SmartArts

Although the podcast format of SmartArts has now wrapped, this show continues to be broadcast on Triple R. You can now listen to new episodes on Triple R’s FM On Demand service at rrr.org.au/explore/programs/smartarts . Thanks for listening!

SmartArts takes over the Triple R Performance Space for a very special broadcast to celebrate the show's 20th anniversary! Richard Watts OAM first brought Triple R's flagship morning arts program to life in December 2004, hosting hundreds of conversations every year with local artists, established talent and international touring legends from across the visual and performing arts spectrum. Listen...

Join Richard Watts for his penultimate episode before he closes out 2024 with his 20th anniversary next week! Details for the live event happening on Thursday 19th can be found here: https://www.rrr.org.au/events/smartarts-20th-anniversary-special Whether you’re a Midsumma Festival veteran or you’re wanting to go for the first time, Chief Executive and Creative Director, Karen Bryant, is here to g...

Malia Walsh, the guest director of Women’s Circus annual Member Cabaret, tells us all about the end of year showcase, Braver than a Bear . Music therapist Paul Byrnes joins discusses the federal government’s decision to remove Music Therapy as a recognized therapeutic support under the NDIS; according to the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA), this decision was made without consultation a...

Tai Snaith is back with Art Attack! She checked out the latest exhibition at the new Ordinance Gallery , Cardboards by Darcey Bella Arnold. The Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) Head of Percussion Peter Neville stops by to tell Richard about their festival, Sounds of Australia . It runs from the 28-30 November at the Abbotsford Convent. Tickets and info: https://abbotsfordconvent.com.au/...

With MQFF closing on Sunday November 24th, filmmaker Alice Maio Mackay and actor Connor Pullinger join Richard to talk about the last few days of the festival. Alice’s film Carnage for Christmas screens on Sunday 24th (last day of MQFF) at 3.15pm at Cinema Nova. Connor’s film Bulldog is a contender for Australian Shorts & Awards (screening and awards are 6pm on Saturday 23rd at ACMI Fed Square...

Jeff Khan previews the 2025 Asia Topa program, Katarina Paseta discusses two Geelong Gallery exhibitions (the Noel Counihan retrospective A People’s Press which is on display until March 10th 2025 and Social Studies which is on display until February 9th), actor/psychotherapist/applied theatre practitioner Benjamin Rivers chats about The Invaders’ Fear of Memories , Glen Downey discusses the Off T...

Richard speaks to actor Tamblyn Lord on the Australian premiere of Philip Ridley's play The Poltergeist, at La Mama Theatre. Gertrude Studios curator, Dr Amelia Winata, introduces the 2024 exhibition. Giovanni Adams joins Richard in studio to discuss his role as Ike Turner in Tina, The Tina Turner Musical. Director Anna Reece gives an overview of the Perth Festival 2025 program. Finally, the cast...

Buckle in for another ride of the SmartArts-coaster! Richard Watts OAM, is here to guide you through all the twists, turns and thrills of this weeks episode… Kicking off with a Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) program overview with program director Cerise Howard and CEO David Martin Harris. MQFF is screening across Melbourne from November 14-24, tickets available now . Visual artist, Dominic K...

This week on SmartArts with Richard Watts, As we all know, Melbourne is the most Irish city in Australia, and Dr Enda Murray, the Festival Director of the 2024 Irish Film Festival is here to tell us how we can embrace our Irish-ness through cinema. Showing from 24-27 October, find something on the program for yourself here: https://irishfilmfestival.com.au/ Academy Award winning filmmaker and arti...

Richard starts off this week's show with a Malthouse Theatre 2025 season overview with Artistic Director Matt Lutton. Gunai/Kurnai woman and curator Amanda Haskard talks ACMI's major exhibition The Future and Other Fictions . And three interviews about Melbourne Fringe: performer and choreographer Alix Kuijpers tells Richard about Grim Grinning Ghosts , Mitch Jones (Oozing Future) discusses new al...

Welcome to another fabulous episode of SmartArts, where Richard Watts OAM is serving up a delightful platter of comic book chat, theatre and art. First up, it’s Bernard Caleo’s monthly Drawn Out comic books segment. To talk about the upcoming Femmural production, Dredge , is Rosa Ablett-Johnstone, Producer & cast member and Jack Brumeister, Composer & Sound Designer. Opening at Theatrework...

Richard Watts is joined by Director Anthea Williams and Actor Rachael Edmonds to talk about upcoming Melbourne Theatre production "The cost of Living" which won the 2018 Pulitzer prize for drama, written by Polish-Amercian Playwright Martyna Majok. Plus, we dive into the political power of posters and street posters and poster print making. with Troppo Prints. Simon Abrahams from Melbourne fringe...

