Podcasts about smartarts

Although the podcast format of SmartArts has now wrapped, this show continues to be broadcast on Triple R. You can now listen to new episodes on Triple R's FM On Demand service at rrr.org.au/explore/programs/smartarts.Thanks for listening!

SmartArts takes over the Triple R Performance Space for a very special broadcast to celebrate the show's 20th anniversary!Richard Watts OAM first brought Triple R's flagship morning arts program to life in December 2004, hosting hundreds of conversations every year with local artists, established talent and international touring legends from across the visual and performing arts spectrum. Listen back to this celebration of twenty years on the airwaves, broadcast live from the Triple R Performance Space, featuring an assortment of talent including: A live stand-up set and interview with comedian Tom Ballard. Berlin's "prince and pricess of art rock and Europop" Otto & Astrid who perform their track Tasty Snak. Bernard Caleo chooses his favourite comics of the year. An interview with photographer and visual artist Pia Johnson. Actor and theatremaker Candy Bowers performs YO MAMA SO PHAT from her show 'Australian Booty' (with music by Busty Beatz). Theatre icons Susie Dee and Patricia Cornelius read from Patricia's play SHIT, and chat theatre with reviewer Anne-Marie Peard. An interview with MTC's Artistic Director Anne-Louise Sarks. Comedian and musician Geraldine Quinn performs The Peel from 'The Last Gig in Melbourne'. Tai Snaith chooses her favourite exhibition of the year, and the past 20 years! And a chat with MQFF Program Director Cerise Howard. To listen back to the whole broadcast, including live music from Peggy Frew and Guy Blackman and the GBs, head to the Triple R website: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/programs/smartarts/episodes/31949-smartarts-20th-anniversary-special

Buckle in for another ride of the SmartArts-coaster! Richard Watts OAM, is here to guide you through all the twists, turns and thrills of this weeks episode… Kicking off with a Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) program overview with program director Cerise Howard and CEO David Martin Harris. MQFF is screening across Melbourne from November 14-24, tickets available now.Visual artist, Dominic Kavanagh, is in the studio to talk about his work ‘The Blooming'. It's a Lennox award-winning artwork, on display now at The Lennox, 208 Lennox Street Richmond, until November 3rd.Spinning Plates Co-founders, Jess Stanley and James Cerche discuss working once more with the team behind The Crocodile to create Rhinoceros at Fortyfivedownstairs. Plus, we get a Sydney Festival 2025 program overview with Festival Director Olivia Ansell https://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/

This week on SmartArts with Richard Watts,As we all know, Melbourne is the most Irish city in Australia, and Dr Enda Murray, the Festival Director of the 2024 Irish Film Festival is here to tell us how we can embrace our Irish-ness through cinema. Showing from 24-27 October, find something on the program for yourself here: https://irishfilmfestival.com.au/ Academy Award winning filmmaker and artist, Adam Elliot has a new exhibition showing at Beinart Gallery. Opening on October 26th, All The Lonely People is a personal collection, resonating with the same melancholy and emotional depth characterising Elliot's film work. As we've been launching the various calendars for Melbourne's performing art scene, it is now time to launch next years Victorian Opera 2025 season with Artistic Director Stuart Maunder! Have a look at the full 2025 program here: https://www.victorianopera.com.au/victorian-opera-announces-season-2025/ Richard is joined by the world renowned, host, actor, writer, comedian, philosopher Stephen Fry to answer the big questions. What is art? How do you choose an acting role? And of course, what do we need to know about his upcoming Australian tour, An Evening with Stephen Fry? Hopefully all questions are answered but here's the link for tickets and more info if you need it: https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=STEPHENF24&v=PLN Co-Artistic Directors Emma Valente and Kate Davis come on to discuss their project, THE RABBLE's Wake. It is showing 25/10 and 26/10 at Burrinja Cultural Centre in Upwey, tickets available here: https://thesubstation.org.au/program/wake Merlynn Tong, writer and co-star of Golden Blood, the story of a brother and sister left to fend for themselves in Singapore. Showing at Melbourne Theatre Company with a preview performance on the 25th and Opening Night on October 31st.Plus, Anne Marie Peard, wraps up Melbourne Fringe for another year!

Host of Twang, Denise Hylands OAM and Richard Watts OAM, host of SmartArts, celebrate 60 years of broadcast between them; award-winning author André Dao talks about his novel Anam which has won the 2024 Prime Minister's Literary Awards; Dr Jen explains how chatbots can aid in talking people out of conspiracy theories for Weird Science; physical comedy maker Kimberley Twiner chats about the upcoming Fringe show Gina Rhinestone; Justin 'Digga' Calverley tells us all about unusual summer vegetable varieties; and former Breakfaster Geraldine Hickey comes back for some fun times! With presenters Monique Sebire, Daniel Burt & Nat Harris.Website: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/programs/breakfasters/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Breakfasters3RRRFM/Twitter: https://twitter.com/breakfasters

