Welcome to our list of arts and cultural events happening in the NSW Central West gathered from artists, event producers, great local venues and groups across the region.
It's free to submit your local events. (Use the 'Submit' option under the 'Whats On' menu at the top of the page).
For maps and details of museums, galleries, artist studios, historic sites, Aboriginal experiences and sites, craft shops, handmade retail outlets or public art go to the Culture Maps Central NSW menu.

Enemy Aliens: The Dunera boys in Orange, 1941

Orange Regional Museum 151 Byng Street, Orange, NSW

Exhibition: 19 November 2022 – 23 April 2023
This exhibition tells the little-known story of the time the Dunera boys spent at the Orange Showground in 1941 and features artworks created during their internment. Many are drawn from the archives of relatives and private lenders, as well as never-before-seen works from a recently acquired collections held by the State Library of NSW. This project was developed and curated by Dr Seumas Spark, Adjunct Fellow in History at Monash University, Emeritus Professor Andrew Mcnamara from the Queensland University of Technology and translator Kate Garrett, in conjunction with Orange Regional Museum.

Free

between us, her, and a camera – Portraits by Bradley Bradley. Photo Exhibtion

The Odd Sock Gallery, Blayney Blayney, NSW

This collection takes a look at the connections found in portraits: obvious, subtle and at times, anonymous.
This body of work features creative and regular portraits by Bradley Bradley, including images of Michelle (Shelly) , wife and mother.- to find out more about Shelly and her story take a look at #fightwithshelly

LINEAGE

The Peisley St Gallery, Orange 54 Peisley St Gallery, Orange, NSW

LINEAGE is an exhibition of 4 families:
sisters RHONDA CAMPBELL and JUDI HALL,
husband and wife TIM WINTERS and LYNN WINTERS,
3 generations LORETTA BLAKE, LARISSA BLAKE and SAM 'O
and siblings KELLIE O'DONNELL, MATT WALKER and RYAN WALKER
Will they be complimentary, polar opposites or similar?

Free

The Agency of Ruins

WAYOUT ArtSpace, Kandos 71 Angus St, Kandos, NSW

The Agency of Ruins, a collaboration by Sydney based artists Chrystal Rimmer, Belle Blau and Tamsin Salehian, will be opening at WAYOUT Artspace in Kandos. This exhibition is based on three provocations: speculative narratives of material and social entropy; the generative forces of such decay; and how these ruins can be measured within perspectives of the geos and bios.

Free
Recurring

Ruby Tuesday – Eva Cassidy at The Agrestic Grocer

The Agrestic Grocer, Orange 426 Molong Road, Orange, NSW

The night will feature songs from Eva Cassidy’s albums including Live at Blues Alley, Night bird and Eva By Heart. Eva’s songs will be performed by a group of great friends and talented musicians - Melissa Stanford, Danielle Pearce, Hughie Brown, Paul Burge and Ebbo Brown.  Plus, a special guest performance from Eli Stanford.

$39.00

Working the Waters

Mudgee Arts Precinct Market St, Mudgee, NSW

Guest Curated by educator, curator and arts writer Ann Finegan, Working the Waters features a collection of video and installation works by artists Christine McMillan, Terry Burrows, Sue Pedley, Tina Havelock Stevens, Josephine Starrs & Leon Cmielewski.

Free

OPENING | Danelle Bergstrom: Afterglow & Leanne Wicks: Birds Like Us

Bathurst Regional Art Gallery 70-78 Keppel Street, Bathurst, NSW

Bathurst Regional Art Gallery presents Afterglow by acclaimed Australian-Swedish painter Danelle Bergstrom. Afterglow is Bergstrom’s first career survey and presents key works from the last 25 years of the artist’s practice.

$5 – $15

Recurring

Bathurst Arts Trail

Bathurst Bathurst, NSW

The Bathurst Arts Trail is a collective of artists throughout the Bathurst region who open their galleries and studios to visitors on the first weekend of each month.

