Utp

Utp Utp re-imagines what art can be, and who it can be for.

Utp’s Reading Room is now open! And you’re invited to share this space with us 🧡 Book a time to come in: https://calend...
28/05/2026

Utp’s Reading Room is now open! And you’re invited to share this space with us 🧡 Book a time to come in: https://calendly.com/utprojects/utp-reading-room

From next week on, we are welcoming artists, curators, researchers, students and freelance professionals with a desk-based practice to work alongside us in our newly-furnished reading room – a space for reflection and research.

We have curated a selection of books and catalogues on socially-engaged practice, contemporary and community art, poetry and Western Sydney fiction. Come browse our collection and/or bring your own projects to work on. 📙🧶📝

The space includes:
🔸 An adjustable standing desk & adjustable office chair
🔸 Natural light and windows that open
🔸 Two armchairs, floors space with a rug and cushions
🔸 Powerpoints
🔸 Air-conditioning

For more detailed access information, visit our webpage:
https://utp.org.au/services

✒️Final slide - Artwork by Eddie Abd

🖋️ Our team has been preparing our submission for the new National Cultural Policy (Revive 2.0) due this Sunday. We whol...
20/05/2026

🖋️ Our team has been preparing our submission for the new National Cultural Policy (Revive 2.0) due this Sunday. We wholeheartedly advocate for artists’ freedom of expression and recognise the community arts sector’s far-reaching impact. Join us to make a difference by having your say.

Here are some resources we have compiled to help you learn and take action. In our Linktree, you will find our full statement, causes we stand behind, templates, readings and a direct link to the submission form: https://linktr.ee/utp

Our statement 💌 Utp’s submission for the National Cultural Policy
Template 🛑 Say no to censorship, political interference and racism in the arts
Template 🦋 Revive Community Arts
Workshop 📚 National Cultural Policy Drop-In Session hosted at this Saturday 23 May
Article 📖 'Drafting the next national cultural policy: 6 critical strategies for our sector’ by Kate Larsen ()

To all artists, cultural workers and art lovers, we encourage you to make individual submissions as well as on behalf of your organisations and initiatives, in order to get to a critical mass.

With your voices, we can ensure Revive 2.0 brings the changes we want to see in the future of the arts. Submissions will close 24 May, 11:59pm.


Are you ready to Deep Dive with us? We have answered some of your FAQs on our website 💬Come have in-depth dialogues with...
05/05/2026

Are you ready to Deep Dive with us? We have answered some of your FAQs on our website 💬

Come have in-depth dialogues with us about works-in-progress. Facilitated by the Utp team, artists connected to Western Sydney are invited to share their work and voices.

Click the link in bio to learn more 🔗
Expressions of Interest open until Sunday 24 May.

🖌️Artwork by Eddie Abd

Are you an artist looking to get new perspectives on your work-in-progress?Join the first cohort of our new program, Dee...
03/05/2026

Are you an artist looking to get new perspectives on your work-in-progress?

Join the first cohort of our new program, Deep Dive – a gathering space for constructive conversations. Expressions of Interest are now open for June - August sessions. Sign up here: https://airtable.com/appc8gPMnadC04yRs/shrtIt6nlPsJSidst

Deep Dive is for you, if you...
🔹Have a work that is halfway to or near completion
🔹Wish to get perspectives on new works for an upcoming exhibition or presentation
🔹Want to learn about what your artistic peers are thinking and creating

Don’t have a work-in-progress to share? No worries, you can also join as a participant to be a part of the conversation.

📷Photo by Gillian Kayrooz during Counterflows residency, 2024, hosted by Arts House
featuring artwork, ‘On Demand’ by Eugenia Lim, 2019

📢Expressions of Interest are now open to be part of our first Deep Dive cohort. 🌊 Submit your EOI here: https://airtabl...
28/04/2026

📢Expressions of Interest are now open to be part of our first Deep Dive cohort. 🌊 Submit your EOI here: https://airtable.com/appc8gPMnadC04yRs/shrtIt6nlPsJSidst

Deep Dive is a space to gather for constructive conversations about works-in-progress. We invite creative practitioners connected to Western Sydney to get new eyes on the work you have been developing.

