Blue Mountains Arts Directory

14/05/2026

T H E. T A B L E

Tune in to The Table on Radio Blue Mountains this week as The Professor serves up another vibrant mix of arts, music, culture and community conversation across Talking ArtZ and Blue Mountains Live.
First on Talking ArtZ, The Professor heads to Gang Gang Gallery to chat with Sharon Howard and fashion historian Wendy Carlson about this year’s Lithgow Fashion Week, Underpinning Fashion: The Inside Story. Discover the fascinating world hidden beneath fashion — from corsets and crinolines to bullet bras and couture engineering — while exploring Lithgow’s rich but often overlooked history in textile and garment manufacturing. The conversation also previews the festival’s packed program of fashion parades, wearable art, historians, competitions, live demonstrations and community celebrations, all wrapped up in a strong message about sustainability and slow fashion.
Then on Blue Mountains Live, The Professor catches up with Gillian Taylor Reynolds from Sideshow Annie ahead of the release of the band’s powerful new single Face the Music. Gillian talks about the inspiration behind the track, the challenges artists face protecting original work, and the excitement of returning to live performance with gigs at Lithgow Workies, Winter Magic and beyond. Listeners will also hear an exclusive preview of the new release.
Later in the program, former Radio Blue Mountains presenter Meg Benson returns to the airwaves to talk about her new life in Kandos and the launch of Sunset on the Rocks with the Rylstone Regional Community Association. Featuring acclaimed blues-rock artist Owen Campbell, local performers, food, fire pits and stargazing, the event promises a magical celebration of music and community in the Central West.
From fashion history and regional creativity to live music and grassroots cultural events, The Table once again showcases the creative pulse of the Blue Mountains and beyond.

Listen like this:
89.1FM, stream live via rbm.org.au, or use a radio app

13/05/2026

I created this ceramic piece in collaboration with Suzanne Burden (crochet artist). It’s called the Shape of Survival and it explores the space between resilience and fragility of the breast cancer experience.
This will be on display at GANG GANG Gallery as part of Lithgow Fashion Week.

10/05/2026

03/05/2026

TALKING ARTZ PODCAST | April 30
https://talkingartz.com.au/episodes/
In the Frame & On the Stage: A Talking ArtZ Showcase

This episode of Talking ArtZ unfolds across three engaging segments, offering a rich cross-section of visual arts, major performing arts programming, and local theatre initiatives from across the Blue Mountains and Western Sydney.

The program begins with Jenny Ward’s insightful segment, In the Frame. Known for her thoughtful and informed perspective, Jenny brings listeners into the world of visual arts, reflecting on exhibitions, artistic practice, and the ideas shaping contemporary work. Her commentary provides both context and inspiration, inviting audiences to look more closely and engage more deeply with the art around them.

In the second segment, The Professor is joined by Peta Downes from the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Penrith. This conversation highlights an exciting and diverse lineup of upcoming events at “The Joan,” reinforcing its role as a major cultural hub in the region. A key focus is the Sydney Comedy Festival’s presence at the venue, featuring a dynamic mix of established comedians and emerging voices, alongside inventive and genre-blending performances. Beyond comedy, Peta outlines a broad program that includes musical tributes, classical reinterpretations, contemporary musical theatre, and community-focused events—demonstrating the breadth of experiences on offer for audiences of all tastes.

The final segment brings the focus back to the Blue Mountains, with The Professor speaking to Kellie Mar from the Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub in Springwood. This conversation explores the venue’s vital role in the local arts ecosystem, from hosting touring productions to supporting community engagement and creative development. Kellie shares insights into upcoming performances and the theatre’s ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality, accessible arts experiences for the region.

Together, these three segments create a vibrant snapshot of a thriving arts landscape—linking galleries, major performance venues, and community spaces. Whether your interests lie in visual art, live performance, or local cultural life, this episode of Talking ArtZ offers an informative and inspiring guide to what’s happening across the region.

