While the boundaries between the real and artificial rapidly collide, and early science-fiction inventions are no longer stories on a page but aspects of our reality, this exhibition presents photographic and videoworks caught between the predictive past and imagined future.

WHAT: Exhibition – Synthetic
WHEN: Tues – Sat 21 July – 26 August
WHERE: 72 Oxford St. Darlinghurst
HOW MUCH: Free, more info here

1. The opening night of two new shows at Kudos Gallery.  Featuring Dislocation by Hannah Jenkins and Caoife Power, and Warp Speed Relief by Lilium Burrow & Alexandra Russell-Floyd.

WHAT: Exhibition Opening – July/August at Kudos
WHEN: 5-7pm
WHERE: Kudos Gallery, 6 Napier St. Paddington
HOW MUCH: Free, more info here

Steven Alderton Director and CEO of the National Art School invites you to visit EuroVisions: Contemporary art from the Goldberg Collection and hear Dr Melissa Chiu, Director of the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington DC in conversation with Danny Goldberg OAM on collecting contemporary art.

WHAT: Live Conversation
WHEN: 6-7pm
WHERE: National Art School, Cnr of Forbes & Burton St, Darlinghurst
HOW MUCH: $12, more info here

A young bride is lured into a rich nobleman’s world – a beautiful trap with a smiling face, where the bonds of wedlock turn to shackles of abuse. But this young bride isn’t like the others. Two of Sydney’s most innovative theatre companies present a contemporary exploration of Charles Perrault’s twisted fairy tale, transforming a forbidden location into an intimate site of theatrical beauty and horror.

WHAT: Theatre
WHEN: 8.30pm
WHERE: Bondi Pavilion, Queen Elizabeth Dr, Bondi Beach
HOW MUCH: $12, more info here

A classic Nordic thriller set in far-flung Norway, where a washed up journalist finds herself covering what appears to be a mine accident. But as she digs further into the case, she discovers this case is far more complex and dangerous than she could ever have anticipated.

WHAT: Scandinavian Film Festival
WHEN: 6.30pm
WHERE: Palace Cinemas Norton St, 99 Norton St, Leichhardt
HOW MUCH: $16-20, more info here

The hit show by Harriet and Pierce returns to Sydney after a triumphant national tour and THEY’RE BACK with a funnier, sadder more hardcore show that has picked up stellar reviews and AWARD (nomintations) all over the country.

WHAT: They’ve Already Won at Bondi Feast
WHEN: Wednesday + Thursday 8:30pm
WHERE: Big Theatre, Bondi Pavilion
HOW MUCH: $20 Tickets and info here

Anita Larkin presents a new collection of her sculptures that combine parts of collected objects, felted objects, porcelain renditions of objects and bronze casts of the human body.

WHAT: Gallery Opening – Reasonable Mayhem
WHEN: 6-8pm, exhibition runs till 19th of August
WHERE: Defiance Gallery 47 Enmore Rd, Newtown
HOW MUCH: Free, more info here.

Dream Machines brings together five artists and collaboratives who are simultaneously artist, scientist, engineer and inventor. At the core of this project are ideas centred on DIY aesthetics, backyard inventors and the suburban shed, the adaptation of existing and utilitarian objects, the machine aesthetic, hacking and re-purposing, and how creativity is integral to innovation.

WHAT: Exhibition – Dream Machines
WHEN: runs till 10th of September
WHERE: Hazelhurst Regional Art Gallery, 782 Kingsway, Gymea NSW
HOW MUCH: Free, more info here

‘Choke Me; Don’t Suffocate Me’ is a photography and collage series by Sophie Joyce, exploring the conflicting need to be sexually expressive and the repulsion felt when people overstep boundaries. Survivors of sexual assault often spend a long time navigating the pressure of being a well-behaved advocate and exploring their own morality within romantic relationships. With the accessibility of social media and online dating culture, there is more room for creating safe spaces to explore sexuality and kink, but also more platforms for entitlement and abusive behaviour to filter through.

WHAT: Exhibition Opening – Choke Me, Don’t Suffocate Me, Sophie Joyce
WHEN: 6-9pm
WHERE: Goodspace Gallery, 115 Regent Street, Chippendale
HOW MUCH: Free, more info here.

