SmartArts

Richard starts off this week's show with a Malthouse Theatre 2025 season overview with Artistic Director Matt Lutton.

Gunai/Kurnai woman and curator Amanda Haskard talks ACMI's major exhibition The Future and Other Fictions.

And three interviews about Melbourne Fringe: performer and choreographer Alix Kuijpers tells Richard about Grim Grinning Ghosts, Mitch Jones (Oozing Future) discusses new alt-circus/theatre performance Apocrypha, and Oli Mathiesen talks about about the Aotearoa production The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave.

Welcome to another fabulous episode of SmartArts, where Richard Watts OAM is serving up a delightful platter of comic book chat, theatre and art.

First up, it’s Bernard Caleo’s monthly Drawn Out comic books segment.

To talk about the upcoming Femmural production, Dredge, is Rosa Ablett-Johnstone, Producer & cast member and Jack Brumeister, Composer & Sound Designer. Opening at Theatreworks on September 18, Dredge is an immersive and physical piece which is an adaptation of its initial 2022 run - tickets available here.

Chloe Powell, artistic director of Radiant Pavilion 2024 comes in to tell us about the Contemporary Jewellery & Object Biennial - a celebration of contemporary jewellery and object, Radiant Pavilion brings together 100+ local and international jewellery and object makers in 60 events across the Melbourne CBD and inner metro over nine days.

Rick Prakhoff, artistic director of the Melbourne Bach Choir & Zelman Symphony tells us all about their upcoming performance of Verdi's Requiem. Richard finds out more about the wellbeing aspects of choral singing and how being part of a choir helps you find your own voice.

Artist Michael Fikaris' new exhibition Where Ends Meet is on now at Backwoods Gallery in Collingwood, exploring 200 pieces exploring comics, painting and collaboration.

Plus, Anne Marie Peard joins us for theatre reviews.

Richard Watts is joined by Director Anthea Williams and Actor Rachael Edmonds to talk about upcoming Melbourne Theatre production "The cost of Living" which won the 2018 Pulitzer prize for drama, written by Polish-Amercian Playwright Martyna Majok.

Plus, we dive into the political power of posters and street posters and poster print making. with Troppo Prints.

Simon Abrahams from Melbourne fringe pops in to talk about some of the highlights of the 2024 Melbourne Fringe Festival program, playwright Daniel Keene talks about his one-woman play "Mother" Starring Nonie Hazelhurst and Artist Rob McHaffie and curator Emma Busowsky chat about exhibition "We Are Family" on at the Bendigo Art Gallery.

Richard is joined in today's show of Smartarts by a whirlpool of talent including: artist Cindy Campbell, Sharmini Kumar & Arthur Pontonio of Around the World in 80 Days and Paul Mitchell & Theresa Borg who discuss their latest theatrical, You're the Man.

From the behind the scenes we peak into an array of art organisations hosted by guests from the likes of MAGMA gallery director Jake Taylor, executive director of Arts Project Australia Liz Nowell & CEO of Arts Access Victoria Joshua Pether.

Finally to conclude, Richard brings Anne Marie Peard to review the latest and greatest of theatre.

Richard Watts OAM has a plentiful basket of curators, directors, artists and critics for you to choose from this week.

If you’re looking for an art exhibition, and perhaps you’ve been chewed up by bureaucratic systems… look no further than Gertrude Contemporary Exhibition, And This Time the Well Is Alive. Joining Richard is Curator at Gertrude Contemporary, Amelia Winata who guides us through the works making up this thought provoking exhibit.

If you’re seeking MIFF recs, Secret Mall Apartment is a stranger-than-fiction documentary about a 2000s artist collective hiding away inside a shopping mall filming and documenting all their work at the same time. Director Jeremy Workman and artist Michael Townsend (one of the artists featured in the film), tell us about the process of creating, and living, the experience of this film.

If you’re looking for a thrill, Co-Director Nick Skubij is here to tell you about the latest adaptation of Frankenstein. Showing at the Princess Theatre by Shake & Stir for a limited run, 23 Aug - 1 Sep 2024.

For more MIFF, Simon Hunt (aka drag artist Pauline Pantsdown), producer and creative collaborator of Stephen Cummins, tells us about the Stephen Cummins Retrospective - showing on August 23rd. Cummins was an openly gay filmmaker whose works were produced during the cultural upheaval of the 1980s - and while the showing is currently sold out, get yourself on a waitlist!

If you need more theatre, French author, artistic director and performer, Clyde Chabot and Producer Tom Gutteridge, talk all about the Clyde Chabot Trilogy - three of Chabot's works in collaboration with students from Monash University’s Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music and Performance. It's showing in English on August 16th and in French on August 17th at the David Li Sound Gallery.

And if you need theatre reviews… well aren’t you glad Anne Marie Peard has stopped by to update Richard on all the recent happenings.