Welcome to another fabulous episode of SmartArts, where Richard Watts OAM is serving up a delightful platter of comic book chat, theatre and art.First up, it's Bernard Caleo's monthly Drawn Out comic books segment. To talk about the upcoming Femmural production, Dredge, is Rosa Ablett-Johnstone, Producer & cast member and Jack Brumeister, Composer & Sound Designer. Opening at Theatreworks on September 18, Dredge is an immersive and physical piece which is an adaptation of its initial 2022 run - tickets available here.Chloe Powell, artistic director of Radiant Pavilion 2024 comes in to tell us about the Contemporary Jewellery & Object Biennial - a celebration of contemporary jewellery and object, Radiant Pavilion brings together 100+ local and international jewellery and object makers in 60 events across the Melbourne CBD and inner metro over nine days.Rick Prakhoff, artistic director of the Melbourne Bach Choir & Zelman Symphony tells us all about their upcoming performance of Verdi's Requiem. Richard finds out more about the wellbeing aspects of choral singing and how being part of a choir helps you find your own voice. Artist Michael Fikaris' new exhibition Where Ends Meet is on now at Backwoods Gallery in Collingwood, exploring 200 pieces exploring comics, painting and collaboration.Plus, Anne Marie Peard joins us for theatre reviews.

Richard is joined in today's show of Smartarts by a whirlpool of talent including: artist Cindy Campbell, Sharmini Kumar & Arthur Pontonio of Around the World in 80 Days and Paul Mitchell & Theresa Borg who discuss their latest theatrical, You're the Man.From the behind the scenes we peak into an array of art organisations hosted by guests from the likes of MAGMA gallery director Jake Taylor, executive director of Arts Project Australia Liz Nowell & CEO of Arts Access Victoria Joshua Pether.Finally to conclude, Richard brings Anne Marie Peard to review the latest and greatest of theatre.

Richard Watts OAM reporting for SmartArts! As always, he's here to give you an inside look into the fabulous people behind all of the brilliant goings-on of Naarm's flourishing art scene. Let's go!Amid the housing crisis, Midsumma's CEO Karen Bryant is on the hunt for office space. The festival is Australia's premier queer arts and cultural organisation, bringing together a diverse mix of LGBTQIA+ artists, performers, communities and audiences. So, got a spare 200m sq space for a few legendary creatives? Get in touch: admin@midsumma.org.au What do you know about Romeo & Julie? You read that right. Director Kamarra Bell-Wykes and actor Damon Baudin are in the studio to tell us about the Red Stitch production of Romeo & Julie which has previews 20 - 23 July, and is showing for Season 24 July - 18 August. Opera Australia's staging of Breaking the Waves is coming to Hamer Hall, at the Arts Centre Melbourne on Friday July 26. To tell us all about the opera based on Lars von Trier's 1996 film is Jennifer Black, Lead Soprano, who plays the role of Bess.Queer artist and performer Tristan Meecham has a new gig hosting the Arts Centre Melbourne audio series ‘Queering the Collection' available to listen to now here (spotify) and here (itunes)Plus, art world figure Melissa Loughnan has been appointed by Melbourne Art Fair as Fair Director for 2025 and beyond. Hear her speak about her future vision for the Fair and what the opportunity means to her.And of course, Anne-Marie Peard, is in for her Theatre Review round-up.

SmartArts with Richard Watts OAM back to keep you company on these chilly winters days...Starting out with Artist Kate Wallace on her new exhibition ‘Details of a room and other places' - on now at LON Gallery. In the coming years there will be a big redevelopment of the Melbourne Arts Precinct & the Queen Victoria Market - to tell all about it is Principal Architect at NH Architecture, Emily Von Moger. The new exhibition ‘Brand New' at Fortyfivedownstairs gallery shows a behind the scenes look at the development process.To tell us about the return season of Three Magpies Perched in A Tree is the award winning Ngarrindjeri Wathaurong playwright, Glenn Shea. Glenn joins Richard to talk through what it's like to revive art and give performances a second life. Showing at LaMama Courthouse from August 14-25.Writer and producer Future D Fidel and Director Budi Miller talk of the opening of their play La Belle Epoque at Theatreworks.Plus, artist Gabrielle Leah New tells us about her work Reclaim the Crone, showing at the Explosives Factory from the 17-27 of July.

For one week more, Oliver Coleman keeps the seat nice and toasty for resident SmartArts host, Richard Watts. And what a cracking show to end the run!Writer Georgia Ketals & scent artist Erin Adams tell us about Recollection, a unique play that offers a sensory experience. Based on a story about a mother trying to recreate her late daughters smell, it's an aromatic journey that guides the audience by the nostrils. The show is on at Fortyfivedownstairs from the 26th of June until the 7th of July - get tickets here.Moira Finucane & performer Piera Dennerstein, on the latest Finucane & Smith production The Exotic Lives of Lola Montez. In this chat we hear about the trials and tribulations of these effervescent artists while learning about the history of theatres original bad girl… The show will be on from 20th to 30th of June at Chapel Off Chapel - and Piera delights with a performance from the show!The CEO of Arts Access Victoria, Caroline Bowditch on 50 years of Arts Access Victoria, ‘The Collective!' a month long exhibition celebrating AAV's past, present and further throughout July for Disability Pride Month. We hear about the origins of the orginisation in prisons, hospitals, residential care and how it has evolved to bring art to hundreds of people every week.Plus, writer and director Francis Greenslade & actor John Leary are in the studio to talk their show The Platypus premiering at Theatre Works from 19 June - 6 July. John divulges what it's like to become the leading man, and Francis brags about his perfect marriage.

