ARTS AND CULTURE

RUSSELL DRYSDALE AND THE FLYING FRUITFLY CIRCUS

An unknown Koori artist painted the image of a Tasmanian Tiger on a local rock face some two thousand years ago, and it can still be viewed today at the Yeddonba Aboriginal art site near Chiltern. If it’s not the very first, then it’s one of the oldest surviving public exhibitions of art in our neighbourhood. And unlike the subject of the painting, which became extinct a long time ago, artistic expression, in all its forms, has continued to flourish in the Albury Wodonga region ever since.

We are now one of Australia’s leading regional centres of art and cultural excellence, with a thriving artistic community, several of whom have achieved national and international success. Our many fine galleries, acclaimed theatre companies, concert halls and conservatoriums, museums and arts festivals rival the best in the country for quality and ingenuity, presenting regular performances and exhibitions of music and art from around the world.

The Albury Regional Art Centre is home to many of the finest works of Russell Drysdale, a true icon of Australian artistic originality. The centre complements the famous on exhibition with regular presentations of works by young, contemporary Australian artists and photographers. While just a few beats away is the Murray Conservatorium of Music, where the modern world embraces the classical works of the Bachs and Mozarts.

At the very heart of the two cities, on Gateway Island, you’ll find the nationally acclaimed Hothouse Theatre Company, whose productions of contemporary and classic works are regularly presented at the nearby Butter Factory Theatre. And for those who like their classics in a dramatic setting, you can enjoy Shakespeare, lit by a huge sunset, on the banks of the Murray.

The region also presents many popular cultural events throughout the year that feature local and international artists and themes. The Yackandandah Folk Festival and Beechworth Celtic Festival are widely recognised celebrations of our musical and cultural heritage.

Even though we take art seriously, we haven’t forgotten that it’s just as important to tickle the funny bone as it is to massage the brain cells. So we’ve made sure there’s also plenty here to entertain the quirky adventurer inside the culture collector. The Butter Factory also hosts regular comedy festivals and one man shows, while Applause is our annual tribute to the sidewalk skills of our street buskers and performers.

Making The Ridiculous Look Sublime

The gravity-defying acrobatics and daring stylistic feats of the Flying Fruit Fly Circus are  world famous. The ingenuity of these young circus school performers has taken the art of making the ridiculously difficult look childishly simple to such heights that they setting the standards and national agenda for acrobatic arts.

Maps & Guides

General Information