LATEST NEWS

Celebrate your Ability in Fairfield!

This Friday the 4th of December many people of diverse talents will come together to celebrate the International Day for People with Disabilities at the Fairfield City Museum and Gallery. Come along and join in on the celebrations from 11am - 2pm.

Attractions include performances by Morganics, First Flight Crew, Ana N. Workshops in Chalk Art by the Street University and Hip Hop workshops by Morganics and the Visualabilities exhibition. Refreshments and parking is available.

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL: please call Fran on 9725 0877 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Be involved in Artful Shutters!

A number of council’s have run community arts projects which involve painting traffic signal boxes or other structures. The Artful Shutters project extends this concept, to create a mural gallery in East Cabramatta. If you wish to register your interest in the Artful Shutters project, contact Tiffany Lee-Shoy on 9725 0326 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Help our new Cultural Plan come together

Council is about to develop a new Cultural Plan for Fairfield City 2010-14. The current plan, “Making the Most of Our Culture” comes to an end this year, and we are pleased to report that all priorities were achieved. The review will be reported to Council in December.

The achievement of the first plan has created a good foundation from which to continue strengthening our culture. Soon we will be seeking input from the community to hone our arts and cultural priorities for the next five years. Keep an eye on the Council website in December for details on how you can help our new cultural plan come together.

In creating the first cultural plan, many residents contributed photos and stories of special places in Fairfield. Here, Elijah Deamer, shared his favourite place - “under that oak in the shade of my garden”. How would you like to see the cultural life of our city grow?

Are you a group using arts in your community?

Fairfield City Council is offering grants of up to $4000 for groups or organisations to support arts and cultural projects. Funding is provided to projects that address social issues of importance to the local community. Come along to a free information session and find out more about how to apply:

Thursday, 4 February 2009 at 12.30pm – 1.30pm, Fairfield City Council Administration Centre - Committe Room 1, 86 Avoca Rd, Wakeley.

You can download a grants information package by going to the quick links at http://www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/

Please note that applications close 22 March 2010 

Please Don’t Feed the Birds! Cabravale Memorial Park Upgrade

Please Don’t Feed the Birds! This is the message conveyed in poster designs by Year 6 students from Sacred Heart Primary School. Leftover food and old bread litter local parks and streets everyday, encouraging rats and unwelcome flocks of pigeons and corellas. Apart from being a health hazard, the birds are causing destruction to local trees and buildings, such as the students’ school buildings.  

Many of the poster illustrations combine beauty and humour. However, the students emphasised the importance of using authoritative and instructive words so people take the message seriously. Posters are designed from the birds’ perspective: this type of food is not the natural diet of birds and not good for birds’ health.  The ‘Arts for Health’ (HARC) Program ran the arts workshop as part of Council’s upgrade of Cabravale Memorial Park in Cabramatta. Select posters shall be installed in the park and a travelling display of all poster designs shall follow in venues yet to be finalised.  

Environmental understanding and connection are key themes for the park upgrade. Students from three local schools have planted hundreds of native grasses in the park. And their fun stories about water and frogs, indicators of good environmental health, shall be woven into the new play area. 

ON EXHIBITION

Fairfield City Museum and Gallery

Cnr The Horsley Drive and Oxford Street

Smithfield NSW 2164

02-96093993

Aspects of Eight 

Crystal Days by Lorraine Maggs 

1 December 2009 - 6 January 2010

Fairfield City Art Society - Eight artists from the Fairfield City Art Society will exhibit their latest artworks. Each year the artists have an exhibition at Club Marconi, the Fairfield Art Prize. 

From the Backblock to the Frontlines- Celebrating Italian settlement in South West Sydney

Dominico and Maria Calalillo with their harvest of tomatoes in Liverpool, NSW. Courtesy of Co.

10 January - 21 February 2010

This exhibition explores the Italian community’s journey to South West Sydney they have been an integral part of south western Sydney’s economic and cultural development. The Italian community of South West Sydney is one of the largest and longest established Non English-speaking groups in New South Wales. The history of the Italian community in South West Sydney goes at least as far back as 1880s.

 Visual Abilities

1 December 2009 - 6 January 2010

A series of classes for people living with a disability have been held at Fairfield City Musuem and Gallery. The outcome of these workshops is an exhibition which will open on the International Day of People with Disabilities. The art classes are taught by community artist Brenda Eggleton and are open to people living with a disability to develop their visual abilities! You can see this exhibition at the Community Space. 

Folklore Art Group

10 January -21 February 2010

Every Thursday the FolkArt group meets at the Museum and Gallery. The group consists of about twelve talented local artists. They will be presenting their finest artworks varying from painting to craft on exhibition at the Community Space.

DON’T MISS THE OPPORTUNITIES!

Connections Residency Program -   Closing date: 7 December

Through this program the Australia Council supports artists with seed -funding to link with non-arts enterprises, fostering ongoing connections that are productive and profitable for both parties. The Connections Residency program supports a range of residency and placement opportunities for artists with non-arts businesses and industries for up to $30,000. Artists from all art forms are invited to apply for a Connections residency. Before applying, applicants should contact staff to discuss guidelines, eligibility requirements and selection criteria. Decisions advised: March 2010 and Residencies may start: 1 April 2010.

For more information please contact Kathryn Gray, Inter-Arts, on 9215 9077 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Japan Foundation Sydney Local Grant Program

The Japan Foundation Sydney office offers a limited number of local grants in support of projects in the field of Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange. The two available grants support projects such as conferences, lectures and presentations conducted by non-profit organisations (individuals are not eligible to apply).Travel Support Grant - Provides funds for researchers to travel to Japan in order to further their Japanese studies-related projects. The application period is open throughout the 2009-2010 fiscal year, but applications must be received by at least 2 months prior to the project start date. For further information please ring the Program Coordinator, Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange Department on 8239 0055, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ,au or visit www.jpf.org.au

Sidney Myer Fund & The Myer Foundation

The Arts and Humanities Grants Program application process is about to start. It has two stages, expression of interest and the full application. Closing dates for 2010 will be shortly announced. For more information please visit www.myerfoundation.org.au/programs.