SmartArts

Richard talks to Wesley Enoch, the Artistic Director of Sydney Festival 2020. They discuss Sydney Festival's extraordinary contribution of commissioning 46 new works from both Australian and International artists.

Following that Richard talks to Women's Circus Executive Producer Devon Taylor and Creative Director Penelope Bartlau about their new show Drill. Drill explores the alternative history of the drill hall within which Women's Circus meets. Their focus on women, trans and non-binary stories subverts the history of this previously male-only space.

Finally Richard talks to Curator Victor Griss and Artists Janelle Low and Frances Tapueluelu about the upcoming show at Counihan Gallery Language and Liberty. This is the latest in the Moreland Summer Show series, which features work from the plethora of artists living within Moreland. The theme Language and Liberty is a tribute to both Noel Counihan's involvement in free speech campaigns, and the 2019 UNESCO Year of Indigenous Languages.

Richard starts the show with the Drawn Out comics segment with Bernard Caleo. The discussion has a focus on new works by Australian artists. They discuss Deep Breaths by Chris Gooch, Bad Gateway by Simon Hanselmann, The Chant of the Big Black Birds by Simon McKeown, and The Adventures of Anders by Gregory Mackay.

Next up Richard talks to Anni Davey, who's the Artistic Director of The Flying Fruit Fly Circus, about the upcoming Borderville Circus Festival. The Flying Fruit Fly Circus has been an integral part of the Albury Wodonga community teaching generations of kids circus. This event will celebrate that history and bring successive generations of graduates and volunteers together.

Finally Richard talks to Carolyn Fraser who is the Lead Curator of the State Library of Victoria's new gallery space and the exhibition Velvet, Iron and Ashes. The exhibition is about local history and the title refers to three artefacts - Ned Kelly's armour, the famous cricket ashes, and a dress created for the pagent of nations event held at Melbourne's centenary. Carolyn draws fascinating links between these objects and others in the exhibition.

Richard talks to Iain Grandage, the artistic director from the Perth Festival, about the 2020 program. Iain is the first Perth local to hold this position and has brought a strong Indigenous focus to the program.

Next up is writer/director Krystalla Pearce and writer Maja Amanita discussing the new show She Is Vigilante. This is a series of short plays put on by Theatre Works. The show had an open call for both writers and actors with the aim of opening up the theatre to new practitioners and audiences. The theme She Is Vigilante was chosen with the aim of providing complex roles for women.

Finally Richard talks to curator Diane Soumilas and author Colin Smith regarding Stories in clay: Arthur Merric Boyd Pottery at Glen Eira City Council’s Gallery. Arthur Boyd is described as an artist who was ahead of his time and was continually reinventing and expressing himself in extraordinary ways.

Richard starts the show with an interview with playwright Jamaica Zuanetti about her show Thigh Gap, which is showing at La Mama. It is a dark comedy for, by and about millenial women.

Next up we hear from Matt Lutton regarding the Malthouse 2020 program. In their 30th year Malthouse have created a program that encapsulates the very DNA of the Malthouse, and celebrates local artists.

Richard then talks to Dancehouse artistic director Angela Coquet and dancer and choreographer Jozsef Trefeli about their new show Swiss Style. This show is looking at Geneva-based contemporary dance, within the context of rising national identitarianism and a multicultural Geneva.

Finally Richard interviews Kurt Kansley who is a cast member of the new theatre production Ragtime, which will be showing at the Arts Centre. This play is based on "the great American novel" by E. L Doctorow. It's set at the dawn of a new century when a golden age of optimism was gripping America, and everything seemed possible.

Richard talks to Simon Abrahams, the creative director & CEO of Melbourne Fringe. The Fringe has set up a new home called Common Rooms at Trades Hall where they will be running productions throughout the year. He hopes the shows will capture The Fringe's feeling of rebellion, inclusivity and support of independent arts.

