Merrigong Theatre Company is excited to announce the 2024 MERRIGONGX Artists’ Program, showcasing the outstanding breadth of local talent in the Illawarra region.
MERRIGONGX places artists and their practice at the centre of the community. From in-house creative
developments to full-blown public presentations of new work, and everything in between, MERRIGONGX provides independent artists with valuable financial, technical, marketing, and artistic resources.
Beginning the season in August is Josh Hinton’s A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen or How To Make the
Perfect One-Pot Chicken Curry, weaving together childhood memories and family folklore passed down
through the generations, as Josh attempts to make his grandmother’s chicken curry live on stage. Later
that month is Nathan Harrison’s Birdsong of Tomorrow, a playful and heartfelt look at the birds around
us, and what they might sing when we’re gone. Concluding the MERRIGONGX season is The Cardinal
Rules, a nostalgic work of storytelling by Rose Maher, with Hurrah Hurrah, and is a reckoning with an
upbringing in the Australian Catholic Church circa 1990.
MERRIGONGX also supports a number of artists developing new work with financial, technical and
marketing resources. Artists include performance based collective Vaguely Adjacent, Alana Valentine,
Catherine McKinnon and Aunty Barbara Nicholson, Siobhan Doran-Chaston and more.
Productions in MERRIGONGX are assessed by a panel that includes independent industry assessors.
MERRIGONGX will also present their annual Made From Scratch multi-artform performance night in
March, June & September, offering artists space and support to test new ideas in front of a live audience.
Simon Hinton, Artistic Director & CEO of Merrigong Theatre Company says, “It’s amazing to be able to
announce another year of MERRIGONGX where we support a diverse range of artists. There are incredible new works that audiences will see this year, but also some work being made under wraps, through workshops at MERRIGONGX.
MERRIGONGX is the absolute heart of what we do here at Merrigong – supporting artists making exciting new work, and telling a range of stories that connect with communities and audiences.”
This year, MERRIGONGX will pilot a Health and Wellbeing program. Created after a year of research, the program will provide tailored support, accessibility services, and workshops to nurture the holistic health of 2024 MERRIGONGX artists.
Bonnie Curtis, Artistic Associate – Artist Wellbeing, says, “Witnessing first-hand the impact of the pandemic on our local artists, Merrigong is taking action to improve the health, wellbeing, safety and security of artists. The 2024 MERRIGONGX Artist Wellbeing pilot program aims to empower our artists to create and present new work in a safe, wellbeing-focused manner while developing skills for a sustainable arts career. As an independent artist and a passionate advocate for artist wellbeing, I’m excited to lead this initiative.”
For more information visit MERRIGONGX 2024 Season