principal Cellist in the Darwin Symphony Orchestra, with an important work that was all but lost.

“We wanted to take advantage of the wonderful artistry of Michael Bardon, who mentioned the Haydn cello concerto in C had been lost for 200 years and was only rediscovered in 1961. It seemed that the theme of rediscovery and reimagining was a great one for this performance.”

Head along to this exciting performance, and experience musical works, new and old, carefully crafted in never-before-heard ways.

By Tierney Seccull

ONE Frequency FESTIVAL

The dream was something like this – part music camp, part professional development week, and big part music festival. This month, dreams are realised as the inaugural One Frequency Festival kicks off.

LED BY STATION Manager Benjamin Erin in cahoots with Festival Producer Kodi Twiner, the two-day program supported through Live Music Australia boasts over 85 original artists including local talents Casii Williams, Katanga Junior and Gleny Rae Virus, plus bands from the bush like Newboys and Amata Band. There’s even Top End representation, with Tutup Mulut (Liam Budalasia) making the journey.

“It’s a massive line-up! The festival sets are short and punchy. There’s something in this for everyone, and it’s all free to attend,” says Twiner.

The tunes kick off Saturday afternoon, with genres from country to hip hop, electro-pop and the inimitable sounds of desert reggae. The night finishes with a dancefloor curated by new DJs from In The Mix, a skills-training program for fem and gender diverse DJ’s.

Sunday offers a family and youth vibe, kicking off in the morning – get down early and take advantage of the coffee van onsite. The day program is supported by Alice Springs Town Council, and includes drumming workshops, body percussion, sing spaces, kids yoga and interactive art sessions. You’ll even be able to get a free haircut!

Listen to NT Music School concert bands or join the Alice Sings Pop Choir. The live music keeps rolling into the night featuring Stellar Sea, Midnight Rangers and powerhouse vocalist, Ceenah. Twiner says word’s got around on the inaugural festival.

“We have interest from across the continent – more people keep wanting in on this. It shows a huge need and desire for this kind of community music event, and support for the Central Desert.”

Making Noise for Territory Music

THE NT MUSIC industry's night of nights returns, this year held on Arrernte Country for the very first time. Previously known as the NT Song of the Year Awards, this year's NT Music Awards (NTMAs) celebrates the incredible talent, innovation and dedication of the local music industry.

The event includes a selection of award categories that recognise artists, technicians, organisations, venues and events at the heart of our diverse sector. Music NT Executive Director Mark Smith says it’s an industry well deserving of recognition.

“Celebrating its second year, the NT Music Awards continues to shine a light on music from the NT, and showcases one of the most vibrant creative regions in the country,” he says.

“Bringing the NT Music Awards to Alice Springs in 2023 is the opportunity to recognise the NT’s most exciting music in one of the country's most exciting music scenes.”

In future years, the awards ceremony will alternate between Alice Springs and Darwin to share the love with audiences on other

sides of the Territory, and to make sure Territorians that make up the unique fabric of the NT's music industry are properly recognised and celebrated.

At this mag’s time of print, the finer details of the big event are still being fine tuned, but keep an eye on Music NT’s socials and website for all the juice.

NT Music Awards WHEN FRI 30 JUN AT MPARNTWE/ALICE SPRINGS

One Frequency Festival’s live music program is also broadcast nationally through the Community Radio Network, and you can catch the visual live stream on 8CCC’s YouTube channel.

It’s not only about the live music. Without trained technicians and production crew, the stages don’t sing. 8CCC runs audio-visual tech training, and partners with Music

NT’s All Good Project to deliver workshops to a supergroup of

media organisations.

So head along, turn on your radio, or stream online, and tune into One Frequency.

WHEN SAT 17 JUN, 3PM-1AM | SUN 18 JUN, 10AM-10.30PM AT GAP VIEW HOTEL COST FREE INFO 8ccc.com.au | 102.1FM

Photo: Paz Tassone

NT Music Awards 2022

MUSIC NT PRESENTS

Casii Williams at 8CCC community event, Transmission

GIG guide

OTL's quick and essential guide to live music in the NT.

