Experimental art holds a special place in weaving the very particular cultural identity Sydney holds. To celebrate all things radical art-adjacent, Liveworks is returning for its ninth year. Brought to you by Performance Space, the program is chock full of art and culture designed to see the world through the lens of some incredible storytellers.
Across 10 days from October 19-29, Liveworks will have a number of ticketed and free events taking place in the cavernous, industrial-chic surrounds of Carriageworks. Kicking things off at the Opening Night Party (Thu, Oct 19) beloved local music duo Stereogamous will be on the decks, along with performances by Imbi and Brendan Maclean, with a bunch of food and drink stalls to help you get in the festival mood.
Throughout the program you’ll find something for everyone including live music, dancing, art installations and parties. Amongst the big names heading to Liveworks is vocalist, producer and multi-disciplinary artist Rainbow Chan 陳雋然 who will be premiering her new project, The Bridal Lamnet.
In a two-day event of ceremony on Gadigal, artists Latai Taumoepeau and Rosanna Raymond will lead people through an exploration of land and ceremonial procession through dance.
Brooke Stamp will be bringing her new show Mickey to the Liveworks stage, which promises to uncover a new exploration of experimental dance, production and music. PSA: this has been billed as a not-miss event on the calendar.
The big hitter on the program is Performance Space’s 40th Birthday Karaoke Party (Sat, Oct 28), which will surely be a joyous culmination of the past four decades in the art space. A celebration of legacy, culture and boundary pushing art since 1983. Afterwards, they also have you covered for kick-ons. Liveworks fans will be thrilled to learn that cLUB bENT bACK uP! will be returning in a huge evening of queer celebration through dance, music, performance and conversation.
When speaking about the Liveworks 2023 lineup, the guest co-artistic directors (and Performance Space alumni) Rosie Dennis and Daniel Mudie Cunningham said:
“Performance Space is a living, breathing organism of performativity, having birthed and nurtured generations of experimental creativity since its inception. As PSpace turns 40 this year, we reactivate the time machine to consider a history of radical artists, practices and thinking. Liveworks 2023 unpacks the archive to consider the impact of time on art, actions, ideas and the bodies that carry and move culture forward.”
If you’d like to get involved with this ever-popular festival, be sure to check out the full roster of free and ticketed events here, on sale now.