The inaugural edition of a major biennial contemporary arts fair, a centennial celebration of one of Australia’s largest industrial conflicts and a slew of dynamic cultural experiences comprise the 2017 programming agenda at Carriageworks.

Following on from a blockbuster year that has included world first collaborations with some of the world’s eminent visual and performance artists, Carriageworks will continue their mission of working with groups and individuals who question the boundaries of their medium – be it music, visual art, fashion or food – to create immersive experiences that defy easy categorisation. In a statement, director Lisa Havilah remarked that “The stories we tell through our collaborations and our programs is the story of contemporary life, contemporary urban Sydney of an imagined future driven by always remembering and acknowledging our shared histories.”

Highlights from the program include the first of three biannual editions of The National: New Australian Art, created in partnership between Carriageworks, Art Gallery of NSW and Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and dedicated to exploring the landscape of contemporary art in Australia and neighbouring regions. In partnership with the City of Sydney, the Eveleigh Railyards venue will celebrate the centenary of The Great Strike 1917, one of Australia’s largest industrial conflicts, at what is now the current-day location of Carriageworks. The exhibition will feature historical objects alongside newly commissioned works from five contemporary Australian artists responding to the theme of the strike.

Other highlights include Geelong’s Back to Back Theatre, a company whose ensemble includes people with intellectual disabilities, performing Lady Eats Apple – their largest scale work to date described as “a cosmic waltz from the Garden of Eden, to a medieval snowstorm, to the urban jungle”; Day For Night, a celebration of queer culture and performance works; a production of The Rape of Lucretia produced in collaboration with Sydney Chamber Opera under the direction of newly incumbent Sydney Theatre Company Artistic Director Kip Williams; and a new production by Erth, Studio A and Carriageworks called birdfoxmonster, a multi-sensorial installation at the nexus of performance, visual art and dining experience.

Returning highlights include twelve events across Sydney Festival, including a Kylie Kwong curated NIGHT MARKET featuring more than 50 food stalls inspired by the the food, pop culture and sounds of contemporary Asia; Australian Fashion Week will also return to the inner-city arts precinct, as will Semi-Permanent, which this year takes Design For Change as its theme.

You can view the extensive 2017 Carriageworks program here.

Tile and cover image: Supplied