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Get Your Culture Hit With This Arty Insider’s List Of Must-See Events In Sydney

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Michelle Grey and Susan Armstrong have mastered that rare thing of turning a long friendship into a thriving business partnership. The co-founders of Arts-Matter, a membership platform for the culturally curious, have each held impressive careers in the culture arts, making their venture larger than the sum of its parts. For 17 years, Grey lived in New York working in cultural programming for the likes of the private members’ club Soho House; the coworking space and cultural hub NeueHouse; The New York Times conversation series, ‘TimesTalks’; and Absolut Vodka’s art platform, Absolut Art. Armstrong’s CV, meanwhile, runs “the full gamut of the arts”, she says. A fashion agency in Tokyo that represented Australian, New Zealand, American and British brands; creative art direction for music festivals such as Splendour in the Grass; and Absolut Art as well. 

When the pandemic hit, Grey and her family moved back to Sydney where she and Armstong realised it was time to create something together. They spotted a gap in the market for interdisciplinary cultural programming. “The cultural arts are very siloed here,” Grey explains. “You go to an art institution to see an artist or a curator talk, you go to a music venue or a dance company for a performance — there wasn’t really an opportunity for someone who was extremely curious about the cultural arts as a whole to experience them under one umbrella.” Armstrong seconds that: “Nothing ever intersects across all the arts, so we had this dream of crossing over all the different disciplines and making it accessible so you didn’t feel intimidated to join in like you might at an art institution.”

black and white image of Michelle Grey and Susan Armstrong from Arts-Matter
Michelle Grey and Susan Armstrong from Arts-Matter. Image: Arts Matter PR Image

So, how does that work, exactly? Each month, Arts-Matter’s membership platform offers hands-on workshops, artist conversations in interesting venues, shared meals in private homes, dance and music performances, and an ever-changing roster of interesting and creative events. “After an art show, we might take an artist to dinner afterwards, so people have the chance to sit next to the artist, have a chat and a glass of wine while eating a bowl of pasta,” says Armstrong. “It’s more intimate, more personal and a bit more of an up-close and behind-the-scenes look at the arts,” adds Grey. “Artists don’t sell tickets to do tours in their private spaces, but Arts-Matter members can get access. For musicians, performing in private homes can be a very different experience to a venue — not better or worse, but different.” 

They’ve come a long way in their four years. “We started in my dad’s living room with artists who are friends, and now the community has mushroomed into a much larger and more diverse group of people,” Grey says. They’ve also launched a chunky 300-plus-page magazine, A-M Journal, and opened Arts-Matter Studio, through which they work with brands, restaurants, content creation and art advisory for businesses. 

Here is an Arts-Matter-approved list of events.

The Best Arts & Culture Events In Sydney, 2024

Season XIV —Phoenix Central Park 

October – December 2024

Phoenix Central Park,a one-of-a-kind performance space in Sydney, presents SeasonXVI from October to December, showcasing genuine artistic risk-taking and unique collaborations that revitalise its inner-city neighbourhood.

Thom Yorke — Sydney Opera House

1st & 2nd November, 2024

Thom Yorke, the English singer, multi-instrumentalist, and lead vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Radiohead, will perform at the Sydney Opera House this November as part of his inaugural solo tour.

Deejay and Dancer — Carriageworks

14-16 November, 2024

Choreographed by Nick Power, and featuring world champion turntablist DJ Total Eclipse, Deejay x Dancer is a riveting live performance that pays homage to hip-hop’s roots, transporting you to the legendary block parties of 1970s New York.

Julie Mehretu — The MCA

29 November 2024 – April 2025

Regarding as one of the most influential painters of her generation, New York-based artist Julie Mehretu will be the focus of a major career retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), opening this November.

julie mehretu at the mca in sydney 2024
Julie Mehretu. Image: Instagram / juliemehretu

New Breed — Sydney Dance Company

4 – 14 December, 2024

Presented at Carriageworks, New Breed 2024 is the eleventh edition of Sydney Dance Company’s annual program, showcasing the dynamic and vibrant choreography of emerging artists.

Sara Landry — Carriageworks

14 December, 2024

Sara Landry, a self-taught producer, audio engineer, and DJ renowned for her dark, driving, and divinely feminine brand of industrial techno, will make her highly anticipated Australian debut at Carriageworks this December.

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