2020 has been a year like no other. We’ve all gotten used to spending more time entertaining ourselves at home. But with summer and Christmas approaching, we are more tempted to get out of the house and make the most of what our beautiful region has to offer.
There are still plenty of opportunities to feed your soul with art and music in the Inner West. We’ve chosen our top event picks for the next few months (and you might even spot us at one or more of them).
COVID-19
As for all events, please check the links to make sure the event is still happening. All the information was correct at the time of writing but things can change rapidly.
Discover the best of Inner West art
With so many talented artists in Balmain and beyond, there’s plenty of great art to discover in the Inner West. Here are some of our favourites that you can catch in the run-up to Christmas.
1. Lara Scolari
Local artist Lara Scolari has a pop-up shop at 201 Darling Street, Balmain, until December. After having several major overseas and interstate exhibitions cancelled due to Covid-19, she decided to make the most of her support on the Balmain peninsula by transforming a local shop into an art gallery. Lara’s beautiful organic forms are inspired by nature, and by artists such as Brett Whiteley, John Olsen and Hans Hoffman, and her works are snapped up by collectors and interior designers. Best of all, the pop-up makes a stunning contribution to the Balmain streetscape. You can visit the shop or her website for more information.
2. Perfect Match
Perfect Match is a unique initiative enabling local property owners to nominate a wall, which will be transformed into a fantastic artwork by an artist. There are now over 100 Perfect Match artworks to be found throughout the Inner West, and you can visit them at any time.
3. Love and Kisses COVID19
This is an exhibition of beautiful new watercolour works by Gabby Malpas for Adoption and Indigenous Australian & Torres Strait Islander community. You can see the exhibition from 11-22 November at the Chrissie Cotter Gallery, 31A Pidcock Street, Annandale or read more about the exhibition.
4. Harbour Sculpture
This boutique exhibition features up to 35 sculptures reflecting Australia’s history and sense of place during these challenging times. The exhibition is taking place at Balmain Rowing Club, Lower White Street, Balmain, from 20-29 November.
5. Van Gogh Alive
The Van Gogh Alive exhibition is a truly extraordinary multi-sensory experience, enabling visitors to feel completely surrounded by and immersed in the legendary works of Van Gogh. As part of a hugely successful world tour, the exhibition can be seen at the Royal Hall of Industries, Moore Park, Sydney, throughout November and December. Due to Covid-19, you will need to pre-book a time slot and wear a face mask. Tickets are available here or here.
Get your film fix
The Palace Cinemas Pyrmont and Norton Street are hosting a British Film Festival from 10-29 November, where you can take in the very best of British cinema, including some of the latest releases. You can find out more here.
Music in the Inner West
If you’re missing the live gig experience and want to know where to listen to music in Balmain, we can help with these great suggestions!
1. Jazz at Unity Hall Hotel
Located close to Balmain wharf, the Unity Hall Hotel hosts live jazz from the resident band every Sunday afternoon from 3 p.m. A chilled-out vibe for your weekend! Check the Unity Hall Hotel website for updates.
2. Geometric Sounds
A 15-hour party with a psychedelic theme, Geometric Sounds features more than 20 DJs playing on three stages, along with art installations. It takes place on Saturday, 12 December, at The Bridge Hotel, Victoria Road. You can get tickets here.
3. Shannon Noll and Diesel
Also at The Bridge Hotel, you can see some of Australia’s biggest acts this December. Australian Idol star Shannon Noll plays here on 11 December, followed by Diesel on 18-19 December. For more information and tickets, visit The Bridge Hotel’s website.
Conclusion
Despite these strange times, there’s still plenty of art and culture to enjoy in Balmain. Please be aware, though that due to Covid-19, many of these events could change or be cancelled, and there may be additional rules and restrictions in place, so it’s important to stay updated.
If you would like more information about life in Balmain, please contact us – we’re always happy to help.
Banner image source: www.larascolari.com