Top 10 Australia Culture On this week 19/07/2020 (COVID-19 EDITION)

The time is now. As it always has been. As it always will be.

 

10) Talking Ideas: Women and Leadership with Julia Gillard 

22nd July

What: Share an evening with Julia Gillard, as she discusses Women and Leadership with ABC TV presenter Jessica van Vonderen, and lays out a road map of essential knowledge to take action against gender bias. In their new book, Women and Leadership, Julia Gillard and co-author Nagozi Okonjo-Iweala drew on their broad experience on the world stage in politics, economics and global not-for-profits to share some strong ideas about the impact of gender on the treatment of leaders. Drawing from academic research, the authors interviewed women leaders including Jacinda Arden, Hillary Clinton, Elle Johnson Sirleaf, Theresa May and more, to examine their leadership journeys and individual lived experiences.

Why: Why are we surprised a mediocre-to-bad politician is leveraging the only thing they have in order to remain relevant? Perhaps we should at least be thankful that this is Australia, and as such, our formerly prominent political figures’ desperate attempts to recapture our attention probably won’t involve eventual indictment.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=6b9dc7f0-c7b2-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

9) Astronomy in Space: From Hubble to Roman

23rd July

What: Thirty years ago, the U.S. launched the famous Hubble Space Telescope, whose unique design allowed astronauts to repair and upgrade it in space using advanced technology. The newly named Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope – or Roman Space Telescope, (formerly known as WFIRST) – is set to launch in the mid-2020s. It will investigate long-standing astronomical mysteries, such as the force behind the universe’s expansion and search for distant planets beyond our solar system. Two scientists whose careers have been strongly connected with space telescopes will discuss the Hubble Space Telescope’s success and the potential of the upcoming Roman Space Telescope.

Why: An apolitical break in your regularly scheduled programming.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=28747b90-c7b2-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

8) Over-Policing Black and Indigenous Lives

24th July

What: Join Myseum of Toronto for a panel discussion that takes a critical look into the history of policing, the communities most affected, where things stand now, and where we go from here. We’ve seen the stories and read the reports, Black people and Indigenous peoples are exponentially more likely to be victims of fatal police shootings, and account for an alarmingly disproportionate number of federal incarcerations. While recent events have focused the public’s attention on the problem with policing, in many communities this conversation and these issues are nothing new.

Why: Because laziness is almost antithetical to the definition of a sensitive cynic. Blacking out your Instagram is not enough. You have to earn those holes in your $500 jeans.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=b49c11c0-c7b0-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

7) Royal Albert Home: Classical For Kids 

25th July

What: Albert’s Band’s pianist Dawn Hardwick will deliver an exclusive set from her home as part of the Royal Albert Home sessions. Featuring new music by Colin Riley, Adrian Sutton, John Psathas and Julian Jacobson, this delightful introduction to the piano will be sure to entertain the whole family.

Why: COVID has revealed to us all how much you truly hate your abrasively loud children. Add a piano to the cacophony. Your neighbours don’t hate you enough.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=129e0590-c3be-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

6) Living Poetics

22nd July

What: Living Poetics is a Live Stream that includes avant-garde international artists ranging from dancers to music producers hosted by divinebrick, a local LA interdisciplinary artist working with the body. Streams include work by divinebrick that range from butoh dance to sound compositions.

Why: See a guy named divinebrick contort himself into extraordinary positions without constantly being upsold on the hot Live Cam experience.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=0c6ab5a0-b8b6-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

5) Lecture: White Urgency is Violence

23rd July

What: In May of 2020 when the country was initially thwarted into unrest after the murders of Georgia Floyd, Ahmad Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, white people and people with white privilege were incensed, dismayed, and finally shocked into action. They took to the streets. They opened their pockets and their pocketbooks, they wrote to their local representatives, and they hashtagged #BlackLivesMatter in every post. About 10 days later, when they had not solved systematic racism, they went back to their regularly scheduled program and black people were still left to the devices of fantastical hegemony. Ebony Janice is launching the first instalment of a lecture series on White Supremacy Culture. This lecture, “White Urgency Is Violence” will delve deep into the harmful nature of white privilege – especially as it pertains to so-called allies.

Why: Not doing anything means nothing happens? Boy things sure have changed since the nineties when not caring definitely meant you were Che Guevara.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=bb8780e0-c7b1-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

4) Drag Queen Cook Off with Juanita MORE and Sister Roma

24th July

What: Your favorite divas, Juanita MORE and Sister Roma, are back once again to battle it out for the title of Williams Sonoma Cook Off Queen! Watch as Juanita MORE and Sister Roma go head to head (or wig to wig) as they cook and plate their dish made using three secret ingredients. Guest judge, Melissa King from Top Chef, along with emcee, Liam Mayclem, and viewers, will decide who the winner of this epic battle royale will be! Pour yourself a Quarantini and fire up your Zoom, because the Annual Drag Queen Cook Off is going to be a do-not-miss event.

Why: Everything MasterChef could have been if square head, the sentient obese ascot and the miserly cue ball hadn’t been at the helm from the start.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=4bb88a00-c7b3-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

3) Black Laughs Matter

26th July

What: The live comedy scene has been devastated by the closure of all of the comedy clubs, so if you’d like to support black comics, join in on a special ‘Black Laughs Matter’ online comedy show live from San Francisco. Berkeley native and host for the comedy show, Chris Riggins, has opened for legend Dave Chappelle, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Mos Def and Talib Kweli and perfromed at Cobbs, SF Sketchfest and Oracle Arena. This edition will feature Devin Clark (The Last Movie Podcast, The Hollywood Improv) and Shanna Christmas (Hollywood Laugh Factory, Black Women in Comedy Festival).

Why: Experience laughter that isn’t just bitter, perverted sorrow.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=fd723d50-c7b2-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

2) DC JazzFest From Home

26th July

What: The DC JazzFest From Home Series is an event occurring on the DCJF YouTube Channel and Facebook page that will feature never-before-seen footage of performances from year’s past as well as live-streamed shows from DCJF artist alums.

Why: If ever there were a time to get into Jazz, it’s now when you’ve listened to bands you actually like so much that you can no longer tell the difference between Trent Reznor and Johnny Cash.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=c6e7b9f0-c3ba-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536

 

1) Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival

25th July

What: In honour of its 10th anniversary, a special edition of the Kotatsu Japanese Animation Festival will be held on YouTube. The festival will use its YouTube channel to present a free online screening of shorts from an all-female line-up of directors ranging from university students to the current crop of animators working today. They will be highlighting the works of many animators, starting with Fusako Yusaki, a veteran claymation animator and a pioneering female voice who emerged in the 1960s at a time when men dominated the scene. They have more films from Miho Yata, an animator most famous for her style of using knitted materials in her work. Arisa Wakami produces beautiful works in both hand-drawn and stop motion animation. They also have a set of graduate works from students of Tokyo University of the Arts and Mone Kurita, a graduate of Tokyo Polytechnic University.

Why: It turns out Japanese animation can be even more lyrical, complex and penetrative than a giant frisky octopus.

https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=2ca4d440-c7b1-11ea-96b7-b132cf2a7536