With an exciting new program and the blockbuster Van Gogh Alive exhibition at Foreshore Park, City of Newcastle’s flagship arts festival will return in September with a vibrant showcase of art, culture and creativity.
City of Newcastle has announced the program for its New Annual 2022, which will kick off with the opening of Van Gogh Alive on 22 September followed by an immersive festival of dance, music, theatre, visual arts and Indigenous workshops, with installations in the city’s cultural precinct until 2 October.
As a major installation, Van Gogh Alive will extend beyond the New Annual festival, running to 23 October 2022.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said this year’s New Annual program was eclectic and ambitious, and would be a drawcard to the city.
“We are thrilled to once again deliver this amazing arts and cultural event in September, which will allow locals and visitors to discover a new side of Newcastle as they witness the spirit and energy of our city and its creative community during the festival,” Cr Nelmes said.
The New Annual 2022 program features local and nationally renowned artists delivering a mix of free, ticketed and family-friendly events.
The breadth of the program is highlighted by its 14 headline acts including ‘COLOSSUS’, a contemporary dance performance created by internationally renowned Australian choreographer Stephanie Lake, ‘This Land’, a musical showcase of award-winning and acclaimed First Nations performers, and ‘Radial’, a fusion of film-making and improvised community performance presented by Hunter Central Coast Development Corporation.
City of Newcastle recently announced the New Annual festival is bringing the immersive, multisensory experience of Van Gogh Alive to Newcastle’s premier major events space, Foreshore Park. It will be presented in association with Andrew Kay Management in a specially designed 2300-square-metre gallery known as The Grand Pavilion and run from the start of New Annual to 23 October.
Other areas of the city will also be transformed with installations as part of New Annual such as a purpose-built stage in Civic Park and the architecturally-designed ’Pavilion of Sand’ in Wheeler Place.
Cr Nelmes said City of Newcastle was proud of the success of the inaugural festival in February 2021 and the second event would be a major drawcard for the city.
“The inaugural New Annual held in early 2021, was embraced by the Newcastle community. Our flagship cultural event provided an important economic boost across the arts, hospitality, and tourism sectors, while also celebrating and showcasing our creative city,” Cr Nelmes said.