This program is most helpful for artists seeking perspectives on works that are halfway finished or near completion. We are building a community of peers to have in-depth dialogues. These are not pitching sessions and artists in any stage of their career are welcome.

Six artists will be selected to present at one of three feedback sessions, facilitated by members of Utp’s team. Each will receive an artist fee of $260.

All are welcome to attend the session as feedback participants. 🫂

🗓️ Dates: Wednesdays 24 June, 15 July, 19 August
🕐 Time: 6-8:30pm, dinner will be provided 🍽️
📍Location: RS1, Utp, Bankstown Arts Centre, 5 Olympic Parade, Bankstown

Expressions of Interest open until Sunday 24 May.

🖌️Artwork by Eddie Abd

23/04/2026

Reliving the energetic evening that was ‘portals to the ancestors’ ❤️‍🔥Thank you to all those who danced, crafted and gathered with us last month!

We were so thrilled to see everyone’s dance moves in workshops led by Jannawi Dance Clan (), Shyamla (.e) and Mohamed Albayed from Ataba Dabke (). And the marvelous, personal shrines created in emoeba h♡rtbridge () and Bonnie Huang ()’s shrinemaking workshop. Last but not least, Kefah Maradweh from Jafra Enterprises () shared her cooking and the compelling story of msakhan with us.

So grateful to kick off our 2026 programming with these generous offerings by artists 🏵️ We curated this event as a part of the iconic Western Terrace series .ps, to celebrate our provocation ‘Ancestral Portals’.

We have exciting programs for you to get involved soon! 🙌 Stay tuned.

📹Video by Shalvi Singh ()

🎶Soundtracks:
Jannawi Dance Clan - Burradowee Eel Spirit and Gulbee
Ilaiyaraaja - Hero Intro, Thaarai Thappattai soundtrack
Issa Alsaggar عرفتك يابنيه وانك عشاقه عيسى السقار

16/04/2026

Reliving the energetic evening that was ‘portals to the ancestors’ ❤️‍🔥Thank you to all those who danced, crafted and gathered with us a few weeks back!

We were so thrilled to see everyone’s dance moves in workshops led by Jannawi Dance Clan (), Shyamla (.e) and Mohamed Albayed from Ataba Dabke (). And the marvelous, personal shrines created in emoeba h♡rtbridge () and Bonnie Huang ()’s shrinemaking workshop. Last but not least, Kefah Maradweh from Jafra Enterprises () shared her cooking and the compelling story of msakhan with us.

So grateful to kick off our 2026 programming with these generous offerings by artists 🏵️ We curated this event as a part of the iconic Western Terrace series .ps, to celebrate our provocation ‘Ancestral Portals’.

We have exciting programs for you to get involved soon! 🙌 Stay tuned.

📹Video by Shalvi Singh ()

🎶Soundtracks:
Jannawi Dance Clan - Burradowee Eel Spirit and Gulbee
Ilaiyaraaja - Hero Intro, Thaarai Thappattai soundtrack
Issa Alsaggar عرفتك يابنيه وانك عشاقه عيسى السقار

Tonight, we gather for a special evening at ‘portals to the ancestors’ .ps 💃🏽🏵️ As the sun sets in Burramatta, we invite...
25/03/2026

Tonight, we gather for a special evening at ‘portals to the ancestors’ .ps 💃🏽🏵️ As the sun sets in Burramatta, we invite you to dance and craft with us to honour ancestral memory and living culture.

Commencing with a cultural dance workshop by , Shyamla (.e) will then host an introduction to the Tamil drumming dance, Parai Attam. We’ll end the evening with an energetic Palestinian dabke workshop by Mohamed Albayed from .