To find out more, head to offtheleash.net.au

LUNCH ON the Lawn

PULL UP ON a patch of grass under the shady trees of Bennett Park for two blissful hours of tunes from local musicians. Tasty bites are available for pre-order from nearby eateries, with weekly specials on the menu. Break up the working week and make your lunch break wonderful with Lunch on the Lawn.

WHEN EVERY WED | 12-2PM AT BENNETT PARK COST FREE INFO facebook.com/ lunchonthelawn

Steve Case Music

Catch outback entertainer and acoustic one-man-band Steve Case, as he continues his NT in '23 Tour.

WHEN DAILY, MON 12 JUN –SUN 23 JUL | 6PM AT DALY WATERS PUB COST FREE INFO facebook.com/ stevecasemusic

Head down to this much-loved monthly arvo of music, sit back and enjoy tunes from talented local musos, or sign up for a timeslot and share your own musical talents.

WHEN SUN 4 JUN | 3PM AT TRACY VILLAGE SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB COST FREE INFO facebook.com/ firstsundayblues

Live on Fridays

France is Burning

community in Roebourne, Western Australia. Created on Yindjibarndi Country and the result of a 12-year community collaboration, Songs for Freedom tells stories of the vast, striking beauty of this country and its people.

WHEN EVERY WED | 7.30PM AT DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB COST $10 INFO facebook.com/groups/ swingdancent

Fridays @ Dom’s

RED CENTRE

Jump Inn Jams

Back by popular demand, gypsy jazz orchestra France is Burning returns to grace the stage at Bustard Town with their signature, up tempo gypsy swing. Don't miss it!

WHEN SAT 10 JUN | 6PM-LATE AT BUSTARD TOWN

COST $50 INFO bustardtown.com

Top Half Folk Festival

The 51st annual Top Half Folk Festival returns for four jam-packed days this June Long Weekend. Exciting headline act is high-energy Australian Celtic group Austral, delivering their signature combination of didgeridoo, Irish pipes, fiddling and energetic foot percussion. Get set for a jam-packed weekend of concerts, workshops and family friendly fun.

WHEN FRI 9 – MON 12 JUN

AT BREEZE HOLIDAY PARKS, MARY RIVER

COST $90-$160 | $50 YOUTH (12-18) FREE (U12) INFO topendfolkclub.org

Ash Grunwald

Don’t miss Aussie blues musician Ash Grunwald hitting stages in Darwin and Alice Springs on his Shout into the Noise Tour.

Relax into your weekend with this Dry season favourite, as the Brown’s Mart Precinct is filled with free live music, the perfect way to kick back at the end of the working week.

WHEN EVERY FRI | 5-7PM AT BROWN’S MART COURTYARD COST FREE INFO brownsmart.com.au

FRI 2 JUN | SERINA PECH

FRI 9 JUN | CHARLIE & MEL FROM THE BLACK PEPPER BAND

FRI 16 JUN | KATHRYN & THE OVERBITES

FRI 23 JUN | ALICE COTTON

FRI 30 JUN | LEASH & THE DUSTY BOOTS

WHEN FRI 16 JUN | 8PM AT ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE

COST $50 INFO araluenartscentre.nt.gov.au

WHEN SAT 17 JUN | 8-10.30PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

COST $50 INFO yourcentre.com.au

Songs for Freedom Garrmalang presents Songs for Freedom, an inspiring concert bringing the soul, blues and unique country music of the Leramugadu

WHEN FRI 23 JUN | 7PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $40 | $35 MEMB/CONC $20 COMM INFO yourcentre.com.au

Jazz Assembly Jam Session

Head along to Dom's Bar on the last Sunday of the month for this fun jazz jam session with house band. Bring an instrument if you're keen to join the jam, or sit back and enjoy the music with a cheeky afternoon bev.

WHEN SUN 25 JUN | 5-7PM AT DOM’S BAR & LOUNGE COST FREE INFO facebook.com/ jazzassemblyjam

Darwin City Brass Band Rehearsals

Darwin City Brass Band is one of the Top End’s enduring community institutions, and new members and visitors are always welcome at these friendly rehearsals.

WHEN EVERY TUE | 7-9PM AT 2 ABALA RD, MARRARA COST $20 ANNUAL MEMB INFO darwincitybrassband.org.au

Darwin City Brass Band Learners

If you’ve ever wanted to learn to play a brass instrument, Darwin City Brass Band offers a low-cost opportunity for aspiring and developing brass players of all ages, with friendly and fun tuition on Wednesdays during school terms.

