This month’s update reveals the opening night film at the 72nd Sydney Film Festival, the emerging Australian artist given the opportunity to perform later this year with the Australian World Orchestra, a new acting workshop for 18-26-year-olds at Australian Theatre for Young People, and details of an upcoming Australian Chamber Orchestra tour featuring an acclaimed Moldovan-Austrian-Swiss violinist.
Like many in the creative arts sector, Giving Culture is alarmed about the escalation of AI’s influence and its seemingly utter disregard for the intellectual property and moral rights of artists. Everything that’s wrong with the direction that AI is taking is embodied in the current fad to ‘Ghibli-fy‘ images. Apart from the legal issues as to whether copyrighted material is being used without permission to train these AI engines, there are philosophical/ethical question marks over using AI to mimic the Studio Ghibli style (amongst others). From another angle, there is a sheer waste of energy involved. Apparently, Ghibli-fying yourself consumes as much energy as fully charging your smartphone. Shouldn’t we be focussing our AI efforts and using scant energy resources on more meaningful activities, like finding more effective treatments for cancer?
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Here’s the latest news from our partners.
Sydney Film Festival’s Opening Night
We are thrilled to announce that the SFF72 Opening Night film is the most anticipated Australian film of the year: TOGETHER. This off-the-wall, wildly funny feature debut by Aussie writer-director Michael Shanks features “transformative” performances from real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie. Kick off your Opening Night Gala experience with a red carpet Premiere featuring international and Australian film industry guests, followed by the exclusive Opening Night afterparty at Sydney Town Hall, with canapés, cocktails and curated DJ sets.
Also announced and on sale in the SFF 2025 program is the Jafar Panahi retrospective ‘Cinema in Rebellion’, including every feature by the Iranian master filmmaker. We’ve also given sneak peek of the program to come, with 18 films already announced.
Don’t forget, you can redeem your Gold or Silver culture voucher now towards the Opening Night Gala!
Announcing the Australian World Orchestra’s 2025 Academy Player
The AWO is thrilled to welcome Sola Hughes as its 2025 AWO Academy Player. A gifted violinist in her third year at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM), Sola studies under Adam Chalabi and Zoë Black, following a Bachelor of Music at Queensland Conservatorium with Michele Walsh and Natsuko Yoshimoto. Her journey includes standout performances with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, collaborations on new works, and a fearless embrace of improvisation. She has worked with conductors like Johannes Fritzsch and appeared at festivals including Musical Chairs (Montreal) and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music. In 2021, her string trio won the 4MBS Chamber Music Prize.
The AWO Academy Program offers emerging artists the chance to rehearse and perform alongside Australia’s finest musicians, gaining one-on-one mentorship, touring experience, and industry insight.
Sola joins AWO for MAHLERFEST – an ambitious season featuring Mahler’s 4th and 5th symphonies under Alexander Briger.
“I know I would be so inspired just to meet/work with even just one of the musicians in this orchestra, but the crazy thing is that I will get to work with a whole orchestra – full of these phenomenal musicians and see how they share music together … Also, Mahler 4 is my favourite!” – said Sola.
Join us to celebrate her debut at Arts Centre Melbourne (Sept 3) and Sydney Opera House (Sept 4). You can redeem your Gold or Silver Voucher for MAHLERFEST concerts now!
Australian Theatre for Young People: Acting Fundamentals
Looking to strengthen your performance skills? Discover the fundamentals of acting in this exciting workshop for 18-26-year-olds!
Over the course of five weeks starting 22 May 2025, you’ll work with professional actor, Tom Dawson, to explore the actor’s process, from analysing text to identifying objectives and working collaboratively with a scene partner. Participants will receive scripts to work on, along with personalised feedback to help refine their craft and deepen their understanding of the material and performance craft.
Head to ATYP’s website to check out the course outline, dates and book your spot!
You can redeem your Culture Voucher towards this Acting Fundamentals workshop by choosing either ATYP – SCHOOL’S OUT for silver vouchers or ATYP – GET DRAMATIC for gold vouchers.
Australian Chamber Orchestra
Death and the Maiden Revealed
Touring to Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane, 21 June – 2 July 2025.
Patricia Kopatchinskaja (aka PatKop) is experimental, unpredictable and brilliant. The acclaimed violinist returns to the Australian Chamber Orchestra to direct a tour that showcases her dynamic virtuosity and enormous range, from Ravel’s fiery showpiece Tzigane to Schubert’s haunting Death and the Maiden.
The program also features the world premiere of PatKop’s Danses Macabre, a dramatic new work inspired by Schubert’s masterpiece brimming with emotion.
“Her body and her instrument and the music she makes all seem one. She is ever thrilling and alive to the moment.” — Los Angeles Times
To take advantage of ticket prices, it would be best to redeem either an ACO – Gold Voucher or ACO – Silver Voucher for these performances.