Back to fill the enormous SmartArts shoes of Richard Watts OAM is resident funny guy, Oliver Coleman.Kicking off the show is Tai Smith with the latest visual arts reccs - think cutesy wholesome for the Under Five Windows exhibition at A Reading Room, collaging fun at the Ripped - a Punk Collage Workshop, and writing extravaganzas at Alta Forma. Multidisciplinary artist, Lisa Waup, tells us about her experience creating fashion for the Piinpi: Contemporary Indigenous Fashion exhibition which is now showing at Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre. On until November 17, go and see the inspired and revolutionary wearable art made by First Nations artists right around the country. Lucy Guerin, dancer and choreographer, shares her experience creating her latest performance for RISING 2024, One Single Action. In this piece, “two dancers traverse a narrow path, in and out of sync, in conflict and in harmony”. The opening show is June 13 and there are 4 performances happening over that weekend - get in quick, tickets are selling fast.Then, Carita Farrer Spencer, director at the National Circus Centre (NICA) joins Oliver to give all the goss on the NICA third year students ensemble show, Famous. This narrative circus performance is running from June 14-22 at the NICA Centre in Prahan! Find tickets here.Plus, theatre's darling, Anne-Marie Peard, serves up a multitude of fun, funky, experimental, fascinating and interactive shows happening all around you right now.

Welcome back to another instalment of SmartArts! Oliver Coleman is steering the ship for you again and boy are we in for a cruisy ride... First up, CLIPPED music video festival director Samuel Bright and James Tran going Oliver to talk all things CLIPPEDKilda, music video festival championing the underrepresented creative community behind music videos! If, like Oliver, you dedicated Saturday mornings to hours and hours of RAGE… this cinema style screening of music videos will be right up your alley… Director Tom Healey comes in to talk through his latest production, Red Stitch's Blackout Songs. It is a two hander performance which explores love, addiction and memory. Open from June 5, tickets are available here.Then, we get a MIFF 2024 First Glance programming announcement, by Artistic Director Al Cossar! He discusses highlights of first films confirmed for opening night, music on film gala and other premieres to pencil into your diary.Plus, much treasured theatre goer and reviewer, Anne-Marie Peard, tells us all the hottest stuff hitting our stages this week!

Oliver Coleman takes the SmartArts seat this week, and he's keeping it toasty for the next few weeks while Richard is on break. Tai Snaith comes in for Art Attack to talk all things Melbourne Design Week and Melbourne's thriving design scene. Oliver and Tai recommend finding an art opening and going along!Mark Poston, event creator and friend of Shannon Michael Cane, gives us a look into the life of times of his dear friend, and tells us about the upcoming RISING event in his honour. Shannon Michael Cane, Someone Great - A Celebration is an exhibition, a remembering, and a party. Limited tickets still available. Artist Michelle Hamer's latest work, I'm A Believer, is an exploration into chronic health issues and gendered language in the health system, as well as a lack of access and erasure for people experiencing difficulty getting a diagnosis or even help. The exhibition is showing at the Linden New Art Gallery - with the opening night event happening on Saturday, June 1st and showing until August 25th. The Victorian Government Inquiry into Women's Pain submissions can be made here.Plus, artist Melanie Lane and composer Chris Lane (AKA Clark) discuss their collaboration RISING Festival 2024. Arkadia is a mythic dance opera that imagines life and afterlife in a garden of paradise - how divine! Find tickets here.

This week, Dan & Steph Teitelbaum take the SmartArts reins and gallop effortlessly into another episode... this episode (as always) is jampacked with recommendations, artist deep dives and what's coming up in Melbourne's performing arts scene.Tai Snaith gives a raving review of ACCA's current exhibition Oui Move In You by artist Laure Prouvost for Art Attack. Director Gavin Webber, from the Queensland based dance-company ‘The Farm' comes into the studio to talk all things Hold Me Closer Tony Danza - an immersive dance production at Monash Performing Arts Centre running from May 1-3, 2024. Any one itching to be part of a dance off à la Michael Jackson's Beat It should not miss this one...Arts Wellbeing Collective's Head of Program Jim Rimmer joins the team to discuss the launch of Navigate Well a free resource/career guide for arts sector workers especially gig workers & freelancers.Anne-Marie Peard comes in to share all the theatre you should be seeing around Melbourne over the next couple of weeks - including an immersive dining experience? Delicious…PLUS Drag and visual artists, The Huxleys, beam in to tell all on their new exhibition as part of Southside Festival 2024 (May 10-19), Gender Fluids - exploring the gender fluidity of sea creatures.

SmartArts' 19th birthday was celebrated on the day of broadcast (December 14, 2023), which was also Richard's last show for 2023! Richard is joined by Liam James, Deputy Director of Linden New Art. They discuss the gallery's Postcard Show 2023-24; how it celebrates the hobby artists, makes art accessible and defies the meaning of “postcard”. Richard also hears about fortyfivedownstairs' 2024 program from Artistic Director, Cameron Lukey. Plus, everything you need to know about the Women's Circus Member Cabaret as told by Kate Fryer, co-director, and Hanne Grant, communications manager and circus performer, in the lead up to their annual showcase.

