IT'S back, but it's still not art.
Newcastle's This is Not Art (TiNA) festival is preparing for its annual schedule of 170 free events. The four-day celebration aims to provide a platform for experimental artists, encouraging them to take risks and push the boundaries.
This year, which marks the 22nd year of the festival, the city will come to life to celebrate creativity over the October long weekend.
More than 2000 people attend the event, which began as the National Young Writers' Festival and the National Student Media Conference in 1998, each year.
The Merewether Ocean Baths, Newcastle Art Gallery, Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle City Library, Newcastle Museum, The Grey Area, The Lock-Up, The Mansion, and Watt Space Gallery will all be hosting parts of the TiNA program.
Late night readings, comedy sets, guest speakers, script-writing sessions, art walks, podcasting masterclasses, a zine fair, drawing and illustrating classes, word games, and letter writing workshops are just some of the events on offer this year. One of this year's TiNA producers, Christina Robberds, said she was most excited for the Friday evening of the festival.
"There's a number of special events on offer, but Friday night in particular is going to be one of my favourites I think," Ms Robberds said.
"But it'll be a tough choice because while the TiNA Takeover party is happening at the Newcastle Art Gallery, the region's best poets will be competing in the Hunter APS Poetry Slam Finals just across the road at City Hall, and that's at 6pm, after a day jam-packed with a variety of other events."
Ms Robberds said opportunities like the TiNA festival were important because they allowed people to immerse themselves in creativity.
"Being creative is how we express ourselves," she said. "Opportunities like this are great because they allow artists to network with similar people and display their work, it's also a lot of fun for audiences to see something a little different. And it's celebrating local talents, right here in Newcastle, over the beautiful spring weekend."
A full schedule of events, which can be personalised, is available at thisisnotart.org.
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