The school holidays are an excellent time to embrace your artistic side, whether you're creating your own masterpiece or admiring others'. Here are some artsy opportunities that are up for grabs these holidays:
Workshops
Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre
- Tie-Dye workshop
- Turn your plain white clothes into a kaleidoscope of colour
- 12 January 2022
- Book here:
Posca Art on Canvas
- Create art on canvas using Posca pens with local Bundjalung artist Jimmy Wags!
- 19 January 2022
- Book here:
Monthly Weaving Circle
- Learn the ancient craft of weaving in the dappled shade of the trees at Yarrawarra with apprentice weaver and Goori artist Lilly Clegg
- Book here:
The National Art School’s Future Makers Programs
- Zoom classes where students explore drawing techniques, stencilling, watercolour:
- Mini Makers (6–8)
- Art Adventurers (9–12)
- Young Creatives (13–16)
- Book here:
Clay Kit with The Art Dept
- Use creative kids vouchers to buy a ‘clay takeaway’ kit to make pots and clay items at home!
- How to use your voucher:
- Buy here:
Local Shows
Summer Dreams Festival - Support year 12 student James Rothacker
- 17th - 18th December 2022
- Bellingen showgrounds
- More info and booking here:
River Sounds Music Festival
- Two day festival featuring Baker Boy, Regurgitator, Dallas Woods, and many local musicians
- 14th - 15th January 2022
- Bellingen showgrounds
- More info and booking here:
Summer Salt Music Festival
- Featuring Missy Higgins, John Butler, Birds of Tokyo, The Waifs, The Dreggs, Tulliah and more
- Saturday 19th February 2022
- Park Beach Reserve
- Learn more:
- Book here:
Matilda O’Brien Music Night
- an intimate evening of music appreciation as Matilda performs
- 10th December 2021
- In Toormina
- Learn more:
- Book here:
Make sure to stay up to date with the website, as more workshops and events will be announced soon!
Christmas Gift Ideas to Support Local Artists
Supporting local artists and creators is a special way that you can give to your friends and family this Christmas. Here are some ideas from artists, galleries and makers in our local area that would make perfect gifts:
Handmade jewelry from Sapphire Jewels by year 12 student Jess Joice
Unique art pieces from the online Christmas Art Market by The Art Space Urunga
Give a pottery class as a gift or a custom Christmas starwith The Art Dept
Gift an artsy friend with some new art supplies from Island Art Shop in Urunga
Original prints and clothing from local gallery Alykat Creative
Get a cute handmade charm for a pet from Two Cat Creative
Discover more at our local markets:
- Jetty Markets
- Made with Love Markets
- Makers Market at Coffs Central
- Bellingen Community Markets
Visit a Local Art Gallery
Wadjar Regional Indigenous Gallery -
Culture Hub -
Coffs Regional Gallery -
Alykat Gallery -
The Art Space Urunga -
Artspace on 45, Coramba -
Sawtell Art Gallery -
National Cartoon Gallery -
Exciting New Film to Watch at the Cinema or at Home
- The French Dispatch, in cinemas now
- Don’t Look Up, on Netflix December 24
- The Matrix Resurrections, in cinemas on December 26
- West Side Story, in cinemas on December 26
- House Of Gucci, in cinemas January 1
- Belfast, in cinemas February 3
- Loveland, in cinemas on February 10
Galleries + Performances to See on Holiday
Sydney
Visual Arts
Art Gallery NSW
Matisse: Life & Spirit
- 100 works spanning six decades
- until 13 March 2022
- Book here:
Museum of Contemporary Art
Dough Aitken: New Era
- See installations that will envelop you within a kaleidoscope of moving imagery and sound
- until February 6 2022
- Book here:
Powerhouse Museum
- Many exhibitions presenting new perspectives are running these holidays
- More info here:
Theatre
Black Brass by Mararo Wangai of Performing Lines WA
- January 6-23 2022
- Belvoir St Theatre
- Book here:
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by State Theatre Company of South Australia
- January 13-23 2022
- Sydney Opera House
- Book here:
Dance + Musicals
A Chorus Line by Darlinghurst Theatre Company
- January 6-16 at Parramatta Riverside Theatre
- from February 11 at Sydney Opera House
- Book here:
Wudjang: Not the Past by Bangarra Dance Theatre
- January 14 - February 12 2022
- Roslyn Packer Theatre
- Book here:
Canberra
National Art Gallery
Know My Name: Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now
- Free entry
- until 26 January 2022
- Book here:
Jeffery Smart
- from 11 December 2021 until 15 May 2022
- Book here:
National Portrait Gallery
National Photographic Portrait Prize
- until Sunday 16 January 2022
- Book here:
Brisbane
GOMA
APT10 Kids
- Hands-on making and activities
- Interactive art centre featuring projects from across the Asia Pacific region that celebrate inclusion and diversity
- until 25 April 2022
- Free entry
- Learn more:
Fine Lines
- Historical and contemporary art from Asia
- until 22 May 2022
- Free entry
- Learn more:
Get Up, Stand Up
- works by Indigenous Queensland artists
- until 20 November 2022
- Free entry
- Learn more:
View all other exhibitions:
Newcastle
Newcastle Art Gallery
The Art of Protest
- Features politically engaged artists past and present calling for change in their art
- Free entry
- until 30 January 2022
- Learn more:
Enjoy your holidays!