As part of the publicity for Monument at Red Stitch Actors' Theatre, I've done a number of radio interviews. This episode is a compilation of three of my favourite radio conversations.So much about theatre and live performance is ephemeral, so including these in my podcast feed is a way to archive interesting conversations about the play. And even though art and writing can and should speak for itself and stand alone, I also really believe that artists should be part of the conversation about their work.Listen to these interviews in full and check out other conversations with interesting artists by following:Steff Kechaya on Arts Weekly on 3MBS MelbourneYvette Kean on She Bop on 3CR RadioRichard Watts on SmartArts on Triple RRead the play!Monument by Emily SheehanBuy online at ReadingsBuy online at BooktopiaBuy online at Currency Press

It's Radiothon time here at Triple R - the time of the year we ask our listeners to help support SmartArts and all the other programs on RRR by financially supporting the station by taking out a subscription.Listen to a very special edition of SmartArts as Richard is joined by regular guests and mainstays of Melbourne's Arts & Culture community to talk about the importance of independent media. Tai Snaith and Bernard Caleo continue their regular segments, ‘Art Attack' and ‘Drawn Out'; Executive director of Theatre Works, Dianne Toulson and McClelland Sculpture Gallery director Lisa Byrne explore the impact of Triple R on the art scene in Melbourne; Comedian Damian Callinan and arts journalist Anne-Marie Peard talk their personal experiences being part of the vibrant Triple R community.to subscribe to Triple R & SmartArts, head to rrr.org.au/radiothon

Arts journalist, critic and broadcaster Richard Watts joins Liz and Ben on a trip sideways in time with reluctant wizard Mervin (with a V) in Pratchett's 1995 short story "Once and Future", originally published in the Arthurian collection Camelot. As he stands on the beach waiting for the right hopeful king to come along, professional time traveler Mervin recounts his story of how he became stranded in a sideways version of medieval Britain. Here the stories of Arthurian myth are more or less real - though one notable figure is missing... With his knowledge of modern technology, a stash of emergency supplies and help from sharp local girl Nimue, he has a plan to fill the gaps in this other history... Pratchett explores a new angle on the Matter of Britain, mixing sci-fi and engineering into a story about stories and "a world that's not exactly memory and not exactly story". Published in between Interesting Times and Maskerade, but stewing in his head for a decade before that, it features some of Pratchett's most developed ideas about time travel, and was something he was proud and fond of. He even thought of turning his more extensive writings for it into a novel! Did you enjoy Pratchett's take on the practicalities of time travel? Would you have the skills to make it as a time traveler? Does it have the beginnings of a full-length novel? And what's the best thing you've ever found in a charity shop? ...we're not sure where that one fits in either, but you asked so we answered! (Thanks Ryn.) Join the conversation using the hashtag #Pratchat49 on social media. Guest Richard Watts is indeed a titan of the Melbourne arts community. He's best known as a journalist for ArtsHub, where he is the National Performing Arts Editor, and as the host of SmartArts, 3RRR's long-running weekly arts programme. As well as being named a living legend of the Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2019, Richard's contributions to the arts were further recognised in 2021 when he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards. He's also written for roleplaying games including Call of Cthulhu, Elric!, Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse and Wraith: The Oblivion. You can find Richard online as @richardthewatts on Twitter. As usual, you can find notes and errata for this episode on our web site. Next episode is our fiftieth - and to celebrate, we're cracking open Nanny Ogg's Cookbook! This is Pratchett's 1999 collaboration with Stephen Briggs and Tina Hannan, the latter of whom is responsible for the actual recipes inside - some of which we'll be trying out with our very special returning guest, comedian and author Cal Wilson! We're also hoping to cook up something a little extra to send your way around Hogswatch as well... For now though, send us your questions - about the book, the recipes, Nanny's etiquette advice or even just doing a Pratchett podcast for over four years. Use the hashtag #Pratchat50, or send us an email to chat@pratchatpodcast.com.

This week on SmartArts, Theatre-maker Mark Salvestro joins Richard to discuss ‘The Will to Be’, an award-winning solo show running at La Mama as part of Midsumma 2021. The piece blends Shakespearean language and Australian history to explore societal attitudes towards homosexuality in the 1960s.Artistic Director of Circa Yaron Lifschitz introduces the company’s latest performance, ‘Shawn the Sheep’s Circus Show’ produced in collaboration with UK animation studio Aardman.Finally, artist Kyoko Imazu talks about ‘Mayflies and Stars’, a visual arts exhibition at ArtSpace in Ringwood. Created during last year’s lockdown, the display draws attention to the tiny creatures who share the world with us through intricate paper cuts and shadow puppetry.

