Brunswick Nature Sculpture Walk
Brunswick Heads | Free
No matter how much of a sceptic you are, it’s without a doubt that the planet is in trouble. With the onset of global warming, rising sea levels, overfishing, coral bleaching and the enormous amounts of waste generated by Australians every year, the need to take action, or at least become more informed, can’t be ignored. In order to raise awareness of such issues, this year’s Brunswick Nature Sculpture Walk (BNSW) encompasses all aspects of the environment, from the actual sculptures, to the materials used, to the setting of the exhibition itself. Participating artists Marion Gaemers, Lynnette Griffiths, Lynne Adams and Shona Wilson are offering a masterclass where you will be guided to create a sculptural form from found objects, recycled or re-useable materials, and natural fibres. Discuss their art practice reflecting themes of the environment, current ecological issues or highlighting the need for us to conserve, reuse and recycle, rather than continue to live in such a disposable society.
In addition, given the fact the exhibition is set along the beautiful Brunswick River, visitors are encouraged to immerse themselves completely in their surrounds, admiring not only the incredible artworks but also the natural environment itself.
The BNSW is a free event not to be missed. Not only will you see myriad outstanding sculptures, but you’ll also be doing the environment a favour by becoming more aware and in tune with what needs to be done to save this beautiful planet.
The Brunswick Nature Sculpture Walk is a free event in Brunswick Heads that runs from Friday till Tuesday.
www.brunswicknaturesculpturewalk.com
Country Club Comedy: The Funny Thing about Wynter
Ocean Shores Country Club | Tuesday | 7pm | Free
Jenny Wynter is a comedian and cabaret performer known for her spontaneous, energetic and interactive style of comedy. Warm, friendly and engaging, she credits much of her onstage style to a two-year stint in North America, where she toured her standup throughout Canada with Yuk Yuks and performed as a MainStage cast member with the world-renowned improv company Loose Moose Theatre. She has also trained with Second City, Gary Austin (founder of the Groundlings in LA) and completed a residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada. Jenny has performed standup, improv and her one-woman performances at comedy venues and festivals around the world. She’s a sparkling gem… in fact Michael Pollock, the musical director of Second City LA, whose credits include The Drew Carey Show and The Tonight Show said, ‘I am not exaggerating when I say she possesses a rare quality – a combination of stage presence, wit, intelligence and honesty – that I don’t come across too often’.
She’s a remarkable musician and improviser and her trademark is making up a song about audience members’ lives on the spot!
She is the featured act at the Ocean Shores Country Club for Country Club Comedy on Tuesday with Mandy Nolan as MC and Paul McMahon as support. It’s a free show and kicks off at 7pm.
Sisters of the Sea Exhibition Opening
NRCG |Opens Thursday 5.30–7.30pm | Exhibiting until 21 October
Sisters of the Sea is a group exhibition documenting, revealing and preserving Lennox Head. Natalie’s photos document female surfers, while Narelle’s paintings attempt to preserve original dwellings, evoking a sense of place. Kathleen captures the subtle, often overlooked, hidden patterns and landscapes on the walls and fences in Lennox Head.
Opens at Northern Rivers Community Gallery in Ballina on Thursday 5.30–7.30pm and runs through until Sunday 21 October.
Art in the Pub
Court House Hotel, Mullumbimby | Monday | 6.30pm | Free
If you are going to open your mind to far-reaching concepts, you might as well do it in a pub with a beer.
Art in the Pub at the Court House Hotel welcomes Lynette Griffiths and Marion Gaemers, who met through Flying Arts more than 25 years ago.
Together they work on collaborative projects and are exhibiting two works at the Brunswick Heads Nature walk, those being two large sails and a flotilla of small boats made using found ropes and nets from the beach.
They will be discussing their art practice, the idea of collaboration, and how it is recognised in the art world. Monday at 6.30pm at the Court House Hotel. Free.
Coffee Box Listeners Training Program
Byron Community Centre |10am – 4pm | Monday–Fridays.
Great things can happen when great ideas and stories are shared! The Coffee Box Listeners is launching this October, during Mental Health Month. Lisa Apostolides, director of Byron Youth Theatre, was watching a YouTube clip about an initiative in the US while she was having a cuppa at the Coffee Cart on Jonson Street. She enthusiastically shared the idea with the team at the Community Centre, who embraced it as wonderful thing to do.
‘I loved the simplicity of what I saw in the clip,’ shares Lisa, ‘ordinary people meeting and sharing with other people, breaking down isolation, loneliness and sharing our humanity’. Lisa, along with Cherie Bromley, Community Programs manager, Pippy Wardell, Volunteer Hub co-ordinator, Anna Parker, Communication coach and Margie O’Sullivan, counsellor, will be coordinating the program by offering a Deep Listening training session at the Community Centre on Thursday from 2 till 3.30pm.
