Listen to Community building, interrogation of the digital, and a re-opening.43:1619 June 2020

Richard talks with Mary Jane Warfield from Regional Arts Australia, the Manager of the Regional Arts Fund, which has received a significant increase in funding. She hopes that the money will aid community building in regional areas.

Plus a conversation with Artshouse Artistic Director Emily Sexton about BLEED, a digital festival that will be held in collaboration with Campbelltown Arts Centre. The idea of a digital festival was in the works before the pandemic. Sexton doesn't want to simply use digital technology, but also to interrogate its place in our lives.

Finally Richard talks with Jason Smith, Director and CEO of Geelong Art Gallery which is set to reopen on Monday 22nd June. Smith says that the work people have done to maintain engagement with the arts throughout the pandemic has been terrific, but nothing quite compares to being in the same room as an artwork.

About this program

Visual art, theatre, film and literature. Segments include:

  • 'Art Attack' - fortnightly visual arts reviews with Ace Wagstaff and Tai Snaith.
  • 'Shoot the Messenger' - fortnightly theatre news & reviews with Fleur Kilpatrick.
  • 'Drawn Out' - monthly chat about comic books and graphic novels with Bernard Caleo.

Please email talks@rrr.org.au for all interview requests.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Richard Watts has many years experience working in the arts industry, including five years as the Artistic Director of the youth arts organisation Express Media, seven years on the Board of Melbourne Fringe (including three years as Chair), and six years on the Committee of Management at La Mama Theatre, where he currently serves as Chair. Richard has helped program a range of festivals including Next Wave, the National Young Writers' Festival, the Melbourne Queer Film Festival and the Emerging Writers' Festival (which he founded) and he has written for various broadsheets, journals, zines and magazines. Currently he pays the rent by working as the Performing Arts Editor at www.artshub.com.au. In his spare time he watches old Doctor Who episodes.


The podcast intro and outro theme is Soft Illusion and was generously provided by Andras.

https://andras.bandcamp.com/track/soft-illusion

Presenters