Creator and Performer Michelle Myers talks about her solo show ‘And Then She Became a Chair’, playing at Theatre Works in St Kilda. Developed during her four years in Berlin, Myers describes the piece as “a show about death but in a tropical paradise”.Writer and Director Dean Bryant joins Richard ahead of ‘Well, That Happened’, a one-weekend-only event in February celebrating the reopening of the Melbourne Theatre Company’s Sumner Theatre. This stripped-back verbatim performance sees MTC favourites such as Esther Hannaford, Zahra Newman and Eddie Perfect reminisce on the year that was. Finally, Shini Pararajasingham, Founder and Director of Off the Kerb gallery tells of four new upcoming exhibitions supporting emerging visual artists in Melbourne. Simon O’Carrigan’s ‘A Shared Path’ features watercolour landscapes evoking the Merri Creek area, Nicholas Aplin’s ‘Towering’ contains brutalist yet beautiful North Melbourne housing landscapes, Kara Mandell’s ‘In The Beginning’ draws connections between the cosmos and human body, and Sara Deane’s ‘Colours of Jaipur’ is a response to the vibrant architecture of the northern Indian city.

Ireland in the mid-1800s was not a particularly happy or pleasant time as it was the period of the Great Hunger. Tom Sullivan, writer and director of the film, ARRACHT joins Richard to chat about the impact of the great hunger on Irish Culture and the way it's explored in ARRACHT. Every year, Creative Partnerships Australia gives out awards to celebrate philanthropy in the arts sector. Richard is joined by the CEO of Creative Partnerships Australia, Fiona Menzies, to discuss the 2020 awards winners, plus provide an overview of the awards and why philanthropy is an important part of the arts sector. Waanyi artist Judy Watson and Kokatha and Nukunu artist Yhonnie Scarce share recent and personally painful histories of the destruction, exploitation, and degradation of land and of colonisation. Curator of the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Hetti Perkins discusses with Richard Judy and Yhonnie’s latest exhibition Looking Glass. Detailing Australia’s secret and dirty war—a battle fought on many fronts from colonial massacres to Stolen Generations, from the Maralinga bomb tests to the climate emergency. Looking Glass is being exhibited at TarraWarra from November 28th to March 8th.The Melbourne Fringe Festival is a mix of wacky and wonderful shows. Two such shows are CATS: The Movie, the Musical, The Production, The Artist & Lousical The Musical, created by Jean Tong and Lou Wall respectively. One is a mockumentary that punches down on a musical that has been “piss taken to the ends of the Earth and back,” whilst the other is a pop music comedy, part stand up, part song, and part “online meme content”. Both shows were available to stream online as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival’s 2020 programming. ARRACHT (Trailer) | YouTubeIreland Picks ‘Arracht’ for Oscars’ International Feature Film Race | VarietyMeet our 2020 Creative Partnerships Award recipients | Creative Partnerships AustraliaMATCH Lab | Creative Partnerships AustraliaPlus1 | Creative Partnerships AustraliaLooking Glass | TarraWarra Museum of ArtCATS: The Movie, the Musical, The Production, The Artist | Melbourne FringeLousical The Musical | Melbourne Fringe

This week on SmartArts, Richard chats with Simon Abrahams, the Creative Director and CEO of Melbourne Fringe about the plans for the upcoming festival. Simon outlines plans on how the festival will adapt around covid-19 with four planned scenarios in the works, from business-as-usual to a full lockdown. One way or another the show must go on.Melbourne Theatre Company are facing a different set of challenges. Richard discusses these with the Executive Director Virginia Lovett. MTC heavily relies on their live audience, so Lovett predicts it will be a long time until the MTC returns to profitability. She hopes that the organisation will receive external support to continue their work.Richard continues the theme with Jessica Bridgfoot, the Director of Bendigo Art Gallery. She's overseeing the grand re-opening of the gallery this week. She is optimistic about the future saying "if anything, the pandemic's demonstrated how agile we can all be".

This week on SmartArts, Richard speaks with regular guest Tai Snaith about creative and educational activities you can undertake with your children, delving into the unconscious, with ideas around dreaming and free association.Artist Deanne Gilson joins Richard to discuss her work as part of Affirmation, an exhibition which will be shown online via the Koori Heritage Trust. Gilson works in multiple mediums to reinterpret colonial images of Aboriginal people through a black lens. She says that Aboriginal artistic practise is “all healing. It’s all part of our journey, part of unpacking our past.”Plus a conversation with Janet McLeod, the curator of Local Laughs Online about how covid-19 is impacting comedians and the way in which online platforms are changing the creative practice of comedy.

On this episode of SmartArts, Richard explores the creative ways that arts workers are adapting to the pandemic.He talks to Tai Snaith about the art projects she's doing with her kids. Tai is looking for the positives, which for her is spending time with her family enjoying the natural world.Richard talks to Greta Bradman of the Arts Wellbeing Collective about ways for arts workers to look after their mental health in this time of uncertainty for the industry. She says that as well as exercising for our bodies, people should be exercising their minds, their creativity and their social heart.Finally Richard talks to Bryony Nainby who is the director of Craft Gallery and the curator of Objects Of Love, which is an exhibition of artworks that symbolise love across a diversity of cultures. Originally intended to be a live exhibition, the Craft Gallery have moved to a virtual exhibition on their website.