Every Thursday in October from 10am till 12 noon, trained volunteers will be at the Coffee Box to listen to anyone who wants to come and share. The Coffee box is located next to the post office on Jonson St, Byron Bay. To register your interest please complete a volunteer’s application online at www.byroncentre.com.au or call 6685 6807. Or visit the Community Centre between 10am and 4pm, Monday–Fridays.
Byron Bay Film Festival
12–21 October
Chosen from nearly 1,000 submitted works, the films selected for this year’s Byron Film Festival reflect the progressive, relaxed, yet engaged ethos of Byron Bay, where surfing, the environment, music, art, health and social activism are key concerns of everyday life. This year the span reaches from the surf off Sierra Leone to the limpid waters of Hawaii’s Kauai Island, from the smoggy bustle of downtown Manila to the infinitely clear and silent skies that dominate the night in Chile’s Atacama Desert. Documentaries explore the hidden world of the internet’s ‘content moderators’, the ever expanding role of Artificial Intelligence in our lives, two very different ground-breaking Japanese artists, young Buddhist monks, and how dogs can help us to lead saner lives. The late Rob Stewart’s courageous inquiry into the horrific shark-finning industry has particular relevance for the north coast. Local and talented young Australian documentary filmmakers are prominent alongside their international peers, with stimulating studies of men’s mental health, obsessive pop fandom, the importance of Aboriginal culture, and the crisis in the Kimberley – and the Latrobe Valley. A standout film is Dying to Live from Frackman director Richard Todd, which looks searchingly at Australians’ seeming reluctance to donate their organs for transplant. There are also Australian-made dramas showing that will launch their directors, writers and actors onto the world stage, although some, such as the creator of Jirga, Benjamin Gilmour, are there already, following the film’s sensational reception at the recent Toronto International Film Festival. The Byron screening is a sneak preview before Jirga has its theatrical release, and will be presented in person by Gilmour – now a Byron Shire resident.
Other dramas range from dark and almost surreal comedies from Latvia and Iran, romances blossoming within war zones (and an abattoir), and adventures from the Arctic to the south of France. A supernatural thriller, The School, is another product of a Byron Shire team.
This 10-day extravaganza of entertainment, learning and fun is on in Byron over 12–21 October. Tix and program info at bbff.com.au.
Big Gig comedy with MC Mandy Nolan, Dan Willis & Robert Grayson
Ballina RSL | Thursday | 8pm | Free
This month lovers of comedy are in for a treat at the hugely popular cult comedy destination The Big Gig (at the Ballina RSL). It’s headed up every month by the mama of mirth, Ms Mandy Nolan, and features a national headline comic. This month it’s Dan Willis, star of the UK comedy circuit and travelling show The Best of Brit Comedy. Dan is also a regular on Britain’s Channel 4’s Kings of Comedy and Edinburgh or Bust.
Don’t miss his show at the Ballina RSL this Thursday at 8pm with Robert Grayson as support. Starts at 8pm. And it’s Free! Don’t be late – it packs out!
Impossible by Circus Arts Performance Troupe
Circus Arts, Byron A&I Estate | Friday 6pm + Saturday 2pm & 6pm
Every week parents drop their kids off at Circus Arts in Byron so the good people there can work their magic. The crew don’t just teach incredible circus skills – acrobatics, balance, aerials, juggling and the like – they also come up with a show to showcase the talent. There are always those kids who stand out – the Circus Arts Performance Troupe are those kids, so don’t miss their show Impossible. It’s something you’ll be muttering the whole time, especially if you are a 50-year-old woman like me.
Friday and Saturday at Circus Arts. Tickets online at circusarts.com.au.
Bright Lights Performance School Presents Annie Jr
The Byron Theatre | Saturday 29 September – 2pm and 6.30pm | Sunday 30 September – 2pm
Bright Lights Performance School Musical Theatre students proudly present the smash hit musical comedy Annie JR. An exciting stage production for the whole family, the show is directed by Rebecca Balfour and choreographed by Lee Purdie.
Annie was a baby when she was abandoned on the front steps of the New York Municipal Orphanage, with half a locket and a note from her parents promising to return to her one day. Now, 11 years later, this young orphan girl still lives in the miserable orphanage run by the terrible Miss Hannigan. Annie’s hopeless situation changes dramatically when she is invited to spend Christmas with the very wealthy businessman Oliver Warbucks. Annie quickly charms the Warbucks mansion and they create a warm bond through which Mr Warbucks offers to help her find her parents.
However, evil is about, when Miss Hannigan’s brother, Rooster, and a female accomplice plan to impersonate her long-lost parents in a plot that puts Annie in great danger!
Don’t miss this musical extravaganza and relive the songs you know and love! Annie JR will be presented by our talented, vibrant students.
The Byron Theatre on Saturday 29 September at 2pm and 6.30pm, and Sunday 30 September at 2pm. Tix available online www.byroncentre.com.au or call 6685 6807.