The second exhibition in a three-part speculation on one idea, this year THE PUBLIC BODY .02 brings together the work of over forty artists and collectives from the 1970s to the present, integrating the archival and the contemporary to draw connections between works across decades.  Extending on THE PUBLIC BODY .01’s exploration of contemporary representations of the body, the second iteration delves deeper to highlight a range of practices embedded in feminist, queer and anti-racist subjectivities, and concerned with revisioning certain biased histories and modes of representation.

WHAT: Exhibition Opening – The Public Body .02
WHEN: 6-8pm
WHERE: Artspace Sydney, 43-51 Cowper Wharf Rd. Woolloomooloo
HOW MUCH: Free, more info here

Ever imagined what it would be like to steal a painting? Well this is your chance IRL. Dulwich Hill has opened an Art Hiest escape room in fictional Wade Gallery. You’ll have 45 minutes to steal the coveted artwork, The Fat Dragon, by distracting guards, fooling alarms and dodging lasers.

WHAT: Escape Room with an Art Hiest twist

WHEN: 18 May – 27th of August

HOW MUCH: $40.50. More info here.

Winner of Greenway Art Prize 2015, Gauri Torgalka uses the pogada, which is typically a tired Hindu or Buddhist, as temple as a cultural symbol for globalisation around the world. Australia’s emphasis on multiculturalism creates a miss-mash of contemporary Australia with cultural translations of cultures that make up our nation. Gaudi draws upon her Indian heritage, particularly in textile to represent the Australian landscape of rock formations around the nation that are similar to the silhouettes of a pagoda.

WHEN: 20 July – 8 August.

WHERE: Artest Art School, Leichhardt

HOW MUCH: Free. More info here.

A group exhibition of ten Australian artists exploring emotional connextions between humans and their dogs. Each artist practices in different mediums, creating contrast including painting sculpture, video and performance. The best bit though? You can bring your furry friends along, and it’s free entry!

WHERE: Casula Arts Centre, Casula.

WHEN: 22 Jul 2017 – 17 Sep 2017 | 10.00pm – 5.00pm.

HOW MUCH: Free. More info here.

This month, artist Claudia Nicholson tugs on our heart strings as she celebrates an evening of devotion, love and gift giving. Delve into the rituals and traditions that make up Claudia’s practice. Our July MCA ARTBAR will be filled with artworks and performances that celebrate the creation of an artwork for another person.

WHAT: MCA Artbar curated by Claudia Nicholson
WHEN: 7-11pm
WHERE: Museum of Contemporary Art, 140 George St. The Rocks
HOW MUCH: $20-25, Tickets and info here

The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes is an annual exhibition eagerly anticipated by artists and audiences alike.  Each year, the trustees of the Art Gallery of NSW judge the Archibald and Wynne, and invite an artist to judge the Sulman. The 2017 judge is Tony Albert. Winners announced 28 July 2017, 12pm.

WHAT: Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2017
WHEN: July 29 – October 22
WHERE: Art Gallery of New South Whales, Art Gallery Rd, The Domain, Sydney
HOW MUCH: $14-18, more info here

Watch a collection of award winning short films made by Iraqis in Australia and overseas telling their own stories about resilience, tradition and controversy. This festival’s program presents inspiring and thought-provoking stories: يعرض المهرجان مجموعة من الأفلام السينمائية القصيرة لمخرجين عراقيين في أستراليا و العالم

WHAT: Iraqi Short Film Festival
WHEN: 4-6pm
WHERE: Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, 1 Powerhouse Rd. Casula
HOW MUCH: Free, bookings essential, more info here

Launch Party for Island Salons upcoming publication.  Featuring panel discussions with women in the arts, performances, poetry and live music.

WHAT: Publication Launch Party – Island Salon
WHEN: 7pm-2am
WHERE: Newtown – address to be revealed
HOW MUCH: $5 Donation, more info here

Two Up is a talk series that combines two completely unrelated topics in a series of back to back lectures. After two short lectures the floor gets opened up to an impulsive round of questioning that encourages interactions between speakers and ideas. An open space for inquisitive minds. Two Up is education that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

WHAT: Two-Up – Paternity Leave and Retail Therapy
WHEN: 6-8pm
WHERE: Cake Wines Cellar Door, 16 Eveleigh st. Redfern
HOW MUCH: $10, Tickets and info here