Go North Arts festival returns to Swan Hill Town Hall

Get ready for an unforgettable day of creative expression and live music as the Go North Arts Festival returns to the Swan Hill Town Hall on Saturday, October 12, 2024.

Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery Director Ian Tully invites you to experience a day where you can either dive into a hands-on art workshop or sit back with a wine in hand and enjoy some of Melbourne’s finest musicians.

“The doors will open at noon, with the Welcome to Country ceremony kicking off at 12:05pm, followed by a captivating lineup of music starting at 12:30pm.

“This free event is open to budding artists of all ages. With amazing talent offering an incredible array of art workshops, the Swan Hill community will definitely find something to explore  Mr Tully said.

Performing Arts and Venue Manager, Simon Myers highlighted the exceptional musicians performing at the festival.

“Attendees will enjoy performances by the dynamic Queenie and the acclaimed Tanya George, who recently placed fourth at the Gwangju Busking World Cup in South Korea and has performed at notable events such as The Australian Open and the St Kilda Festival. Tanya has had an impressive year, including supporting Angus & Julia Stone.

“Queenie is well known for her fearless performances and her incredibly powerful voice,” Mr Myers said. 

Mr Tully encouraged everyone to embrace their creative side with a variety of hands-on art experiences.

“We have a fantastic lineup of workshops, including stencilling and spray painting with Kerryn Finch, collage art with Robyn Patterson, still life drawing with Shirley Pinchen, and slab construction with Damian Thomas.

“Explore traditional weaving with Kenita Lee McCartney, or enjoy the ukulele with Sue and Pam.

“Additional workshops include textile art with Raylene Richardson, traditional foods and medicines with Suzanne Connelly, and knitting and crocheting with Swan Hill Knitter Natters.

“And don’t miss the chance to contribute to Swan Hill’s Biggest Drawing—a massive 10-meter roll of paper where you can let your imagination run wild,” Mr Tully said.

Food trucks will be available, and a selection of alcoholic beverages can be purchased at the bar (please note that BYO alcohol is not permitted).

Mr Tully said come and join us, get your hands dirty for a day to explore art and celebrate music at the Go North Arts Festival.

Event details:

• Queenie
• Tanya George

• Manangatang – A short film by Mitchell Barkman looks at the small Mallee town of Manangatang.
• Kerryn Finch – Stencilling and Spraypainting So many possibilities with spray paint and hand cut stencils in this always popular and hyper-colourful painting extravaganza
• Robyn Patterson – Tear it up!! Collage gone crazy.   Create your own reptilian creatures using magazines, newspapers, coloured paper and glue, (and anything else you can find!) create bizarre and crazy images at a table loaded with possibilities.                                                     
• Shirley Pinchen – Still life with Life Model!  An elaborate domestic tableaux with model sets the scene for this inspiring drawing activity. Rich colours and an assortment of exotic items will inspire the artist in you offering the opportunity for portraiture in real life or setting a still and live drawing experience.
• Damian Thomas – Slab Construction. Definitely one of our most popular activities with Damian helping you construct remarkable creations out of air-dried clay
• Kenita Lee McCartney – Traditional Weaving.  Weave your way into First Nation’s culture with Kenita as she takes you on an absorbing journey while you chat, learn, and practice  traditional weaving techniques
• Sue and Pam – Ukulele. Let Sue and Pam introduce you to the fun of playing music with the worlds’ most popular small stringed instrument, the ukulele. Come and join in the fun – no experience necessary!
• Raylene Richardson – Join the party with Raylene and get to work with needle and thread. Use sequins, glitter and an array of exotic fabrics to create a stunning textile masterpiece!
• Suzanne Connelly – Klidomitis – Learn about local traditional foods and medicines, how they are collected, prepared and used. Get to make a traditional reed necklace.                  
• Swan Hill Knitter Natters – Learn how to cast on – and cast off! Discover the joys of knitting and crocheting, learn the basic skills and start to knit your own scarf!! (All materials supplied)