#parramatta — Public Fediverse posts

Probably not ideal to have the boss of a new museum stand down 72 days before it opens, due to an investigation into "governance and procurement practices":

"The opening of the billion-dollar Powerhouse Parramatta has been plunged into controversy after its chief executive stepped down 72 days before the opening of the state’s biggest cultural infrastructure investment since the Sydney Opera House.

"In a shock development, staff were alerted on Thursday afternoon that Lisa Havilah had stood aside from her role of seven years pending completion of a departmental investigation into “governance and procurement practices”. Only five days earlier, the museum had announced its first five exhibitions for the November 7 opening to much fanfare."

https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/powerhouse-parramatta-chief-lisa-havilah-departs-just-weeks-from-opening-20260827-p60s1t.html

#parramatta #NSW #Australia #Powerhouse #auspol #nswpol

I'm all for arts festivals including food as a focus of their exhibitions 😋

And it looks like the 2026 NSW Biennale will deliver:

"The Biennale will expand its footprint in Western Sydney this year, including Penrith Regional Gallery for the first time and bringing back Campbelltown Arts Centre. There will also be public programs across inner city and greater Sydney, including Centenary Square in Parramatta, Fairfield City Museum & Gallery and Redfern Town Hall. White Bay Power Station, a popular addition to the Biennale last year, will this year feature large-scale sculptural and installation works by artists including Nikesha Breeze (US) and painter Nancy Yukuwal McDinny (Garrwa/Yanyuwa).
...
"Highlights announced on Tuesday include a giant functioning clay oven at White Bay Power Station in Rozelle, created by Argentinian sculptor Gabriel Chaile, which will be activated for the Biennale’s opening weekend and at key moments through the festival to serve visitors Peruvian cuisine. Also for food lovers is a large vat of tabbouleh, created by Lebanese artist Mounira Al Solh as part of a community-based performance in Granville.

"The Biennale will also include a rare presentation of the landmark 80-square-metre Ngurrara Canvas II, made by the Ngurrara artists of the Great Sandy Desert of Western Australia in support of their 1996 native title claim. The spectacular painting, created by more than 40 artists, toured Australia in the decade after it was created and has been exhibited internationally – but its Biennale presentation, at the Art Gallery of NSW, will be its final outing before returning to the artists’ country permanently."

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/feb/03/sydney-biennale-2026-hoor-al-qasimi-unveils-expansive-program-for-25th-edition

#art #arts #NSW #Sydney #Campbelltown #Parramatta #Penrith #food #Granville #ausart #ausarts #auspol