This episode of SmartArts is hosted by Daniel Santangeli, filling in for Richard Watts.Have you ever wondered about deaf-culture? Curious about deaf-lead creative practices and projects? Anna Seymour comes into the studio and breaks down Mini SPIN, an immersive and interactive dance rave for deaf, CODA and hearing children and their families, taking place at Northcote Town Hall.Also joining Daniel: Jacqui Stockdale talks about her exhibition The Long Shot, looking at the women, First Nations people and Chinese Australians who were a part of the Kelly story and educator and curator David Menzies with artist Tasmia Islam about Top Arts 2020, an annual showcase of senior students in Victoria on display at the NGV.

Richard talks to Jo Lloyd about her entrance in the 2020 Keir Choreographic Awards semi-finals. Lloyd says that the competition format creates a rigid framework, but the results can be quite diverse. Lloyd's work, That's Her Name, is informed by her choreographic principle to "make Your Own Disneyland".Richard talks to Troy Innocent, who is a games designer and researcher at RMIT, about his new app 64 Ways of Being. 64 Ways of Being uses augmented reality to explore concepts for which there is no English word.Richard talks to dancer, activist and polymath Mallika Sarahbhai and artist and curator Nithya Nagarajan about their work SVA Kranti: The Revolution Within. Sarahbai's family was involved in the revolutionary struggle of Mahatma Ghandi. She has always seen her art as an extension of her activism, inspired by her mother doing the same.

On this episode, Richard is joined by Ilbijerri Theatre Company Artistic Director Rachael Maza to talk about Black Ties, playing as part of the Asia TOPA festival in Melbourne, Australia. Also, curator Annika Aitken discusses the Japanese Modernism exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, and Victorian Opera CEO Elizabeth Hill-Cooper chats about their production Salome.

Richard talks to David Woods and Jon Haynes about The Importance of Being Earnest. They discussed how to move a classic work like this beyond being “comfort food” for the audience.Richard then spoke to Victor Griss from Counihan Gallery. The gallery is expanding and has three new exhibitions. f_OCUS features women’s works from their collection. Histrionic and Screen Time examine the interconnected phenomena of online culture and surveillance culture.Finally Richard spoke to playwright Kim Ho about The Great Australian Play. This play explores the story of Lasseter’s Reef. Kim feels that the DNA of colonial Australia can be distilled into the folly of this expedition.

This week's SmartArts is hosted by Daniel Santangeli, filling in for Richard Watts.Daniel reviews theatre with Fleur Kilpatrick on the regular Shoot the Messenger segment. They discuss Birdoir, New Balance, and The Feather in the Web. This segment contains explicit content.Then Daniel talks to Phaptawan Suwannakudt about Knowledge in Your Hands, Eyes and Mind. This work focuses on a temple Phaptawan grew up around, and the art of temple murals. The title refers to knowledge acquired through action, through observation and through thought. Daniel finishes the show talking to Shelley Lasica about her two upcoming dance performances The Design Plot and Greater Union. Shelley considers form and context as an intrinsic part of all of her works.

Richard and Bernard Caleo discuss comics in the monthly Drawn Out segment. This month they talk about Ubby’s Underdogs by Brenton McKenna and My Big Life by Bailey Sharpe.Then Richard talks to Ben Northey, the conductor of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, about the upcoming performance of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Ben discusses the role of a conductor and how he found himself in this role of artistic leader and “benevolent dictator”.Finally Richard talks to playwright Lachlan Philpott and musician Paul Mac about their upcoming show The Rise and Fall of Saint George. This work is based on real events experienced by Paul Mac during Australia’s same sex marriage referendum.

Richard chats to Bernard Caleo about the latest comics, Theatreworks General Manager Dianne Toulson for their 2020 program and Melinda Martin, Director of Linden New Art for the Linden Postcard Show.

Richard discusses a program overview of Asia TOPA with Artistic Director Stephen Armstrong and Associate Director Kate Ben-Tovim. Armstrong says that one of the major themes running through the program is "how the past is a ballast for the present and the future."Richard discusses a new book The Australian Musical: From the Beginning with Co-author Peter Wyllie Johnston. This comprehensive history is a work of passion from two people who have a lifetime love of musical theatre. Wyllie Johnston started his first scrapbook on musical theatre at age eleven. His collection of information culminated in a PhD on the subject and now this book. He says his co-author, Peter Pinne, is equally as passionate. Richard talks to Alison Croggon about her new Platform Paper on arts criticism. Alison is an award-winning critic and creative and addresses the question 'why is arts criticism important?'.

CEO at Midsumma Festival Karen Bryant joins Richard to discuss some of the highlights of the upcoming festival, whick takes over Melbourne, Australia for an epic 22-day celebration of queer arts and culture in January and February. Also on the show, Contemporary Art Curator at National Gallery of Victoria Pip Wallis previews the world premiere exhibition Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines, showing at the NGV International until April 2020. Lastly, Artistic Director at Patalog Theatre Co. Ben Walter talks about their production of the Simon Stephens play Punk Rock showing at Fortyfive Downstairs in Melbourne.

