Welcome to Spring, readers, and very welcome it is. In Australia, Spring is calendar-based from 1 September until 30 November. The meteorological date for Spring in the Southern Hemisphere starts on 23 September 2026.
Sydney Fringe Festival, 1–30 September – Curiosity Starts Here
What an enormous line-up of arts, comedy, dance and ideas throughout Sydney City and suburbs in September. There will surely be a venue somewhere near you, on all sorts of subjects. Contact: https://sydneyfringe.com
Fringe Kids – A festival for curious minds, 26 September–11 October, will include magic, circus and disco. Check the enormous program on
https://sydneyfringe.com/fringe-kids
Africa Film Fest Australia, 3–6 September
A four-day celebration of African cinema and stories from across the continent and its global diaspora, featuring 14 Australian premieres at the Sydney Opera House and Event Cinemas Parramatta.
Highlights include The Eyes of Ghana, executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions; Muganga: The One Who Treats, produced by Cynthia Pinet and Angelina Jolie; the highly anticipated Arab music biopic El Sett; and Closing Night documentary Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story. More info: https://africafilmfest.au/
Sydney Writers’ Festival: Homegrown, 18–19 September and 9–11 October
More than 25 free events featuring 65 Australian and international writers at the State Library of NSW this spring. Across two weekends, the program brings together leading authors, journalists, poets and playwrights for talks, panels, live podcast recordings and workshops. Info: swf.org.au.
Hidden Gems in our City & Suburbs
Chrissie Cotter Gallery, 31A Pidcock Street, Camperdown
This is a small gallery that opened in 1965 and was named in honour of Mrs Chrissie Cotter, known for her humanitarian and social work. It was transformed into a community gallery in 1996. It now supports local Inner West artists and all exhibitions are free.
The current exhibition until 6 September is SARI by Anjum Olmo. Then, 10–27 September: The Art of Coming Together – painting, sculpture and ceramics from Joel Cunningham, Manuela Serje, Miriam Montgomery and James Lesjak-atton.
Opening hours are Thursday–Sunday, 10am–4pm. All exhibitions are free and the premises are accessible.
Expressions of interest from artists for the 2027 program are now open.
To apply: https://innerwest.smartygrants.com.au/
Thirty percent of all artist sales go to Newtown Neighbourhood Centre to assist with crisis support and outreach for people experiencing homelessness.
https://innerwest.nsw.gov.au/chrissie-cotter-gallery
For Your Diary
R U OK? Day, Thursday 10 September
The theme for this year is R U OK? Any Day because life happens every day
19 September – International Talk Like a Pirate Day
21 September – International Day of Peace
NSW Spring School Holidays – 28 September–9 October
Pat Clarke