Richard is joined in today's show of Smartarts by a whirlpool of talent including: artist Cindy Campbell, Sharmini Kumar & Arthur Pontonio of Around the World in 80 Days and Paul Mitchell & Theresa Borg who discuss their latest theatrical, You're the Man. From the behind the scenes we peak into an array of art organisations hosted by guests from the likes of MAGMA gallery director Jake Tay...

Richard Watts OAM has a plentiful basket of curators, directors, artists and critics for you to choose from this week. If you’re looking for an art exhibition, and perhaps you’ve been chewed up by bureaucratic systems… look no further than Gertrude Contemporary Exhibition, And This Time the Well Is Alive . Joining Richard is Curator at Gertrude Contemporary, Amelia Winata who guides us through the...

Richard is joined by a whole slew of guests including: Bernard Caleo to talk all things comics, Tai Snaith with the fortnightly Art Attack, Nela Trifkovic who is the vocalist behind new performance 'The Resonant Heart – The Heart Whispers and Whirls', Jeff Khan pops into the studio to chat about Asia TOPA, Rhys Graham presents a new documentary Rewards for the Tribe (2023), Andrew Gyopar, the Exec...

Richard Kicks off this jam packed episode with Simona Jobbagy of NICA and Sam Jacob, CEO of Collarts as they talk about Australia's only Bachelor of Circus Arts finding a new home for 2025. We have Tilly Boleyn, Science Gallery Melbourne’s Curator & Gail Chin Curator from Art/Science Museum Singapore as they introduce new exhibition SCI-FI Mythologies Transformed , on-now at Science Gallery Me...

Host Richard Watts is joined by Christof Wehmeier, head of international & festival promotion at the Icelandic Film Centre, and they discuss the 2024 Scandinavian film Festival program and highlights. We also have A rtist Madeleine Flynn and Arts Centre’s Director of Programming Marshall McGuire from the Arts Centre, discussing Installation, how do we remain at Melbourne Recital centre. We als...

Richard Watts OAM reporting for SmartArts! As always, he's here to give you an inside look into the fabulous people behind all of the brilliant goings-on of Naarm's flourishing art scene. Let's go! Amid the housing crisis, Midsumma ’s CEO Karen Bryant is on the hunt for office space. The festival is Australia's premier queer arts and cultural organisation, bringing together a diverse mix of LGBTQI...

SmartArts with Richard Watts OAM back to keep you company on these chilly winters days... Starting out with Artist Kate Wallace on her new exhibition ‘Details of a room and other places’ - on now at LON Gallery. In the coming years there will be a big redevelopment of the Melbourne Arts Precinct & the Queen Victoria Market - to tell all about it is Principal Architect at NH Architecture, Emily...

Richard Watts OAM (!!!) is back in the studio after taking a mental health reset. He’s back, and he’s got the best of Melbourne’s performance, art and comedy for you to fill your diary with. First up, Bernard Caleo is in for Comic Books Chat, telling us about all the fabulous local creators we should know. Anne-Louise Sarks and Nikki Shiels, talk about MTC’s A Streetcar Named Desire - which they a...

Steph Teitelbaum fills in for Richard Watts this week for chats with Lara Thoms, the Executive Director of experimental theatre collective APHIDS about their 30th birthday; Young Australian Broadway Chorus talent James Pringle and Charlie Abbot-Higgins stop by to talk about bringing Shrek JR to life on stage; Open House Melbourne's Chief Curator Tania Davidge highlights all the big moments of the...

For one week more, Oliver Coleman keeps the seat nice and toasty for resident SmartArts host, Richard Watts. And what a cracking show to end the run! Writer Georgia Ketals & scent artist Erin Adams tell us about Recollection , a unique play that offers a sensory experience. Based on a story about a mother trying to recreate her late daughters smell, it’s an aromatic journey that guides the aud...

Back to fill the enormous SmartArts shoes of Richard Watts OAM is resident funny guy, Oliver Coleman. Kicking off the show is Tai Smith with the latest visual arts reccs - think cutesy wholesome for the Under Five Windows  exhibition at A Reading Room, collaging fun at the Ripped - a Punk Collage Workshop , and writing extravaganzas at Alta Forma . Multidisciplinary artist, Lisa Waup, tells us abo...

Welcome back to another instalment of SmartArts! Oliver Coleman is steering the ship for you again and boy are we in for a cruisy ride... First up, CLIPPED music video festival director Samuel Bright and James Tran going Oliver to talk all things CLIPPEDKilda , music video festival championing the underrepresented creative community behind music videos! If, like Oliver, you dedicated Saturday morn...