Giving Culture Update – March 2024

Stuart Skelton, one of the great tenors of our time, will make his much-anticipated return to Australia to join celebrated mezzo-soprano Catherine Carby, Artistic Director Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra to perform Mahler’s monumental song cycle, Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth).

Described by Leonard Bernstein as the greatest “symphony” of this master symphonist, Mahler’s extraordinary work moves through the vast spectrum of human emotion, from darkness, light, cruelty, love, beauty and at last, catharsis. The ACO will perform Schoenberg’s strikingly intimate arrangement of the work, which carefully preserves the texture and impact of the original.

In a thrilling spectacle, the ACO will be joined onstage by wind, percussion and brass players from across the globe. Touring to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra in May. You can redeem your Culture Voucher for ACO tickets here.

Autumn school holidays are just around the corner which means that ATYP’s Holiday Drama Workshop programs are now on sale! Running from 15-24 April, ATYP’s Autumn Holiday Drama Workshops offer students in years K-9 the opportunity to develop their dramatic skills in a safe and friendly environment. With classes in screen acting and self-tapes, script analysis, devising and so much more, there is something for every young performer!

Make sure to book now as limited spaces are available and workshops are expected to sell out quickly. Early bird discounts end 28 March. Click here to learn more about and make your booking for these upcoming Autumn Holiday Drama Workshops.

You can redeem your Culture Voucher towards drama workshops by choosing either ATYP – SCHOOL’S OUT for silver vouchers or ATYP – GET DRAMATIC for gold vouchers.

If you or someone you know is an emerging writer aged between 18 to 26, make sure to let them know about ATYP’s upcoming National Studio! Applications open on Monday 25 March.

Each year, twenty emerging writers (aged 18-26) are selected from all over Australia to spend a week in rural NSW. During the residency, the writers are mentored and nurtured by playwrights and dramaturgs through masterclasses, small group tutorials and one-on-one sessions in a formative creative experience.

Over the course of the week, writers create a short piece for the stage for performers aged 14-17. Since 2016, selected plays have been produced under the title ‘Intersection’, and these scripts have been published by Currency Press, to be purchased and presented by schools around Australia.

In 2024 the ATYP National Studio will be held from Monday 8 July to Saturday 13 July at Bundanon Art Museum, Illaroo, NSW. Learn more about National Studio here.

The Sydney Film Festival isn’t too far away! On 3 April, SFF announces the first films of the Festival before the full program drops on 8 May.

Be the first to flick through the program guide, hot off the press and chock full of fantastic films. Order yours now for just the price of postage.

SFF is also giving away an Opening Night Gala experience to remember. You and a friend can soak up the glamour of the SFF Opening Night Film, Red Carpet and After Party, a restful night at PARKROYAL Darling Harbour and a complimentary Flexipass 10 so you can have the full festival experience. Sign up for SFF eNews and go in the draw to win.

You can also use your Giving Culture voucher towards a SFF Flexipass to the 71st Sydney Film Festival and you’ll go into the draw to win an unforgettable trip to Hawaii. Competition closes 11.59pm AEDT, 19 May 2024. See the full details here.