Sunday Arts Magazine

An exciting episode of Sunday Arts Magazine when Bronwen Coleman(actor, Artisitic Director), and Cathy Hunt(Director) discuss 7 Captiva Road.

7 Captiva Road will be performing at Chapel off Chapel from 23rd February until 3rd March 2024.

A most enthralling interview on Sunday Arts Magazine with return guest, multi-award-winning Dr Betty Sargeant.

Betty is an internationally recognized media artist from Naarm, Melbourne. She uses art and technology to address the leading questions and concerns of the present times.

Betty’s captivating new art Exhibition, Real Fake, is running until 11th February as part of Midsumma Festival 2024.

On this exciting episode of Sunday Arts Magazine, the team interview two compelling guests: Miranda Hill and multi award-winning Kym Dillon.

Both guests are involved with Homophonic, which is a celebration of queer artistry, queer composition, and specifically new classical music. Return guest, Miranda Hill, who is passionate about contemporary classical music, is the Artistic Director of Homophonic. “Classical Music is my expression, ….it is my way of engaging with the world” -Miranda Hill, Sunday Arts Magazine February 2024. Kym Dillon, composer, pianist and presenter, was creative throughout her youth. She developed a desire to write her own music. During her high school years, she was already writing for big bands and orchestras. She completed a Bachelor of Music Performance Degree with Honours in Composition at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2012. She has also completed a Masters of Composition at the University of Melbourne. As a composer, Kym has had original works and her music performed both in Australia and overseas.

Homophonic is performing from 9th-11th February at La Mama in Carlton.

Sullivan Patten, live music and festival programmer, joins the team at Sunday Arts Magazine to discuss the St Kilda Festival 2024.

They have a passion for music and have performed in many bands. They have staged their own shows, both overseas and in Australia. From this more opportunities presented themselves, giving rise to paid roles. They have worked in the creative sector for over fifteen years, in roles including programming, curation, production, bookings, events, operations and tour management. This is Sullivan’s third year of involvement with the St Kilda Festival; being one of the leading programmers there.

The St Kilda Festival runs over two days: 17th and 18th February.

“One of the reasons I love art is because it’s always engaged in the world ….it’s philosophy, it’s history, it’s sociology, it’s all of those things” -Shelley McSpedden, Sunday Arts Magazine, February 2024.

Sunday Arts Magazine today is an exciting interview with Art Curator, Melbourne Art Fair, Shelley McSpedden.

Shelley developed a passion for art from childhood. She enjoyed art classes and talking about art in general. Her main interests lie in contemporary art. She holds a PhD in Art History and Theory and works as Senior Curator for the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art at Southbank, Melbourne. in this position she works with living artists; working to commission new works from both Australian and international contemporary artists.

She is Curator of the BEYOND section of the Melbourne Art Fair, which presents four large-scale installations.

The Melbourne Art Fair runs from 22nd – 25th February.

“I’d get beaten up (at school) and go home and write a song about it” -Shanul Sharma.

Indian-born Shanul Sharma discusses his career in opera on Sunday Arts Magazine.

Shanul developed a passion for music while growing up in India. He was introduced to singing through his father’s love for old Bollywood music. Music became his outlet from being bullied at school for his high-pitched voice.

Shanul launched his career as a lead vocalist in a heavy metal band, having fronted major national tours over eight years. Concurrently he explored classical music. His band disbanded in 2012. He relocated from Wagga Wagga to Melbourne in 2013, and pursued a career in opera. In late 2016 he studied for a Master of Arts in Advanced Vocal Studies at the Wales International Academy of Voice. Shanul has since starred in multiple performances for Opera Australia nationally and internationally.

He, alongside three other of Opera Australia’s finest opera singers, recently performed in the Opera Australia and BMW free open-air concert, in Melbourne at the iconic Federation Square.

“There’s so much joy….that we can experience in our lives if we are able to empower ourselves enough….for us to really step into who we are” -Zac Callaghan. This is what ‘Queer as Flux”, a one-person show, celebrates. Zac Callaghan has been specializing in one-person shows for twenty years with “Queer as Flux” being his fourth such show.

Zac, award winning writer and actor from Brisbane, discusses his fascinating career and his current one-person show with the team at Sunday Arts Magazine. He has worked in the arts for almost thirty years. He studied at the University of Queensland, graduating with honours in Theatre and Psychology. Zac has a company called the Joy Dispensaries. Through this company he runs inspiring workshops with people in aged care, disabled people,and in schools.

“Queer as Flux” has taken Zac four to five years to perfect. The show revolves around Zac’s journey through transition: it is a platform through which he explores gender and sexuality. It is about the universality of transitioning. Zac believes he hasn’t become a different person but rather has become the person he has always been. For Zac, transition has been a wonderful and life affirming journey to freedom and ultimate happiness.

Multi award-winning “Queer as Flux” has attracted heart-warming responses from audiences around Australia.

“Queer as Flux” is a part of Midsumma and runs until 3rd February at Theatre Works in St. Kilda. Note, the performance is audio-descriptive and captioning thus making it accessible for people who are hearing and vision impaired.

Actor and writer, Outcast Theatre Artistic Director, Steven Dawson, chats to Sunday Arts Magazine about his current play: Ruff Trade. Outcast Theatre is Australia’s longest running LGBTIQA+ theatre company.

Many years back, he wrote a play for Joy in which many of the then on-air presenters performed. This play took place at the Art Centre’s Fairfax Theatre in Melbourne. His work has been seen internationally: Britain, Ireland and the United States, as well as across Australia. He has written some sixty plays.

Part of Midsumma, Ruff Trade runs until 10th February at the Motley Bauhaus in Carlton.

“I truly feel….education and the arts are what makes the biggest difference in peoples lives” -Joshua Reuben, 27th January, 2024.

Melbourne actor, singer and primary school Yiddish teacher speaks to the team at Sunday Arts Magazine about his upcoming performance.

Rueben did drama at Victorian Youth Theatre and through his time at high school. Opportunities opened up for him to perform with the Kadimah Yiddish Theatre.

Now he is performing in Harvey Fierstein’s iconic, award-winning play, “Torch song”, as part of Midsumma 2024. This is his first production outside of the Yiddish community.

“Torch Song” will be taking place at Chapel off Chapel from 31st January to 10th February.

“Music activates a different part of our emotional brain….it allows us access to stories in such a different way(to plays)” -Miranda Hill

Miranda Hill, and Steven Hodgson chat with the Sunday Arts Magazine team about Homophonic!”The Respect Project.”

Miranda Hill, return guest, is a double bass player and Artistic Director of Homophonic! “The Respect Project”. She is passionate about bringing experimental music to new audiences. Homophonic! is committed to uniting cross-generational artistic goals, and having community stories told by community artists, including regional artists.

Steven Hodgson, Consort of Melbourne, is a vocalist, choir conductor and composer. He performs regularly as a soloist and ensemble member. He is also the head of Publishing for the Australian Music Examinations Board.

Homophonic! “The Respect Project” is performing on Saturday 3rd February at The Upper Edge at Federation square as part of Midsumma.