Vale David Page

Arts Update was saddened to hear of the death of Bangarra Dance Theatre's award-winning music director David Page, brother of artistic director Stephen Page, earlier this week at the age of fifty-five. Page began his career at Bangarra in 1991 and over the next twenty-five years created the music for twenty-seven of their pieces. Among his many achievements, Page received two Helpmann Awards for best original score. He also won four Deadly's Sound Awards and was the inaugural winner of The Sidney Myer Foundation's Indigenous Artist Award in 2000. Page was a descendant of the Nunkul people and the Munaldjali clan of the Yugambeh tribe from South East Queensland.

States of Poetry NSW

Live in or near Sydney and love poetry? On Wednesday, May 4 at 6 pm we're launching the NSW States of Poetry anthology at Gleebooks with readings from ABR Laureate David Malouf, Fiona Wright, Toby Fitch, Pam Brown, Kate Middleton and the ABR Laureate's Fellow Michael Aiken. This is a free public event but bookings are essential: visit the Gleebooks website or call them on (02) 9660 2333

Past Matters at Montsalvat

Celebrate Australian indigenous culture and literature at the Past Matters festival (May 6-7). Montsalvat and the Nillumbik Reconciliation Group again invite you to join a gathering of some of Australia's best writers and thinkers as they explore Australia's indigenous past and give voice to its present. Speakers include Alex Miller, Tom Griffiths, Campbell Thomson, and Neika Lehman.

In the opening night event, presented in conjunction with Australian Book Review, Miles Franklin Award-winner Alexis Wright will be in conversation with Jack Waterford. They will be joined by poet and land-rights activist-lawyer, Campbell Thomson (shortlisted in the 2016 Peter Porter Prize) and a panel of writers and journalists.

Shorts@45

ABR always enjoys partnering with fortyfivedownstairs. This year, with fortyfivedownstairs and Hill of Content Bookshop, ABR will co-present three 'Shorts@45' in which major and emerging writers will read from their new fiction or non-fiction releases. First up are Arnold Zable and Rod Jones on Monday, 6 June. These are ticketed events. To book please call fortyfivedownstairs (not ABR) on (03) 9662 9966 or visit their website.

MTC announces new associate directors

Freelance director Dean Bryant and current STC Resident Director Sarah Goodes will be joining the MTC as Associate Directors in 2017, working closely with the MTC's artistic director Brett Sheehy. Later this year Bryant will be directing Colin Friels and Anna Samson in the MTC's revival of Skylight and Goodes's production of production of Switzerland is playing at MTC in September this year.
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Arts Update is generously supported by The Ian Potter Foundation.