Offbeat festival
A festival for anyone who loves good rhythm, this three day event will see percussion ensemble Defying Gravity create a mass soundscape, electronic and hip-hop artists perform alongside four-piece percussion group The Wheel Turns, and drummer Daniel Susnjar bang out his Afro-Peruvian inspired rhythms and jazz tunes.
Fremantle Arts centre, from 20 to 22 March
Dance Massive
Melbourne’s contemporary dance festival is indeed massive with more than 40 events across 13 days. Week two highlights include BalletLab’s Kingdom, with four male dancers exploring art, life and sexuality, On View: Quintet’s live portraits of five Australian dance artists by choreographer Sue Healey, and a series of dance-inspired talks such as Critnic with a BBQ.
Arts House, Dancehouse and the Malthouse theatre, Melbourne, until March 22.
Newcastle writers festival
Helen Garner, Jessica Rudd and Michael Robotham get together to discuss the book that changed them for the Newcastle writers festival’s opening night event. Queensland Theatre Company director Wesley Enoch, Australian poet Les Murray, former Greens leader Bob Brown, and journalists Erik Jensen and Paul Daley will also host talks at the festival.
Newcastle City Hall and various inner-city venues, from 19 to 22 March.
Outside Thoughts
Artists Mitch Cairns, Emily Floyd, Danie Mellor and Darren Sylvester explore issues of Australian identity in a new show in Hobart entitled Outside Thoughts. They consider the national psyche and the Australian landscape and how historical, cultural and political influences affect contemporary Australia and their art.
Contemporary Arts Tasmania, Hobart, from 19 to 29 March. Artist talk 18 March.
Young at Heart film festival
Now in its 10th year, the Young at Heart film festival is aimed squarely at those over 60, with premieres, revived classics and special events. The 2015 program features Clouds of Sils Maria, the Hip Hop-eration, acclaimed Russian film Leviathan, A Little Chaos, and X + Y, as well as the It’s Your Call awards for Australian short films starring older actors in lead roles.
Palace Verona and Palace Norton Street, Sydney, Palace Balwyn and Palace Brighton Bay, Melbourne, and Palace Electric, Canberra, until 22 March