In the Frame & On the Stage: A Talking ArtZ Showcase
https://talkingartz.com.au/episodes/

30/04/2026

30/04/2026

27/04/2026

26/04/2026

REGENESIS COMPETITION CALL OUT
Call Out for competition post April 2026

GREATER BLUE MOUNTAINS CREATIVES - LITHGOW TO NEPEAN
THIS IS YOUR CHANCE
A new creative call for entries has landed…
REGENESIS 2026 COMPETITION is now open for entries
FOR 12 – 18yrs OR 18yrs and over
Add your unique creative voice exploring ‘Our Kinship with Nature’
Through poetry, short story, visual art, lyric, or 2-4 min video
ENTRIES CLOSE 30 JUNE 2026
WINNERS ANNOUNCED 18 OCTOBER
Start here: https://enlivenment.network/2026-regenesis-call-out/

Make a submission via our online form
Submissions close on 30 June 2026
Submissions: Entries are free – limited to one entry per category, by email with attachments
Completed submission form + works
text as word docs
images as png/jpg
music as mp3
video as mp4 – best method is to place your entry on your own YouTube channel as an unlisted video and then send us the link. Winning entries will be included in a playlist on our YouTube channel.
Send entry assets to: [email protected]
after completing online form.

For event details or to submit via an online form:https://resilientbluemountains.org/event/regenesis/

Begin now. Follow the thread of your idea. Let it evolve.
Tag a local creative who should be part of this. Let’s reimagine the future — together.

A N N O U N C E M E N T

We welcome aboard our newest sponsor:
Bendigo Bank.

25/04/2026

TALKING ARTZ PODCAST
https://talkingartz.com.au/episodes/
Le Petit Journal: Six Artists, One Château, and a Reunion in Lithgow
Tne podcast of this week’s episode of Talking ArtZ heads west to Gang Gang Gallery for a lively and heartfelt conversation with the six artists behind Le Petit Journal—a unique exhibition born from friendship, travel, and shared creative experience.

Fresh from the success of Hands on Clay, The Professor catches up with the artists just as they arrive, quite literally mid-reunion—champagne in hand and stories already flowing. The exhibition has been years in the making, bringing together a group of artists who first met during a residency in France at Atelier Artist in Residence. What began as a leap of faith—unsure at first whether the residency was even real—quickly became something far more meaningful, as the group bonded almost instantly, talking non-stop from their first meeting in Le Mans and throughout their time together at the château.

Now reunited in Lithgow, the artists—Livonne Larkins, Tanya Small, Monica Foulk, Cecile Cummings, Beth Cunningham, and Kate Neal—share not only their work, but the stories behind it. Their practices span an impressive range: still life oils, figurative painting, expressive acrylics, delicate botanical watercolours, conceptual photography, and intricately constructed paper assemblage. Despite these differences, a shared “language of art” underpins their connection, creating a cohesive and deeply engaging exhibition.

The title Le Petit Journal—inspired by illustrated French newspapers discovered during their residency—translates loosely as “the little diary,” and perfectly captures the spirit of the show. Each piece acts as a fragment of memory: moments from the château, friendships formed over wine and conversation, and the quiet inspiration found in working side by side. While each artist maintained their own distinct practice, the environment fostered a strong sense of support, encouragement, and creative exchange—what one artist describes as a “unique synergy” deliberately shaped by the residency’s curator.

Listeners are given a behind-the-scenes glimpse into this creative process, from wandering the château for inspiration to the importance of stepping away from your own work and absorbing the energy of others. There’s humour too—stories of baguettes, wine, and artistic distraction—balanced with genuine reflections on risk, travel, and the value of stepping outside one’s comfort zone.

More than just an exhibition, Le Petit Journal is a reunion—“hug city,” as the artists affectionately call it. Despite the distances between them, the group has maintained strong connections, and this gathering marks not just a culmination, but the beginning of future collaborations and adventures.