WHEN EVERY WED | 4.30-7PM AT 2 ABALA RD, MARRARA COST $20 ANNUAL MEMB INFO darwincitybrassband.org.au

Wednesday Night Swing

Break up the working week and join Swing Dance NT for swing dancing accompanied by the Hot and Cold Big Band. Give it a whirl!

Celebrate the end of the working week with your mates, and bring in the weekend with bevs backed by beats from Dom’s house DJ.

WHEN EVERY FRI | FROM 4PM AT DOM’S BAR & LOUNGE COST FREE INFO domsdarwin.com.au

Bella Maree

Head to the secret indoor garden at Novotel Darwin CBD to catch talented local muso Bella Maree perform an acoustic mix of tunes.

WHEN EVERY FRI | FROM 5PM AT ATRIUM BAR & GARDEN COST FREE INFO bellamareemusic.com

Weekends at Willing

Celebrate the weekend with the friendly team at Willing Distillery to round out the working week. Enjoy the sounds of Darwin's hottest musicians as you tuck into a feed from local food trucks, with new musos and menus announced each week. Get chilling with Willing.

WHEN EVERY FRI & SAT | FROM MIDDAY AT WILLING DISTILLERY COST FREE INFO facebook.com/ willingdistillery

Sunset Sounds at Cullen Bay

Every Sunday, settle in on the Cullen Bay Marina Foreshore and enjoy live tunes performed by local musos accompanied by the backdrop of the setting sun. Bring a chair and your crew, and soak up the relaxed afternoon vibes.

WHEN EVERY SUN | 5.30-8.30PM AT CULLEN BAY MARINA FORESHORE COST FREE INFO cullenbaymarina.com.au

Break up the working week and jump along to the Jump Inn for a fun jam night sesh with various artists.

WHEN EVERY TUE | 7-9PM AT JUMP INN CRAFT BEER BAR & RESTAURANT COST FREE INFO jumpinncraftbeerbar.com

TUE 6 JUN | JESSIE MAY TUE 13 JUN | 8CCC RADIO COLLAB TUE 20 JUN | GABBY DEVER

Acoustic Fridays

Kick start your weekend with live soulful, acoustic tunes from talented local musos.

WHEN EVERY FRI | 6.30-9.30PM AT JUMP INN CRAFT BEER BAR & RESTAURANT COST FREE INFO jumpinncraftbeerbar.com

FRI 2 JUN | JORDAN VANDERSCHUIT

FRI 9 JUN | KODIVINE

FRI 16 JUN | 8CCC RADIO COLLAB

FRI 23 JUN | XAVIA

FRI 30 JUN | GABBY DEVER

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School of Rock

By Kate Conway

NT MUSIC SCHOOL’S highly anticipated Battle of the School Bands (BOTSB) Final sees senior and middle school students from across the Territory battle it out for the chance to perform at an exciting Territory Day gig.

The competition boasts an impressive alumni, including singer/songwriter Prayer Corby who performed at last month’s BASSINTHEGRASS, and last year’s band category winners, Mulga Bore School Hard Rock Band, who famously opened for iconic rockers KISS on the last leg of their 2022 Australian tour.

NT Music School’s Simon Pedder says the valuable learning experience of writing songs and preparing for the performance is one of the most important aspects of the enduring event, and entering the competition can result in very real exposure for aspiring artists.

“There’s a culture happening in the Territory with BOTSB that’s been developed over the years, [it’s] what the kids hang their performance goals on, because they know that when they enter, there’s really good opportunities out there for them,” he says.

“After BOTSB is run, NT Major Events Company usually come in and ask me, ‘who’s out there, what have you got?’ And kids that have been in BOTSB can end up getting gigs elsewhere in a professional domain.”

Head along to the final at the Rails and check out the latest crop of kid rockers before they become the next big thing.

Battle of the School Bands Final WHEN FRI 2 JUN | 7PM AT DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB COST $10 | $5 (U18) INFO ntms.net.au

2021 Band Winners, ScrubFowl

Photo: David Bradley