EXTRAVAGANZA OF LOCAL PERFORMANCES Major Up Late funding

MACARTHUR residents will be staying up late and having an artistic night out this summer thanks to new grants from the State Government for two events in the region.

Member for Campbelltown Greg Warren announced that Campbelltown and Camden had won a slice of the $1.9M pie from the Western Sydney Culture Up Late initiative.

The Culture Up Late @ Campbelltown Arts Centre program, run by Campbelltown City Council, has been successful in its application for a share of the fund.

Council received $200,000 to present a program that will allow the Campbelltown Arts Centre to remain open from 5pm to 9pm on Thursday and selected Friday and Saturday evenings between November and January.

In this time multi-artform artist-led programs will be run aimed at extended engagement with artists, local communities and visitors under the banner ‘Sundown Sessions’.

And further to the ‘Sundown Sessions’ program, the Campbelltown Arts Centre will also be facilitating a series of talks, tours and workshops as well as arts markets and live performances.

Meanwhile, Camden’s Cultural Fusion from The Council of Camden also gained part of the $1,9M.

It means once a month, Camden district residents and visitors between

September and February will be able to head to Camden Civic Centre and its surrounding grounds to be immersed in a multi-faceted cultural extravaganza that combines live performance, inspiring art, bustling markets and soul-stirring music.

The Culture Up Late initiative supports local arts and cultural organisations in developing new programs, engage new audiences and create vibrant local precincts connecting local restaurants, bars, retailers, and transport providers, through activations targeted to an after 5pm audience.

It provides support for 11 programs involving parties, art shows, live music, walking tours and cuisine across local arts venues, museums, galleries and cultural centres.

MP Greg Warren said: “Campbelltown has a blossoming arts and cultural community, and this initiative will let us show us just how great they are.