Running alongside these is a shrine making workshop by artists emoeba h♡rtbridge () and Bonnie Huang (). You’re invited to bring a photo of a ‘spiritual ancestor’ (real or imagined) or a treasured memory to make a personal shrine.

Finally, we will serve delicious home-cooked Palestinian food by Kefah Maradweh from 🫓Can’t wait to see you there!

🗓️ Date and Time: Wednesday 25 March, 6-8pm
📍Location: Western Terrace, Level 3, .ps
5 Parramatta Square, Parramatta

We have some final tickets left 🎟️ Register for free, link in bio 🔗

🖋️Artwork by Eddie Abd, Typography by Celine Cheung

We’re excited to introduce emoeba h♡rtbridge and Bonnie Huang who will be leading a shrinemaking workshop 🎐 Bring a phot...
20/03/2026

We’re excited to introduce emoeba h♡rtbridge and Bonnie Huang who will be leading a shrinemaking workshop 🎐 Bring a photo of a ‘spiritual ancestor’ (real or imagined) or a treasured memory to make a personal shrine with us.

Tickets are going fast ❤️‍🔥 Book now: https://parramatta-events.bookable.net.au/ #!/event-detail/ev_39d409376c854d7395a7d7e51f630860

🕕 This workshop will be running from 6-8pm, in parallel to 3 fantastic dance workshops – a sanctuary for you to take a break, tinker and make with your hands.

(they/them) is an artist currently living in southwest Sydney on Bidjigal and Dharug Lands. They use their art as a connector between people, earth and animals, through the extremities of Sydney’s changing weather conditions. They believe in the enduring power of piracy for leisure and friendship. Lately, they like to think that - temporary, love-driven spurts of ugly struggle can lead to beautiful, worthwhile stuff, and memories.

(they/them) is a gatherer of kerbside trash, textures, and symbols. Through serious thought and unserious experimentation, they explore the crevices between disgust and delight. Working across sculpture, installation, image-making, performance, and text, their work foregrounds the sensorial emotional experience and reveals our shared language of intimacy. Informed by an observational process, they digest and subvert commonplace objects, popular culture from the digital realm, and scenes of public architecture to allow a sculptural interpretation of our bodies, revealing how identity can be constructed and contested.

🗓️ Date and Time: Wednesday 25 March, 6-8pm
📍Location: Western Terrace, Level 3, .ps
5 Parramatta Square, Parramatta

📷 1 - emoeba photo by Cass Li; 2 - Bonnie photo by Garry Trinh
🖋️Artwork by Eddie Abd, Typography by Celine Cheung

Interested in learning Palestinian dabke? 🇵🇸 We’re thrilled to have Mohamed Albayed from leading a workshop at ‘portals...
19/03/2026

Interested in learning Palestinian dabke? 🇵🇸 We’re thrilled to have Mohamed Albayed from leading a workshop at ‘portals to the ancestors’.

Ataba Dabke Group is a Sydney-based collective dedicated to preserving and promoting Palestinian cultural heritage through the traditional dance of dabke. What began as a hobby among a group of young friends has grown into a passionate troupe that highlights the enduring significance of dance as a medium of identity, resilience, and community. With every performance and workshop, they bring joy, energy, and a strong sense of togetherness, embodying both respect for tradition and the vitality of contemporary expression.

🗓️ Date and Time: Wednesday 25 March, 6-8pm
📍Location: Western Terrace, Level 3, .ps
5 Parramatta Square, Parramatta
Free via registration 🔗 link in bio

Come dance, craft and gather with us to honour ancestral memory and living culture. 🏵️

All levels of experience, abilities and cultural backgrounds welcome.

📷 Photo provided by the artists
🖋️Artwork by Eddie Abd, Typography by Celine Cheung

Address

5 Olympic Parade
Bankstown, NSW
2200

Telephone

+61297072111

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