The Wolfe Brothers Starting Natural
Australia’s favourite country rockers The Wolfe Brothers are heading back out on the road in 2021 on their Startin’ Something Tour. After signing a new worldwide record deal with BMG Music in 2020 the band released two singles in the second half of the year. The Wolfe Brothers have built an ever-growing fan base from the quality and energy of their live shows, and after a year of being cooped up and unable to travel they are ready to get the party rolling again – all over Australia – with a new show and a bunch of new songs that will take the band up another notch.
Book your tickets and join the ever-expanding Wolfe pack for a great night of Aussie country rock at its best.
Ballina RSL on Saturday 13 March. Tix $35 at www.ballinarsl.com.au/event/the-wolf-brothers.
Get Yourself Write Again
Applications are now open for Byron Writers Festival’s Restart Residential Retreats. The Restart program is funded by Create NSW, who have granted Byron Writers Festival $185,000 to be dispersed to NSW writers, illustrators and creatives. This grant will be disbursed via residencies as well as free workshops for NSW writers and illustrators of all descriptions.
‘The arts community has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic,’ said Byron Writers Festival Director, Edwina Johnson. ‘Our Restart program is a way to offer a broad-reaching rescue package that will help create new works and [offer] valuable professional experiences.’
The Restart program will begin with two residential retreats for NSW writers and illustrators, and will be mentored by some of Australia’s most acclaimed writers. Mentor for the Open Writers and Illustrators Residential Retreat, Ailsa Piper, said of the Restart program, ‘Such a wonderful opportunity! Create NSW and Byron Writers Festival are putting words into action with these initiatives.
‘I’ll be working with them to make the Restart Retreat nurturing, challenging, productive, rigorous and restorative. Oh, and did I mention fun?’
The competitive application process is available on the Byron Writers Festival website at www.byronwritersfestival.com/whats-on/restart-residential-retreats.
Real Worlds
Lismore Regional Gallery is hosting Real Worlds, the fourth Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial is on its national tour from the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The prestigious exhibition opens on Saturday and will be on display in Lismore Regional Gallery until 25 April.
Supported by the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation, this exhibition presents new work by eight contemporary Australian artists who create astonishing new worlds in drawings of great complexity and invention.
Each Biennial has a different curatorial concept and seeks to showcase the vitality and breadth of drawing in contemporary Australian art.
Opening Night: Friday 6pm.
Thinking Through Drawing workshop with Jack Stahel: 11am–1pm Saturday, 6 March.
Lismore Regional Gallery, 11 Rural St, Lismore. www.lismoregallery.org.
Money for Creatives
NORPA is offering two $15,000 residencies in 2021 to support independent artists from across the Northern Rivers region to begin the process of creating, researching and developing new performance works. ‘We are looking for projects that share NORPA’s passion for new, bold and ambitious works, that play with form and challenge the conventions of theatre’ says Julian Louis, NORPA’s Artistic Director and CEO.
Each residency will be provided with up to $15,000 in cash, and in-kind production and venue support should successful applicants wish to work in Lismore City Hall.
To register your interest and confirm location please email [email protected] with the subject ‘Artist Residency’. Information sessions for artists are Tues 16 March. 10.30–11.30am Mullumbimby, then 1.30–2.30pm Murwillumbah, and Wed 17 March 10.30–11.30am Lismore at the NORPA Studio.
Applications close Wednesday 31 March 2021.
For more information visit www.norpa.org.au/opportunities.
Tasting the Tweed
The Tweed Artisan Food Weekend kicks off 11–14 March and is set to deliver a range of bespoke foodie experiences, offering visitors an insider’s view of the stunning northern NSW region. Dynamic venues across the picturesque Tweed Coast to the lush Tweed Valley showcase an array of events that highlight the food culture and collective pride of the producers, chefs and farmers.
The long weekend gives the public the chance to experience the people, the places and the tastes of the Tweed. From farm distillery tours to long table feasts, the Artisan Weekend is abundant with the makers and shakers who form this unique destination.
Indulge in an Oaxaca culinary experience at Lolita’s Mexican Cantina or a Greek inspired five course set banquet at Taverna on the opening night – a prelude to the global flavours of the weekend’s program. The schedule has been arranged to showcase some of the finest Northern Rivers producers: Begining Friday with a sunrise yoga session with Wave Yoga on Cabarita Beach, followed by a wholefood breakfast at Nectar. Delve into coffee production with a tour of Zeta’s Coffee Carool, Tweed’s only coffee plantation. Book Crafty Cow for lunch for a slow cooked smoking barbecue, paired with brews from Stone & Wood beer or spirits from Cabarita’s own Soltera Rum.
Experience a picnic in the paddock for Friday brunch with Blue Ginger Picnics and renowned Chef Christine Manfield. As dusk is falling head to Husk Distillery for a botanic farm tour and cocktail class, and finish off with ‘Traditional Australian’ canapes, cocktails and talks at Harvest Newrybar.
For tickets and full event program visit www.destinationtweed.com.au/tweed-artisan-food-weekend-march-2021-live
Younger Heroes
The Younger Heroes (TYH) organisation is a Bangalow-based charity that launched its programs back in 2017. It grew out of a program that targeted current and ex-members of the Australian Defence Force, recognising the impact of separation on their relationships with their kids. The program took families away camping to reconnect. In 2019 The Younger Heroes program was expanded to include all members of the community as many parents work away from home and need a chance to repatriate what they perceive as a loss. Time away from children in their formative stages of life is a sacrifice many parents lament. They camp out for two nights and three days, and focus on four core objectives: strengthening family bonds, building personal resilience, enhancing communication and encouraging teamwork.
The Younger Heroes are a registered charity and are hosting a golf day fundraiser at the Byron Golf Club on 19 March. They are looking for sponsors and for teams and players!
The fundraiser is for programs running in 2021 nationally, and locally at Uki (26–28 March and then later in September and October).
Registrations are open on www.theyoungerheroes.org
