Take a sneek peek at Newcastle arts and culture festival New Annual
HOMEGROWN talent will burst onto the scene at Newcastle's New Annual festival, as artists and performers claw their way back from the wreckage of COVID-19.
The event is a vibrant celebration of art, dance, music and culture centred around major drawcard the Van Gogh Alive exhibition - and is a shot in the arm for the city's night-time and visitor economy.
The benefits are two-fold, Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said, highlighting the talent of local performers and growing the city's reputation as a leader in the arts and culture scene.
"It's an exceptionally important way of actually sustaining artists and not losing them to other professions during COVID," she said.
"Coming out of COVID and the lockdowns this is a really wonderful opportunity to showcase the talent here free of those restrictions."
The inaugural 2021 festival brought an estimated $4 million into the economy and boosted hotel occupancy rates by 12 per cent.
CENTRE STAGE: Catapult Dance performer gives a taste of what's to come at Newcastle's New Annual festival. Picture: Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Newcastle City Council mayor Nuatali Nelmes. Picture: Jonathan CarrollFESTIVAL LAUNCH: First Nations performer Jacob Ridgeway, mayor Nuatali Nelmes, Catapult Dance artistic director Cadi McCarthy, Tantrum Youth Arts creative director Penelope Kentish and New Annual senior producer and curator Adrian Burnett. Picture:
Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Performers give a taste of what's to come at Newcastle's second New Annual festival. Picture: Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Performers give a taste of what's to come at Newcastle's second New Annual festival. Picture: Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Performers give a taste of what's to come at Newcastle's second New Annual festival. Picture: Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Performers give a taste of what's to come at Newcastle's second New Annual festival. Picture: Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Performers give a taste of what's to come at Newcastle's second New Annual festival. Picture: Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Performers give a taste of what's to come at Newcastle's second New Annual festival. Picture: Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Performers give a taste of what's to come at Newcastle's second New Annual festival. Picture: Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Performers give a taste of what's to come at Newcastle's second New Annual festival. Picture: Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Performers give a taste of what's to come at Newcastle's second New Annual festival. Picture: Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Performers give a taste of what's to come at Newcastle's second New Annual festival. Picture: Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Performers give a taste of what's to come at Newcastle's second New Annual festival. Picture: Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Performers give a taste of what's to come at Newcastle's second New Annual festival. Picture: Jonathan CarrollNEW ANNUAL: Newcastle City Council mayor Nuatali Nelmes. Picture: Jonathan CarrollFESTIVAL: Tantrum Youth Arts creative director Penelope Kentish. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
The performers are as diverse as their acts, with both free and ticketed events on offer.
This Land, a First Nations celebration of sound, soul and spirit will return in 2022, with performers like Worimi and Gamilaroi man Jacob Ridgeway.
"For all the artists, we all have something to say, we all have a story to tell and we all come from different backgrounds and countries within Australia - so to hear their output, their story, way of being, doing, knowing, it's special," Mr Ridgeway said.
"We stand on the shoulders of giants, we don't have a space to perform like this without the people that came before us who made it easier for us to have a platform like this."
The lineup includes the only professional dance company outside a capital city - Catapult Dance - Newcastle's Tantrum Youth Arts and plenty more.
New Annual kicks off September 23 to October 2 and tickets are on sale now.
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