Preview :: Underbelly Arts

July 22nd 2013

Hate getting stuck in convos about art without a clue of what your creative mates are on about? We have a solution to your art-awkwardness.

Forget relentlessly Googling “good artists that make cool art in Sydney?” – spend the next fortnight with the good folks from Underbelly Arts.

From July 24th, 100 artists will make their way to Cockatoo Island to collaborate on 30 projects that will be exhibited, debated and performed over a weekend-long festival.

Amongst the prison cells and rusted shipyards of Cockatoo Island, expect to see real humans boxing in a life-sized video game, a cyber love affair playing out before your eyes, interactive choose-your-own-ending ghost stories, (R. L. Stein, eat your heart out) and a great series of arty talks and debates.

The week-long residency leading up to the festival, dubbed The Lab, will be open to the public daily, absolutely free. You know what that means? This is your chance to get your hands on insider information, so that you’ll be the arty friend talking the talk.


While there are some big names exhibiting in this iconic Sydney location, like Archibald nominee, Abdul Abdullah; most of the artists involved are emerging and local. By tapping into these emerging artists, it means that you’ll be in on the “who’s who” of the future art world.

If you’re still not convinced, get a mug of mulled wine into your bloodstream at the after hours art party on Saturday night, while the sounds of Michael Ozone and comedy group Cab Sav (featuring Nick Coyle from FBi’s Versus – he’s a very funny dude) serenade your eardrums. You can even camp overnight.

For those far too young for mulled wine, fear not. There will be kids yoga, teen-guided Walk ‘N Talks and a workshop with Marcus Whale (one half of Collarbones). We kind of want to grow down a little bit ourselves.

What: Underbelly Arts, family friendly art festival
Where: Cockatoo Island
When: The Lab is open July 24-31 from 12-6pm. Festival weekend is August 3-4
How much: $25/20 for a day, $40/$35 for the weekend. The Lab is free.

 

Underbelly Arts | Jessica Hamilton

Contributor

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