With an artist talk scheduled for Sunday and many of the artists present throughout the opening weekend (before some head off on their next international journeys), visitors are invited not only to view the work, but to engage directly with the stories behind it—layers of meaning that connect the pieces in subtle and surprising ways.

The episode closes on a fitting note, with the artists selecting The Swan from The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns—a graceful and reflective piece that echoes the elegance, intimacy, and shared experience at the heart of Le Petit Journal.

A warm, engaging, and often humorous episode, this is a celebration of art, friendship, and the enduring power of creative connection.
Le Petit Journal
April 23 - May 10
Gang Gang Gallery, Lithgow Arts Trailhttps://talkingartz.com.au/episodes/

17/04/2026

TALKING ARTZ PODCAST AVAILABLE HERE^

https://talkingartz.com.au/episodes/

This week’s episode of Talking ArtZ continues April’s unofficial “month of clay,” weaving together three engaging interviews that celebrate ceramics, creativity, and the cultural energy flowing through the Blue Mountains and beyond.

The Professor opens the program with a promised visit to the Blue Mountains Pottery Fair at Wentworth Falls School of Arts, on this weekend (18th & 19th April) where he continues a conversation begun last week with President of the Blue Mountains Clay Collective Inc.Linda Kemp, and speaks with Blackheath-based ceramicist Cathy Hicks of Blackbird Ceramics. Cathy offers a thoughtful glimpse into her practice, discussing her distinctive handmade pieces—from sculptural candle holders with an elemental, almost tribal quality to new platter works she’s bringing to the fair. Her reflections capture the quiet discipline of working in clay, where form, texture, and function meet in a deeply personal studio process.
https://www.bluemountainspotteryfair.com/the-potters

In the second interview, The Professor heads further west to Lithgow for a conversation with Sharon Howard, owner and curator of Gang Gang Gallery. Sharon paints a vivid picture of a thriving arts scene “out west,” encouraging visitors to make the easy and rewarding drive to Lithgow despite lingering concerns about road access. At the heart of the conversation is the gallery’s current exhibition, Hands on Clay, which has been “received really well”—drawing strong attendance and enthusiastic responses from both the public and leading ceramic artists.

Sharon shares how the exhibition, featuring 14 Australian ceramicists, has become part of a much larger cultural moment, connecting with the international Clay Gulgong festival. As a co-sponsor, Gang Gang Gallery has welcomed visiting “masters” of ceramics from around the world, many of whom have stopped by the gallery and praised the strength of the Australian work on display. The gallery is even hosting a special luncheon for these artists as they return to Sydney, adding a sense of global exchange and celebration to the local exhibition. With Hands on Clay closing this Sunday, Sharon warmly invites listeners to experience the show—promising that anyone with a love of pottery “will love the show.”

Looking ahead, she also introduces the upcoming exhibition Le Petit Journal, opening next week. This unique show brings together six women artists who first met during a residency at a château in France. Their shared experience sparked lasting creative connections, and now—almost a year later—they reunite in Lithgow to present work shaped by that time abroad. The exhibition includes Blue Mountains artists LaVonne Larkins and Cecile Cummings, alongside artists from Queensland, Victoria, and the United States, reflecting both local talent and international collaboration.

Rounding out the episode, Robyn Catchlove presents a thoughtful and expansive interview with Christian Bischoff. Their conversation shifts focus from the physicality of clay to the broader nature of creativity and practice, exploring how artistic discipline, mindset, and life experience intersect. It’s a reflective and complementary close to an episode grounded in making, connection, and creative exchange.

Together, these three interviews capture a dynamic snapshot of the region’s arts community during “Clay April”—from hands-on pottery and international exhibitions to deeper reflections on the creative life. It’s an episode that celebrates not just the finished works, but the people, processes, and shared experiences behind them.

https://talkingartz.com.au/episodes/