2018 Open Inner West

Tuesday, 29 May 2018

10 days | 18 events | 24 suburbs | 69 cultures

15-24 June 2018

Everyone’s invited to discover the talents and creativity of the Inner West’s culturally diverse communities at 2018 Open Inner West, Friday, 15 June-Sunday, 24 June.

The 10 days of events – including celebrations, food, art, children’s activities, talks, tours and more – will see the sharing of ideas, hospitality, understandings, “and the humanity connecting us all,” said Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne.

“The Inner West is the birthplace of multiculturalism in Australia,” he said. “As well as being home to the Gadigal-Wangal people, the Inner West has strong links with Greek, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Italian and Chinese communities. Communities from Nepal, Sierra Leone, Bangladesh, Pacific Islands and the Philippines are now also growing.

“With more than 69 cultures represented, Open Inner West is a unique opportunity to experience all that diversity.

“All the activities are organised by local community groups, schools and community organisations, with support from Council, mainly in the form of grants.

“I hope you enjoy this year’s program, and I look forward to seeing you at the events,” Mayor Byrne said.

Open Inner West opens with First Cultures, Land, Culture, Life at Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative in Leichhardt. In the lead up to Open Inner West, local schoolchildren have been taking part in Wiradjuri language workshops. They will perform alongside dancer Terry Olsen and musicians Stiff Gins.

The New Beginnings Festival event The Spirit of Welcome will close Open Inner West. Marking Refugee Week 2018, The Spirit of Welcome is a full-day public program of activities led by newly arrived artists. The day will feature an art exhibition, an artist talk, live performances, screenings, creative workshops and multicultural food. The Spirit of Welcome is at Council’s Refugee Welcome Centre in Callan Park.

In between, there’s an Inner West Block Party all ages hip-hop event at Ashfield Town Hall; an adult-only ‘queer family’ night of cabaret; comedy and South Indian food at Red Rattler Theatre (Biryani & Babez); Fijian-Indian, Iranian and Lebanese Community Cooking Class at Council’s Tom Foster Community Centre in Newtown; and a ‘kitchen installation’ combining craft and food with practitioners in art, textiles and cuisine (Kafe As Poume).

Cultural festivals also feature: Rhythms, Colours, Flavours of Perú and 4th Balkan Bonanza, both at Marrickville Town Hall; ASYIK – Indonesian Arts & Culture Bazaar at Addison Rd Community Centre; Arraial do BRACCA Brazilian Country Festival at Sydney Portugal Community Club; while the Pachamama Festival brings together Latin American and Australian Indigenous films, artists and storytellers.

There’s music: Chinese opera, Greek bouzouki and a choir workshop which culminates in a pop-up street performance.

Dance: As well as hip-hop, ballroom, and Indonesian, Chinese, Balkan, Chinese and Peruvian performances, the Indigenous Gamarada Boys will hold workshops.

And art: Colours of Culture photography exhibition is at Council’s Chrissie Cotter Gallery.

2018 Open Inner West, in a variety of venues from Friday, 15 June-Sunday, 24 June.

Access the full program, with all the contacts for each event, at www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/OpenInnerWest

For print quality images, interviews, or more information, contact the Communication team.