Sunday Arts Magazine

Brendan McCleary, curator with Photo Australia, discusses his role in Midsumma 2024 with Sunday Arts Magazine.

Brendan studied Art History(Honours) and English at Melbourne University. After graduating in 2012, he curated a Zanele Muholi photo exhibition for the 2012 Midsumma Festival. Now this year, 2024, he is curating Queer Photo at Midsumma as well as PHOTO 24’s outdoor events.

Queer Photo opens 27th January as part of Midsumma 2024.

Evan Cooper, photographer, joins the team at Sunday Arts Magazine to speak about his background, and photography.

Evan developed a distinct love for the arts back in his childhood. He first picked up a camera at when at high school when he undertook photography as an extracurricular activity. He delivered a photography project entitled “The Commitment Project”, as part of a Chillout Festival during the lead up to marriage equality. The exhibition explored gay, lesbian and queer relationships that had been together longer than the median length for Australian marriages. He even put billboards at major railway stations and people actually did stop by to explore them.

Evan will be staging a multi-exposure exhibition entitled “Echoes and Whispers” at the Wolfhouse Gallery in Fitzroy during Midsumma 2024.

“Echoes and Whispers” opens on the 27th January.

Cameron Lukey returns to Sunday Arts Magazine and chats to the team about his background and the Forty-five Downstairs Theatre.

Since starting out as an opera singer, Cameron moved on to being the producer of numerous performances. He joined the team at Forty-five Downstairs, a theatre in the Melbourne CBD, in 2016. He now has the role of Artistic Director of the theatre, to which he was appointed in 2023.

Arun Ernesto Munoz, artist/photographer, is today’s guest on Sunday Arts Magazine. He speaks about the Queer Latinx Migrating Down Under Exhibition which is currently on display at the Victorian Pride Centre. Exhibition curator, Jose Ortiz, joins the team later in this episode.

Arun Munoz migrated from Chili to Australia some forty-seven years ago. Having trained in Ballet and dance, he realized that was not for him and turned to photography. He studied photography; specializing in Portraiture and Performing Arts. Arun also holds a Post Graduate in Choreography from the Victorian College of the Arts.

Jose-Octavio Ortiz, from the volunteer organization: Latin American Hispanic Rainbow Community(LAHRC), also joins the team. He is the curator of the exhibition. LAHRC advocates for,and supports LGBTIQA+ people from Latin America.

Stephen A Russell, award winning Scotstralian freelance culture writer and arts journalist, returns to Sundays Arts Magazine.

Stephen and the Sunday Arts Magazine team chat about three 2023 movies: Ferrari, Dream Scenario and Next Goal Wins.

Phi Do, winner of the Yarra Trams design competition, speaks with David, Neil and Brendan on Sunday Arts Magazine.

He studied Industrial Design at University and now has a career in product design. Outside of his career, Phi enjoys creating art and illustrations. Playing on the theme of “All Aboard”, he was able to celebrate all the facets of the LGBTIQA+ community.

Art and product designer, Phi has a keen interest in Melbourne’s trams. His goal has always been to have his artwork featuring on a tram. “All Aboard” tram design winner, Phi now has his work on display on trams which travel along three different routes.

Em Tambree chats to the Sunday Arts Magazine team about their background and their performance during the Midsumma Festival.

Em(they/them/theirs) moved from Queensland to Melbourne in their late teens. They started their journey through studying musical theatre at CentreStage, SHOWFIT(2016) and the Australian Institute of Music(2019.) Post graduation, Em explored accessibility within the theatre/acting industry. They developed experience in most aspects of stagecraft and theatre-making.

Proudly identifying as queer, gender-diverse, neurodivergent, and disabled, their passion is to help their communities to tell their stories.

Their playwright debut performance, ALTAR, runs from 7th to 10th February at Abbottsford Convent as part of Midsumma Festival, 2024.

Will Huxley, from The Huxleys, joins David, Brendan and Neil on Sunday Arts Magazine.

Multi-disciplinary artists, The Huxleys make costumes, videos and photography with the intention of bringing freedom to everyday life. Their purpose is to encourage the joy of freedom from the rigidity of boundaries and expectations. They create and perform across Australia and internationally.

The Huxleys will be performing at the Abbottsford Convent from 25th January as part of the Midsumma Festival, 2024.

Ben Zeccola, CEO Palace Theatres and Winner of the 2017 CEO Award, joins Sunday Arts Magazine. Passionate about cinemas and movies from an early age, Ben chats about his background and longtime involvement with cinema.

Recent guest, award winning film critic, Stephen A Russell, returns to Sunday Arts Magazine, talking movies.