Free

Painters in the Paddock

Glen Alice Glen Alice

Local and visiting painters! Bring your kits and easels to scenic From The Paddock on Saturday, April 1st, 2023 at 10am to swap knowledge and spend the day painting the magnificent escarpments of the Wollemi National Park. Work your magic and who knows? You might sell a painting! And when you're ready for a break, we'll be ready to sell you delicious coffee, cool drinks, yummy snacks and light meals from our new menu. Huzzah!

Free

ARTIST TALK: Danelle Bergstrom

Bathurst Regional Art Gallery 70-78 Keppel Street, Bathurst, NSW

Hear from Danelle Bergstrom in conversation with BRAG
Bathurst Regional Art Gallery presents Afterglow by acclaimed Australian-Swedish painter Danelle Bergstrom. Afterglow is Bergstrom’s first career survey and presents key works from the last 25 years of the artist’s practice.

4 On The 4loor

The Vic - Victoria Hotel Orange 334-336 Summer Street, Orange, NSW

This month, in appearance order: DEADLY NED, WILD BILL SKEWY & THE CARRINGTON EVENT, THE PHRASE NOISE OFFENSIVE, MELL MOORE.

Free

HANDS ON CLAY 3

GANG GANG Gallery, Lithgow 206 Main Street, Lithgow, NSW

Gang Gang Gallery is thrilled to be hosting our third collection of ceramic works by a number of talented potters, pushing boundaries with function and form in this energetic and creative exhibition.

SMITH & JONES: Single + Filmclip Launch @ BRAG

Bathurst Regional Art Gallery 70-78 Keppel Street, Bathurst, NSW

Local recording artists Smith & Jones have teamed up with artist and animator Todd Fuller to create a participatory film clip for their new single, Home.

Please book

Classic Bicycle EXPO

Malachi Gilmore Hall, Oberon 124 Oberon St, Oberon, NSW

Local legends Arthur and Robert Robinson are bringing their beautifully restored heritage bicycles to our heritage hall!  Showcasing favourites from their collection of cycles from the 1950s up to the 1990s, the Robinson brothers will be on hand to take you through the history and features of these classic bikes.

Free

EASTER SUNDAY MARKET IN THE PADDOCK

Glen Alice Glen Alice

Fancy a drive to the magnificent Capertee Valley this Easter Sunday? From the Paddock cafe and farm market will be hosting a local produce market full of unique items including retro furniture, bric-a-brac, farm equipment, plants, poultry, fruit and veg, baked goods and artisan products.

Free
Recurring

Rainbow Portraits: School Holiday Program

Orange Regional Museum 151 Byng Street, Orange, NSW

Create your own colourful family portraits at the Museum this school holidays.
Inspired by the historic portraits on display in the Museum, we’ll be creating some wild and wonderful portraits on canvas with the help of the humble squeegee.
Bring along a family picture to trace, or use those in our exhibition to create your own crazy family album.

Free
Recurring

KIDS COLOUR CLUB: Beautiful Bush

Bathurst Regional Art Gallery 70-78 Keppel Street, Bathurst, NSW

Cool, creative and colourful art making sessions at the gallery!
Using a range of materials create your own artwork inspired by the themes of our current exhibitions.

$11.90
Recurring

Family Tour of ‘Enemy Aliens: the Dunera boys in Orange, 1941’

Orange Regional Museum 151 Byng Street, Orange, NSW

Discover the story of the Dunera boys, from their journey to Australia and their experiences while interned in Orange and elsewhere in Australia.
Kids and adults alike can explore the exhibition through a scavenger hunt. Once the tour finishes, drop in to our Activity Space and spend some time getting creative with some hands-on crafting inspired by the exhibition.

Free

Showground Sketches: Intergenerational drawing workshop

Orange Showground Leeds Parade, Orange, NSW

Designed especially for children and their adults to learn together, this session will introduce participants to a range of drawing techniques and exercises. Using the Orange Showgrounds as our backdrop, participants will also have a chance to reflect on the story of the Dunera boys and their time in Orange during the Second World War.

