NSW Government declares 'war on the lure of the couch' with its Culture Up Late initiative

The NSW Government is declaring “war on the lure of the couch” with its Western Sydney Culture Up Late initiative offering nighttime cultural events to help with the recovery of Sydney’s venues and hospitality sector.

NSW Minister for the Arts John Graham advised “we are declaring war on the lure of the couch with these nighttime cultural events. It is part of Sydney bouncing back after a tough decade after dark. The program ensures that culture up late funding extends to Western Sydney."

Western Sydney will come alive after 5pm this spring and summer with the NSW Government’s Culture Up Late initiative which will see arts and culture take over the streets during evening events in Bankstown, Camden, Liverpool, Penrith, Campbelltown, Cumberland, Parramatta, and Fairfield.

The Culture Up Late initiative supports local arts and cultural organisations to develop new programs, engage new audiences and create vibrant local precincts connecting local restaurants, bars, retailers, and transport providers, through activations targeted to an after 5pm audience.

Minister Graham added "The Western Sydney Culture Up Late program showcases some of the most exciting cultural offerings Sydney has to offer. These precincts are already key cultural destinations, and this coming spring to summer they'll become undoubtedly Sydney's must-visit locations."

“As we are working on developing the first ever cultural strategy that includes the creative industries the initiatives in the Culture Up Late program are exactly the types of dynamic programming I want to see more of – programs that will enliven their regions and provide greater employment opportunities for performers, creatives and arts workers.”

The Culture Up Late program provides support for 11 programs involving parties, arts shows, live music, walking tours and cuisine across local arts venues, museums, galleries and cultural centres.

The 11 successful grant recipients sharing in $1.9 million in funding are:

• ACE after Dusk: A new night-time cultural event series - Arts & Cultural Exchange Inc

• Art Nights: Culture Alive @ Bankstown - Canterbury Bankstown Council

• Blacktown After 5 - Blacktown Arts and Vyva Entertainment - Blacktown City Council 

• Camden's Cultural Fusion - The Council of Camden          

• Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre Up Late Program - Liverpool City Council

• Creative Penrith by Night: A Summer of Art for Everyone - Penrith Performing & Visual Arts

• Culture Up Late @ Campbelltown Arts Centre - Campbelltown City Council

• Culturvate: Exploring art, cuisine and culture - Powerhouse Youth Theatre Inc.

• Granville Centre Art Gallery presents a series of Late events - Cumberland City Council       

•  Parramatta Up Late Program - City of Parramatta

• TO YOUR DOOR Fairfield Nights - Think & DO Tank Foundation

One of the recipients Blacktown Arts, has received a Western Sydney Culture Up Late grant of $200,000 to deliver Blacktown After 5 in partnership with Vyva Entertainment.

The Mayor of Blacktown City, Tony Bleasdale shared “The Culture Up Late program Blacktown After 5 will engage 220 creatives and 80 local businesses. It will provide for extended hours at the Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre. Western Sydney creatives will curate events in Blacktown restaurants and host two signature Block Parties.

“Blacktown will be buzzing with live music, and curated events taking place in and around our City’s unique local restaurants. Blacktown City has a fast growing night-time economy and thanks to the Culture Up Late Western Sydney initiative, we can invite our communities to share in these unmissable and exciting Blacktown experiences.”    

Full details of the programs supported by Western Sydney Culture Up Late.