The City of Darebin will be bidding winter farewell with the return of its FUSE Festival Spring 2023 kicking off this weekend. Locals and creatives alike will bear witness to performances unique and community-focused from art exhibitions, film and literary events to performance installations, festivalgoers will be spoilt for choice from 2 – 17 September.
At FUSE festival’s opening ceremony, Ganbu Gulin: Lore will welcome both old and new citizens onto Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung Country with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony on Saturday 2 September at Darebin Arts Centre.
The day holds workshops, the Mindful Healing Market, a screening of Daniel King’s documentary Ganbu Gulin, and live performance sets by The Deans of Soul, Timmy Commerford, and the Murrundaya Yepenga Dance Troupe.
A wealth of exciting talent and culture is planned for the community to enjoy during the first week of FUSE Spring 2023. Locals can expect to be treated to a diverse range of art forms that tell different stories, and a range of community engagements.
The Amplified Elephants in Forest of Threads have created a myth-telling of the flight of the Owl-Man and is told through a tale that is unravelled through ambient electronic sound. The Forest of Threads has a deeper meaning as it highlights the need for humanity to consider how everyone is threaded through the various natural biomes of the world. JOLTED Arts Space: 1 – 2 September.
Featuring important artworks by twelve Victorian Koori Elders, evoking a love for culture and Country, Bundoora Homestead presents Us Mob. The Exhibition aims to celebrate the legacies and show the ongoing practice of students who attended the Indigenous Art Unit at RMIT University’s School of Art between 2005 and 2012. Bundoora Homestead Art Centre: 2 – 17 September.
FLOAT by Darebin-based visual artist, Jemima Jones is a first solo exhibition that showcases new and original multimedia work. Objects appear floating, suspended in the depths of the ocean, or viewed through the lens of a microscope. This is a new exploration of multi-media work commenting on the beauty of nature and the depths of environmental grief. Saturday 2 September at North Preston Lifesaving Club.
The Darebin Arts Precincts Programming Team will also present the Mayor’s Writing Awards – an annual initiative to recognise and celebrate local stories and writers. Bailey Dihayco was the winner of the 2022 Darebin Mayor’s Writing Award and was given $2000 for his original writing, An Abridged Biography of Hermes Butler. Wednesday 6 September at Darebin Arts Centre.
Since its inception, FUSE has reflected Darebin’s uniqueness while highlighting its strengths as a vibrant, inclusive, and forward-thinking city. With a strong and diverse program, FUSE believes that art is for everyone and encourages the community to experience the bold and unexpected events in their own neighbourhood.
FUSE Spring 2023 takes place from the 2 – 17 September at various locations throughout the City of Darebin. For more information and full program, visit: www.fusedarebin.com.au for details.
Image: Ganbu Gulin 2022 – photo by Wild Hardt