Next Richard talks to playwright, director, performer and producer Rebecca Lister about her new work 2:20AM. The play covers the sensitive topic of suicide from the perspective of four people who have come together for a creative writing course. It's based off of Rebecca's experiences as a social worker, arts worker and a person who has been bereaved by a suicide. It has been created in association with Support After Suicide, SANE Australia and Jesuit Social Services and it will be having a metropolitan and regional tour in areas around Victoria that are particularly effected by suicide. If this interview brings up any issues you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Finally Richard talks to director Shareena Clanton and cast member Corey Saylor-Brunskill about their upcoming theatre production Conversations With The Dead. This is a work by Richard Frankland about his experiences working on the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. The work is put on by Ilbijerri Ensemble and is a part of Future Echoes, which is a new initiative by the Arts Centre Melbourne to put on works by young artists.

Richard talks to Petra Kalive about her new musical theatre work, which is an adaptation of Miles Franklin's classic My Brilliant Career. The production will involve a core cast of professionals with students in supporting roles, and will be showing at Monash University's Alexander Theatre.

Next Richard speaks to Stewart Laing who's the director of The End of Eddy, which will be showing at the Malthouse Theatre. This work centres around the experiences of a gay teenage boy in a small community in the north of France. The work has been aimed at a teenage audience in the hope of reaching out to people experiencing similar issues.

Richard then speaks to Antony Hamilton artistic director of the contemporary dance company Chunky Move regarding his work Token Armies, which will be showing at the Melbourne International Arts Festival. The work aims to push the boundaries of contemporary dance and explore how the biological world intersects with a world that is constructed. Richard describes Chunky Move's work as "innovative, engaging and exciting."

Finally Richard talks to Mama Alto regarding the work Gender Euphoria, which is a celebration of gender identitiy. This work will be performed as part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival at the Famous Spiegeltent.

Richard talks to mentalist Scott Silven about his new shows 'At the Illusionist’s Table' and 'Wonders' which are showing as a part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival. Scott works with audiences to delve into the world of imagination.

The next interview is with artists Bruce Gladwin and Scott Price about their theatre production 'The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes' which is also showing at the Melbourne International Arts Festival. This is a challenging but important work discussing the use of people with disabilities as slave labour.

Richard talks to Sally Foster who is curator of International Prints, Drawings and Illustrated Books at the National Gallery of Australia about a new exhibition of David Hockney's work which will be showing at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery. She describes David Hockney as a magnetic character who never shied away from anything.

This week on SmartArts Richard conducts three interviews

1. Richard talks to Matthew Stanton and Abigail Varney about their exhibition 23° and Rising which is showing at the Centre for Contemporary Photography

2. Richard talks to Anne Ekenes who is the CEO and Artistic Director of Panta Rei Danseteater regarding the works I Wish Her Welland Lullaby which are showing at Monash University’s Alexander Theatre

3. Richard talks to Fiona Sweet who is the creative director of the Ballarat Foto Biennale

Richard conducts three interviews.

1. Richard talks to Nicole Beyer of Theatre Network Australia about the Australia Council funding decision and the small- to medium-sized arts organisations that will miss out on funding.

2. Richard talks to Simon Abrahams, the creative director and CEO of Melbourne Fringe, about some of the exciting events in this year's festival.

3. Richard talks to writer Daniel Keene and director Beng Oh about Wild Cherries, a show about modern slavery that's coming up at La Mama Theatre.

1. Richard talks to Ciaran Begley and James Nguyen about their show Hell is Other People which is showing at Gertrude Contemporary

2. Interview with Steven Mitchell Wright and Alexandra Hines about their new show Let Men Tremble by the Danger Ensemble. Steven is the Company Artistic Director for Danger Ensemble and Director of the work. Alexandra is a member of the ensemble. Let Men Tremble is showing at Theatre Works.

3. Richard talks to playwright Anchuli Felicia King about her new show Golden Shield, put on with MTC