Swing into New Annual's packed program of free events

A nine-metre-tall swing that reimages the popular playground equipment on a grand scale will be a highlight of the free and family-friendly events on offer at this year's award-winning New Annual festival.

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Set up opposite the Civic Theatre, SWING will allow participants to become part of a giant public art installation as they soar high above Wheeler Place during the closing weekend of City of Newcastle's flagship cultural event, which runs from 27 September to 6 October.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the free, wheelchair-accessible activity demonstrates how New Annual provides something for the whole community as it celebrates the city's commitment to arts and culture.

"New Annual has become a catalyst for Newcastle’s cultural events sector to take centre stage alongside leading national events, cementing Newcastle as a creative city where exciting, ambitious and accessible contemporary art and culture grows and thrives," Cr Nelmes said.

"One of the key aims of the program is to provide a mix of free and low-cost, family-friendly events, which will ensure every member of our community can enjoy the Ne

w Annual experience.

"The 2024 festival is also dedicated to amplifying multicultural voices and creativity from our culturally and linguistically diverse communities, fostering a sense of belonging and community involvement.

"From the childhood nostalgia of the swing in Wheeler Place to the cultural melting pot of our Global Gathering event in Museum Park, New Annual will deliver a fun, interactive program not to be missed."

Almost 5000 people flocked to last year's Global Gathering event, which will once again deliver a vibrant celebration of diverse traditions, food, art forms, and cultural expressions in Museum Park on 5 October supported by a Multicultural NSW Festival and Event grant.

The free community event will feature cooking demonstrations, interactive kids workshops and a wide range of musical and dance performances including a colourful lion dance by Jin Woo Koon, belly dancing and African drum and dance displays, as well as a fire show and DJ sets.

The night will be capped off by world music favourites Ghana Road Show, which fuses thrilling circus acts with traditional African dance and rhythmic drum beats set to the freshly curated tunes of DJ Lady Chika, while Worlds Collide delivers an intersection of seven cultures who fuse hip hop rhymes, melodic hooks, languages and genres into a fun, authentic and powerful experience.

Culture is also at the heart of the expansive program being delivered in conjunction with MEGAN COPE: Ngumpi Kinyingarra Oyster House at Honeysuckle Marina, which is proudly presented by Newcastle Art Gallery and supported by the University of Newcastle, Create NSW and Thermidor. 

The temporary, custom-built space will be activated with a series of free talks, hands-on workshops and performances including a professional oyster shucking competition and a daily Scrub Club that celebrates local oysters and the ongoing research practice of internationally acclaimed Quandamooka artist Megan Cope.

Gomeroi hip-hop artist and Triple J favourite Kobie Dee will bring the Marina to life after dark as he headlines the first of two Friday Night Sounds events on 27 September supported by proud Aboriginal man Maanyung, while local DJ Jun Wan's genre-bending sets will keep the Friday night party going on 4 October.

New Annual will run from 27 September to 6 October, offering a vibrant mix of immersive dance, music, circus, visual art and theatre. It will kick off with a free family-friendly First Night street party in the precinct around City Hall, which has been supported by a grant from Transport for NSW.

The success of City of Newcastle's flagship event was recognised at the recent Local Government Week Awards, where New Annual won the prestigious Leo Kelly OAM Arts and Culture Award.

Visit www.newannual.com for more details about the full program.