What's in a name? Richard speaks with Geelong Arts Centre (formerly called Geelong Performing Arts Centre) CEO Joel McGuinness about the Centre's re-badging, to coincide with a mammoth $38.5 million redevelopment. They chat about how the Centre will cater to Geelong's diverse and evolving arts ecosystem as the city continues to grow, and look ahead to some highlights from the Centre's eclectic program.He's also joined by celebrated contemporary artist Louise Weaver to talk about her exhibition Between appearances: the art of Louise Weaver at Buxton Contemporary (Melbourne, Australia) - a unique collection of works spanning fantastical creatures, iridescent other worlds, minutely observed details from nature, uncanny objects and unsettling organic forms.Richard also delves into the provocative 'non-traditional musical' Kiss of the Spider Woman, showing at the Melbourne Theatre Company. Joined by cast member Natalie Gamsu and Assistant Director/Assistant Choreographer Luca Dinardo, they discuss the process of adapting the piece for the Melbourne audience, how the cast and crew worked together to present the production in a new light and the challenges of engaging (or not) with reviews.

Richard talks to Wesley Enoch, the Artistic Director of Sydney Festival 2020. They discuss Sydney Festival's extraordinary contribution of commissioning 46 new works from both Australian and International artists.Following that Richard talks to Women's Circus Executive Producer Devon Taylor and Creative Director Penelope Bartlau about their new show Drill. Drill explores the alternative history of the drill hall within which Women's Circus meets. Their focus on women, trans and non-binary stories subverts the history of this previously male-only space.Finally Richard talks to Curator Victor Griss and Artists Janelle Low and Frances Tapueluelu about the upcoming show at Counihan Gallery Language and Liberty. This is the latest in the Moreland Summer Show series, which features work from the plethora of artists living within Moreland. The theme Language and Liberty is a tribute to both Noel Counihan's involvement in free speech campaigns, and the 2019 UNESCO Year of Indigenous Languages.

Richard starts the show with the Drawn Out comics segment with Bernard Caleo. The discussion has a focus on new works by Australian artists. They discuss Deep Breaths by Chris Gooch, Bad Gateway by Simon Hanselmann, The Chant of the Big Black Birds by Simon McKeown, and The Adventures of Anders by Gregory Mackay.Next up Richard talks to Anni Davey, who's the Artistic Director of The Flying Fruit Fly Circus, about the upcoming Borderville Circus Festival. The Flying Fruit Fly Circus has been an integral part of the Albury Wodonga community teaching generations of kids circus. This event will celebrate that history and bring successive generations of graduates and volunteers together.Finally Richard talks to Carolyn Fraser who is the Lead Curator of the State Library of Victoria's new gallery space and the exhibition Velvet, Iron and Ashes. The exhibition is about local history and the title refers to three artefacts - Ned Kelly's armour, the famous cricket ashes, and a dress created for the pagent of nations event held at Melbourne's centenary. Carolyn draws fascinating links between these objects and others in the exhibition.

Richard talks to Iain Grandage, the artistic director from the Perth Festival, about the 2020 program. Iain is the first Perth local to hold this position and has brought a strong Indigenous focus to the program. Next up is writer/director Krystalla Pearce and writer Maja Amanita discussing the new show She Is Vigilante. This is a series of short plays put on by Theatre Works. The show had an open call for both writers and actors with the aim of opening up the theatre to new practitioners and audiences. The theme She Is Vigilante was chosen with the aim of providing complex roles for women.Finally Richard talks to curator Diane Soumilas and author Colin Smith regarding Stories in clay: Arthur Merric Boyd Pottery at Glen Eira City Council’s Gallery. Arthur Boyd is described as an artist who was ahead of his time and was continually reinventing and expressing himself in extraordinary ways.

Richard starts the show with an interview with playwright Jamaica Zuanetti about her show Thigh Gap, which is showing at La Mama. It is a dark comedy for, by and about millenial women.Next up we hear from Matt Lutton regarding the Malthouse 2020 program. In their 30th year Malthouse have created a program that encapsulates the very DNA of the Malthouse, and celebrates local artists.Richard then talks to Dancehouse artistic director Angela Coquet and dancer and choreographer Jozsef Trefeli about their new show Swiss Style. This show is looking at Geneva-based contemporary dance, within the context of rising national identitarianism and a multicultural Geneva.Finally Richard interviews Kurt Kansley who is a cast member of the new theatre production Ragtime, which will be showing at the Arts Centre. This play is based on "the great American novel" by E. L Doctorow. It's set at the dawn of a new century when a golden age of optimism was gripping America, and everything seemed possible.

Richard talks to Simon Abrahams, the creative director & CEO of Melbourne Fringe. The Fringe has set up a new home called Common Rooms at Trades Hall where they will be running productions throughout the year. He hopes the shows will capture The Fringe's feeling of rebellion, inclusivity and support of independent arts.Next Richard talks to playwright, director, performer and producer Rebecca Lister about her new work 2:20AM. The play covers the sensitive topic of suicide from the perspective of four people who have come together for a creative writing course. It's based off of Rebecca's experiences as a social worker, arts worker and a person who has been bereaved by a suicide. It has been created in association with Support After Suicide, SANE Australia and Jesuit Social Services and it will be having a metropolitan and regional tour in areas around Victoria that are particularly effected by suicide. If this interview brings up any issues you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.Finally Richard talks to director Shareena Clanton and cast member Corey Saylor-Brunskill about their upcoming theatre production Conversations With The Dead. This is a work by Richard Frankland about his experiences working on the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. The work is put on by Ilbijerri Ensemble and is a part of Future Echoes, which is a new initiative by the Arts Centre Melbourne to put on works by young artists.

