Create NSW Feature stories

Poets Out Loud is an artist-led initiative, founded in 2019 by prize-winning poet, Sarah Temporal in the Northern Rivers region of NSW. It provides an inclusive platform for everyone to participate, from first-timers to established poets. Poets Out Loud survived COVID and the devastating floods of 2022 and continues to bring people together and share the power of spoken word poetry.

Newcastle-based theatre company, Curious Legends are renowned for large scale, outdoor works – often involving multimedia projections and giant illuminated puppets. Their performances and activities have become a highlight of Newcastle Council’s cultural programming, bringing the community together and telling local stories. 

Create NSW caught up with the 2023 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) recipient, Morgan Hogg to talk about the evolution of her work, and the way heritage and cultural practice can be honoured and reimagined through artistic practice for future generations.

Tyson Perkins is an award-winning Arrernte and Kalkadoon director of photography based in Sydney, Australia. Screen NSW caught up with Perkins, fresh from the set of his latest project to discuss the power of letting go, the beauty of collaboration and the appeal of a visionary director.

“Beyond happy, grateful and encouraged.” This was the joyful reaction for Sydney-based author, Shankari Chandran upon winning the Miles Franklin Literary Award, Australia's highest literary accolade, with her third novel, Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens at a ceremony in Sydney on 25 July. Create NSW sat down with Shankari to talk about her journey writing Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens and what this momentous achievement means for her.

Morgan Hogg has been named the recipient of the 2023 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) at the official exhibition launch at Carriageworks. Morgan Hogg was chosen from six fellowship finalists including Maddison Gibbs, Nadia Odlum, EJ Son, Natalie Quan Yau Tso and Min Wong.

Three talented emerging designers – Ben Styles, Marlo Lyda and Joel Sherwood-Spring – have been selected for the inaugural NSW Design (Early-Career) Fellowship – Powerhouse Residency Program, providing a rare opportunity to enrich their professional practice under the guidance of experienced mentors at the Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo.

Supported by Create NSW Small Projects Grants, Akimbo + Co staged Tongue Tied , a bold new Australian play by Sydney playwright Clare Hennessy. 

With a vision to spark creativity and a love of words in NSW students, Words on the Waves received an Arts and Cultural Funding Program (Round 2) grant to stage  Ripples  for school students as part of its 2023 festival program. The first and only literary festival on the NSW Central Coast, Words on the Waves successfully doubled its education program with 1,500 students attending the third annual Writers Festival in June 2023.

Create NSW caught up with emerging Sydney-based electronic music producer, Thalia Skopellos aka Ellatronix, about expanding her creative practice, reaching a wider audience and making music with a powerful message.