10 things not to miss at Art, Not Apart 2020
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Canberra’s favourite excuse to get a little weird and wonderful is back this week from 12-15 March—and we’ve got your ultimate Art, Not Apart 2020 bucket list.
Taking place across four venues with a program featuring 200+ artists and an expected attendance of up to 20,000, Art, Not Apart 2020 won’t just be the festival’s 10th-anniversary celebrations but their biggest program yet.
Here’s what you can’t afford to miss.
The (free!) festival itself
Credit: Martin Ollman.
The message at the centre of Art, Not Apart is that art connects us—no matter our beliefs or background.
The belief that art is accessible and should be freely available to all is nowhere more obvious than when it comes to Art, Not Apart’s entry fee of $0. That’s right—Art, Not Apart’s six-hour all-ages festival is completely free.
That means from 1-7 pm on Saturday 14 March, you can browse cutting-edge art exhibitions, watch dance, spoken word and live music performances, and even participate in workshops for free.
Art, Not Apart | Saturday 14 March 1–7 pm | NewActon, NFSA, The Shime Dome | Free | Find the festival map here
Sound & Fury
Musician John Mackey, performer Eliza Sanders and producer Doppel in Albert Hall. Credit: Cole Bennetts.
An adults-only night of performance art, music, theatre and excess, Sound & Fury is Art, Not Apart’s official after-party—and it’s gonna be big.
Perfectly matched to the theatrically grand Albert Hall, this Sound & Fury will be the biggest one yet and feature some of the greatest hits of previous after parties. Did we mention the bar will be run by Bar Rochford and the dress theme is ‘gold’?
Sound & Fury | Saturday 14 March from 8 pm–late | Albert Hall | 18+ | $38-45+bf | Tickets via Eventbrite
Heck yes, tech yes
A techno party…during the day? That’s right. Art, Not Apart is bringing its epic techno and electronic party tech-yes back for 2020—with a twist.
Having traditionally taken place after the festival’s official afterparty, Sound & Fury (yes, it was the after after party) with eye-wateringly late finishing times, tech-yes will now run from 2–10 pm on Sunday 15 March.
Love dancing and electronica? This is the place to be. Read more about tech yes here.
tech yes | Sunday 15 March from 2–10 pm | Albert Hall | $37-40+bf | Tickets via Eventbrite
Forage, glorious Forage
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Yes, the rumours are to be believed. Our favourite foodie festival is popping up at Art, Not Apart this year!
From 12 pm on Saturday 14 March, a bite-sized mini Forage will turn the lawns of the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) into a picnicker’s dream, with a curated selection of food stalls sitting alongside Bar Rochford.
Vendors include Ramen Daddy, Wandering Woodfired Pizza and Bare Bones BBQ, and with the mini Forage operating from 12 pm–7 pm, you can come back for seconds…and thirds…and maybe a snack.
The Forage | 12–7 pm | The lawns in front of the NFSA | Find the festival map here
Fun for all ages
Credit: Martin Ollman.
All-ages festivals have become all the rage in the UK—but Art, Not Apart have been welcoming little ones for years!
With a focus on kid-friendly art, workshops and even young performers, the Little Sprouts Garden is a shady and central kid-focused area that little artists and art-lovers can make their own.
Little Sprouts Garden | Saturday 14 March from 1-7 pm (inside the main festival) | Outside next to Nishi Gallery | Find it on the festival map here
And all that jazz
Musician John Mackey in Albert Hall. Credit: Cole Bennetts.
If music is your thing, you’re going to want to start your Art, Not Apart weekend on Friday 13 March at Albert Hall for Melting Pot.
Immerse yourself in an evening of adventurous jazz as acclaimed saxophonist John Mackey leads a talented ensemble on a jam journey. With the addition of wild live projections and a bar by Bar Rochford, this is a late-night jazz club like no other.
Melting Pot | Friday 13 March from 8–11 pm | $25-38 | Tickets via Eventbrite
Today I, Tomorrow You
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One of the annual centrepieces of Art, Not Apart is the festival exhibition in Nishi Gallery. Underpinning the central festival theme of Today I, Tomorrow You, the eponymous exhibition has been curated by the festival’s visual art curator Chloe Mandryk to showcase works by nine artists.
Across a range of mediums, these artists have created works that reflect and meditate on the current climate crisis and its impact on our future, creating a moving and timely body of work.
Today I, Tomorrow You | Nishi Gallery | Free
Suitcase Rummage
Love vintage, retro, handmade and second-hand? With 70+ stalls, Art, Not Apart’s Suitcase Rummage is the place to be. You never know what you could find…
Suitcase Rummage | Saturday 14 March from 1-7 pm (within the main festival) | Stairs between Edinburgh Avenue and Kendall Lane | Find the festival map here
Feeling thirsty?
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If you like your festival with a side of responsible adult libation, you won’t have to look too far.
Sitting centre-stage on the NFSA lawns will be Rocco’s Art Bar. Curated by Bar Rochford staff, the bar will be serving a specially created menu of arty beverages, perfect as an accompaniment to your Forage lunch and dare we say a little pre-cursor to the evening’s festivities…
But that’s not all. On the same lawns will be a special local wine tasting stalls by Cellar Door, which aims to showcase local wine through its weekly market. The best part? The tasting is totally free with the purchase of a $12 souvenir glass —and you can take your favourite bottles home with you right away!
Rocco’s Art Bar and Cellar Door | Saturday 14 March from 1–7pm | NFSA Lawns | Find the festival map here
Did someone say techno yoga?
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Yep, we sure did! Beats & Yoga with Odona will take place in Albert Hall before the aforementioned tech yes techno party, giving participants (or just yoga lovers) the chance to bend and stretch to modern beats.
Taking place from 12-2 pm in the sun-drenched Albert Hall, Beats & Yoga will focus on uplifting and fluid flow to (you guessed it) the sound of techno.
Beats & Yoga with Odona | Sunday 15 March from 12-2 pm | Albert Hall | $15-20 with yoga mat hire available | Tickets via Eventbrite
Discover a whole lot more reasons to visit Art, Not Apart via the website, or check out the festival program and map here.
Feature image: Cole Bennetts
HerCanbera is a proud sponsor of Art, Not Apart 2020.
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