Richard is joined by a whole slew of guests including: Bernard Caleo to talk all things comics, Tai Snaith with the fortnightly Art Attack, Nela Trifkovic who is the vocalist behind new performance 'The Resonant Heart – The Heart Whispers and Whirls', Jeff Khan pops into the studio to chat about Asia TOPA, Rhys Graham presents a new documentary Rewards for the Tribe (2023), Andrew Gyopar, the Executive Producer and AG Theatre Founder on all things musicals!

Richard Kicks off this jam packed episode with Simona Jobbagy of NICA and Sam Jacob, CEO of Collarts as they talk about Australia's only Bachelor of Circus Arts finding a new home for 2025.

We have Tilly Boleyn, Science Gallery Melbourne’s Curator & Gail Chin Curator from Art/Science Museum Singapore as they introduce new exhibition SCI-FI Mythologies Transformed, on-now at Science Gallery Melbourne.

Curator Vipoo Srivilasa & Artist Zhu Ohmu join Richard in studio to discuss Generation Clay - Reimagining Asian Heritage Curated at Bunjil Place.

Nicola Gunn Writer, director and performer also jumps into the studio to talk about her new play ‘Apologia’ premiering at the Beckett Theatre on 6-18 August 2024.

Band members Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh & Naoise Ó Cairealláin of Irish rap outfit KneeCap chat about the new film, in which they star and play as themselves, which premieres at MIFF later this month.

hJames Jackson, Castmember and Artistic Director for Bloomshed productions has a yarn about their new production, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’, and lastly, in preparation for Poetry Month 2024 we are joined over the phone by Creative Producer Izzy Roberts-Orr for Red Room Poetry.

Host Richard Watts is joined by Christof Wehmeier, head of international & festival promotion at the Icelandic Film Centre, and they discuss the 2024 Scandinavian film Festival program and highlights.

We also have Artist Madeleine Flynn and Arts Centre’s Director of Programming Marshall McGuire from the Arts Centre, discussing Installation, how do we remain at Melbourne Recital centre.

We also have Christopher Gurusamy, Performer/Choreographer of Ānanda: Dance of Joy discussing the performance at Dancehouse and we are joined by Director Cynthia Wohlschlager on Two Remain - the first opera to portray the persecution of gay men during the Holocaust.

Richard Watts OAM reporting for SmartArts! As always, he's here to give you an inside look into the fabulous people behind all of the brilliant goings-on of Naarm's flourishing art scene. Let's go!

Amid the housing crisis, Midsumma’s CEO Karen Bryant is on the hunt for office space. The festival is Australia's premier queer arts and cultural organisation, bringing together a diverse mix of LGBTQIA+ artists, performers, communities and audiences. So, got a spare 200m sq space for a few legendary creatives? Get in touch: [email protected]

What do you know about Romeo & Julie? You read that right. Director Kamarra Bell-Wykes and actor Damon Baudin are in the studio to tell us about the Red Stitch production of Romeo & Julie which has previews 20 - 23 July, and is showing for Season 24 July - 18 August.

Opera Australia’s staging of Breaking the Waves is coming to Hamer Hall, at the Arts Centre Melbourne on Friday July 26. To tell us all about the opera based on Lars von Trier’s 1996 film is Jennifer Black, Lead Soprano, who plays the role of Bess.

Queer artist and performer Tristan Meecham has a new gig hosting the Arts Centre Melbourne audio series ‘Queering the Collection’ available to listen to now here (spotify) and here (itunes)

Plus, art world figure Melissa Loughnan has been appointed by Melbourne Art Fair as Fair Director for 2025 and beyond. Hear her speak about her future vision for the Fair and what the opportunity means to her.

And of course, Anne-Marie Peard, is in for her Theatre Review round-up.

SmartArts with Richard Watts OAM back to keep you company on these chilly winters days...

Starting out with Artist Kate Wallace on her new exhibition ‘Details of a room and other places’ - on now at LON Gallery.

In the coming years there will be a big redevelopment of the Melbourne Arts Precinct & the Queen Victoria Market - to tell all about it is Principal Architect at NH Architecture, Emily Von Moger. The new exhibition ‘Brand New’ at Fortyfivedownstairs gallery shows a behind the scenes look at the development process.

To tell us about the return season of Three Magpies Perched in A Tree is the award winning Ngarrindjeri Wathaurong playwright, Glenn Shea. Glenn joins Richard to talk through what it’s like to revive art and give performances a second life. Showing at LaMama Courthouse from August 14-25.

Writer and producer Future D Fidel and Director Budi Miller talk of the opening of their play La Belle Epoque at Theatreworks.

Plus, artist Gabrielle Leah New tells us about her work Reclaim the Crone, showing at the Explosives Factory from the 17-27 of July.