$15.00

“DRYLANDS – Sacred ground” – Exhibition by Joy Engelman

The Peisley St Gallery, Orange 54 Peisley St Gallery, Orange, NSW

A selection of works from Engelman's travels across the outback over the past 12 years, these focus on the dry lakes and deserts, and are representational works of the energies and spirit she felt during my explorations. We live in amazing country unlike any other, a wide expanse of flatness filled with awe and colour, it reminds Engelman, she states, of driving through a large painting; the creation of a vast universal mind. 

Free

H ART of Women

GANG GANG Gallery, Lithgow 206 Main Street, Lithgow, NSW

NATASHA DANILOFF, ANNIE JOSEPH, ALIKI YIORKAS, JANETHA LYON
Four exceptionally tallented ladies come together for an exhibition celebrating women and their art.
OPENING EVENT – Saturday May 6th from 3pm

SUNDAY STITCH: Leanne Wicks, Native Birds

Bathurst Regional Art Gallery 70-78 Keppel Street, Bathurst, NSW

Create your own yard bird inspired by Leanne Wicks' Foyer Space exhibition!
Blending her lifelong passions of birding, ornithology, and knitting, Leanne Wicks presents knitted portraits of artists associated with the artistic programs of Bathurst Regional Art Gallery and the Cementa art festival. Each portrait merges the personality and practice of artists with Australian birds to create a unique and whimsical knitted installation.

$33.08

Phoenix Choir: Rossini’s Petite Messe Solenelle

Hoskins Memorial Church, Lithgow 43 Bridge Street, Lithgow, 2790

Rossini’s Petite Messe Solenelle cannot decide whether it is an opera or a religious work. It is certainly a mass set to the familia latin text, but it is neither petite nor remotely solemn so calling it a “little solemn mass” is probably only a ruse to appease the very conservative church of the time. But even then, because of its female singers, it wasn’t performed in a church during Rossini’s lifetime despite his direct appeal to the Pope.

$35.00 – $40.00

WORKSHOP: Introduction to Landscape Watercolour Painting

Bathurst Regional Art Gallery 70-78 Keppel Street, Bathurst, NSW

Learn the basics of landscape watercolour painting in a 2-hour mentored session by Contemporary Impressionist Kasey Sealy.
Surrounded by landscape paintings in the gallery as part of our current exhibition, Danelle Bergstrom: Afterglow, be inspired and create your own painting across this session.

$33.08
Recurring

Just a Song at Twilight – by Phil Sanders

Keystone 1889, Bathurst 99 Keppel St, Bathurst, NSW

Gerry Sorley, an Australian studying at Cambridge University, reads Seneca's "The Shortness of Life" as part of his philosophy degree. He knows he’s being indulged by his father who will insist on him joining the family firm soon, and he’s determined that, when he does, he will do things 'ethically.' It is the summer of 1976 and Gerry joins fellow students and best friends, Tim and Judith, to sing old music hall songs for fun in the back rooms of pub. This leads to their finding a spot in the Edinburgh Fringe by which time Gerry and Judith are falling in love.

$30

 

The What’s On calendar covers arts and heritage events happening across the NSW Central West in the local government areas of Bathurst Region, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, Lachlan, Lithgow, Mid-Western Region, Oberon, Orange, Parkes and Weddin.

Event listings are sourced or supplied from local venues and arts organisations. Many events listed here have been originally shared by the organisers on social media. Whilst all care is taken – and accuracy is our priority – we can take no responsibility for date changes or the content of contributed information. Contact the event organisers listed for more details or to book tickets.

The best way to include your event is to use our SUBMIT HERE form (under the What's On menu at the top of each page). These listings will be manually approved by the Arts OutWest team before publication.  Please allow a couple of days for listings to be published. If you have submitted an event and want to make changes just email us at artsoutwest@csu.edu.au

'Featured events' are those submitted directly online by presenters.

Event promotors are asked to only include their own original images / images that they have permission to use / copyright free stock images. For more information see our fact sheet on Using Images For Promoting Events (if you can't see this link look under 'Opportunities' then 'Resources').