Do women still face an obstacle race in the arts? What would Shakespeare choose to immortalise if he were writing now? If everyone can 'dance', what is dance and who do we want to see on stage? Find out when Sydney Opera House's newest talks program, Culture Club, returns in 2016 for a second series of compelling conversations with contemporary cultural thinkers about the forces shaping the art of today.
"The Boys Club" kicks off the conversation with a steel-toe boot. This special Culture Club talk, chaired by Sydney Festival Head of Programming Fiona Winning, featuring writer and critic Van Badham, Griffin Theatre Company Artistic Director Lee Lewis, and Head of the School of Arts, English and Media at the University of Wollongong, Sarah Miller, will discuss why so few women make it to top artistic positions. Is it better or worse than other industries? This event is part of the All About Women festival at Sydney Opera House on Sunday 6 March. For more information, visit aaw.sydneyoperahouse.com/line-up/the-boys-club.
What comes next is a weekly slate of stimulating daytime conversations focusing on issues of the moment, including:
Sydney Opera House Head of Talks and Ideas Ann Mossop says: "What better place than Sydney Opera House to enjoy a rich and diverse discussion of art, ideas, artistic practice and history? We are excited to host even more of our resident company artists and industry colleagues to share ideas with arts-lovers through Culture Club."
Culture Club launched in late 2015 to discuss the forces shaping culture now and take audiences behind the curtain, painting and performance, into the mind of the artist.
The inaugural series that featured Sydney Theatre Company's Sarah Goodes in conversation with Annamarie Jagose about Virginia Woolf's Orlando; Bangarra Dance Theatre's Stephen Page and Sydney Festival's Wesley Enoch on telling other people's stories in a contemporary context; Opera Australia's Lyndon Terracini with ABC Classic FM's Christopher Lawrence about arts criticism; and a very special talk with visual artist John Olsen in front of his Opera House mural, Salute to Five Bells, commissioned by Jørn Utzon. View highlights of John Olsen's talk online: www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3z4b30kJuY.
IF YOU GO:
CULTURE CLUB
Talking about artists, the arts, and the world around them
Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House?
11am, Tuesday 15 March, Tuesday 22 March, Tuesday 29 March & Tuesday 5 April
Tickets on sale to the general public Friday 19 February
sydneyoperahouse.com | 02 9250 7777
$15 single talks / 3 for $36 / 5 for $50 (no booking fee)
Sydney Opera House Talks and Ideas presents ideas, conversation and debate from leading thinkers and culture creators from around the world, extending the reach of live events with unique content online. As well as a year-round program of inspiring events, Sydney Opera House Talks & Ideas features annual festivals All About Women and the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, one-day talks events For Thought and Carnegie Conversations, and the arts talks series Culture Club.
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