Richard talks to Petra Kalive about her new musical theatre work, which is an adaptation of Miles Franklin's classic My Brilliant Career. The production will involve a core cast of professionals with students in supporting roles, and will be showing at Monash University's Alexander Theatre.Next Richard speaks to Stewart Laing who's the director of The End of Eddy, which will be showing at the Malthouse Theatre. This work centres around the experiences of a gay teenage boy in a small community in the north of France. The work has been aimed at a teenage audience in the hope of reaching out to people experiencing similar issues.Richard then speaks to Antony Hamilton artistic director of the contemporary dance company Chunky Move regarding his work Token Armies, which will be showing at the Melbourne International Arts Festival. The work aims to push the boundaries of contemporary dance and explore how the biological world intersects with a world that is constructed. Richard describes Chunky Move's work as "innovative, engaging and exciting."Finally Richard talks to Mama Alto regarding the work Gender Euphoria, which is a celebration of gender identitiy. This work will be performed as part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival at the Famous Spiegeltent.

Richard talks to mentalist Scott Silven about his new shows 'At the Illusionist’s Table' and 'Wonders' which are showing as a part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival. Scott works with audiences to delve into the world of imagination.The next interview is with artists Bruce Gladwin and Scott Price about their theatre production 'The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes' which is also showing at the Melbourne International Arts Festival. This is a challenging but important work discussing the use of people with disabilities as slave labour.Richard talks to Sally Foster who is curator of International Prints, Drawings and Illustrated Books at the National Gallery of Australia about a new exhibition of David Hockney's work which will be showing at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery. She describes David Hockney as a magnetic character who never shied away from anything.

This week on SmartArts Richard conducts three interviews1. Richard talks to Matthew Stanton and Abigail Varney about their exhibition 23° and Rising which is showing at the Centre for Contemporary Photography2. Richard talks to Anne Ekenes who is the CEO and Artistic Director of Panta Rei Danseteater regarding the works I Wish Her Welland Lullaby which are showing at Monash University’s Alexander Theatre3. Richard talks to Fiona Sweet who is the creative director of the Ballarat Foto Biennale

Richard conducts three interviews.1. Richard talks to Nicole Beyer of Theatre Network Australia about the Australia Council funding decision and the small- to medium-sized arts organisations that will miss out on funding.2. Richard talks to Simon Abrahams, the creative director and CEO of Melbourne Fringe, about some of the exciting events in this year's festival.3. Richard talks to writer Daniel Keene and director Beng Oh about Wild Cherries, a show about modern slavery that's coming up at La Mama Theatre.

1. Richard talks to Ciaran Begley and James Nguyen about their show Hell is Other People which is showing at Gertrude Contemporary2. Interview with Steven Mitchell Wright and Alexandra Hines about their new show Let Men Tremble by the Danger Ensemble. Steven is the Company Artistic Director for Danger Ensemble and Director of the work. Alexandra is a member of the ensemble. Let Men Tremble is showing at Theatre Works.3. Richard talks to playwright Anchuli Felicia King about her new show Golden Shield, put on with MTC

Richard and Bernard Caleo discuss comics in their monthly Drawn Out comics segment.Richard talks to Director Briony Dunn and actor Caroline Lee about the play 'night, Mother, which is showing at Chapel Off Chapel. This discussion centres on the topic of suicide. If this brings up any issues for you, please ring Lifeline on 13 11 14. This segment runs from 12:02 until 26:38.Richard interviews Tilly Boleyn, the Curator of Disposable, an exhibition that talks about waste using a combination of art and science. Disposable is presented by the Science Gallery.

Richard conducts three interviews:1. Galit Klas, about her show 'The Ghetto Cabaret'2. Kirsten Siddle and Danielle Harvey about their interactive performance 'A Midnight Visit'3. Nicki Greenberg about her new kid's book 'Bitsy'

Richard conducts three interviews CEO Bianca Bowman and Creative Producer Molly Braddon from Gertrude Street Projection Festival Jonathan Holloway the artistic director of the Melbourne International Arts Festival James Evans, the director of 'Much Ado About Nothing,' which is being put on by the Bell Shakespeare Company

Richard chats to choreographer Nick Power, and dancers Erak Mith and Aaron Lim, about their show Between Tiny Cities. Curator Sophia Cai and artist James Nguyen talk about the exhibition For Love Or Money. Also, Broadway Director Christopher Ashley and Musical Director Luke Hunter talk about the musical Come From Away.

Three interviews:David Berthold regarding the Brisbane Festival.JOF and Emily Tomlins on their new show 'The Cabin!', a theatre production written by children to scare adults.  Cat Hope regarding 'Sub-Decorative Sequences', which is a combined sound art show at Linden New Art that responds to the architecture of the building.

This week, Richard chats all things Womens Circus with executive director Devon Taylor and Penelope Bartlau, a collaboration between Heide and the Immigration Museum curated by Brooke Babington and Moya McFadzean respectively titled Love;Lana Schwartz and Colin Scott join Richard to talk about the newest exhibition space Long Space.