Latest News

Few Remaining Tickets
Friday, 6th May, 2010
A few tickets remain for the VJ workshop, Literary Lunch, Drumming Monkey's and Renee Geyer due to cancellations. Please contact the Penola Visitor Information Centre to secure a spot on 08 8737 2855.

Bus Service Friday Night and Saturday
Tuesday, 4th May, 2010
There will be a bus service running to and from Penola to Wynns Coonawarra Estate on Friday evening for the Renee Geyer performance at a cost of $5 per person, one way. The service will also be available on Saturday between 10am - 5pm on an 'on call' basis for a gold coin donation per ride. For pickup please call 0418 838 643.

Friday Night Pick Up Times and Locations

6.45pm – Depart Penola Post Office
6.50pm – Depart Prince of Wales
6.55pm – Depart Bushman’s Inn
7.00pm – Depart Chardonnay Lodge
7.05pm – Arrive Wynns

7.15pm – Depart Penola Post Office
7.20pm – Depart Prince of Wales
7.25pm – Depart Bushman’s Inn
7.30pm – Depart Chardonnay Lodge
7.35pm – Arrive Wynns

7.45pm – Depart Penola Post Office
7.50pm – Depart Prince of Wales
7.55pm – Depart Bushman’s Inn
8.00pm – Depart Chardonnay Lodge
8.05pm – Arrive Wynns

Return buses to Penola will start after the conclusion of the performance.

The Festival Top 5
Thursday, 29th April, 2010
The 2010 festival is filled to the brim with a fantastic array of events, performances, exhibitions and workshops. The following are the Committee’s top five.... Illumination of the South; Renee Geyer; Co Opera; John Marden Lunch and; the Book Club.
1. Illumination of the South - The premiere work in 2010, sponsored by Festivals Australia, is Illumination of the South and it will illuminate the artwork, history and famous poetry of the region onto the big screen. The ‘big screen’ being a variety of historic and unique buildings within the Penola Township. It will be switched on every night of the festival.
2. Renee Geyer – one of Australia’s finest exponents of jazz, soul and R&B. She describes herself as sounding like a 65-year-old black man from Alabama. Renee is performing Friday night at Wynns Coonawarra Estate.
3. Co-Opera – a long time festival favourite this year is performing La Boheme on Thursday night at Rymill Hall. Experienced choreographer/director Nick Carroll always aims to entertain, and with its blend of humour, romance and tragedy, La Boheme is fertile material for a complete theatrical experience. Set in no specific era, this production will have its own distinctive visual, aural and dramatic aesthetic, in the best traditions of Co-Opera.
Penola Festival Association Incorporated PO Box 318 Penola SA 5277
4. John Marsden Lunch – International bestselling author John Marsden has sold over 2 and a half million books in Australia alone. The festival committee is very happy to present a Literary Lunch with John Marsden at the 2010 festival on the Saturday at Heyward’s Royal Oak Hotel. It will be a wonderful opportunity to hear the author’s thoughts and to ask questions.
5. Book Club – For the very first time the festival is hosting its own book club event. Held on Saturday at 3pm the event will be hosted by Angela Goode and Susie Kidman. The two books to be discussed, ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ by Elizabeth Gilbert and ‘Why you are Australian’ by Nikki Gemmell.

The Cannonisation of Mary MacKillop Exhibition
Wednesday, 28th April, 2010
Bound mono art prints created by the students of Penola's Mary MacKillop Memorial School on the theme "The Cannonisation of Mary Mackillop" will be on display at the Mary MacKillop Interpretive Centre over the festival weekend. James Parker, a printmaking sculptor who works with both film and commercial industries, schools, and adult and children's organisations is coming to the school from Adelaide to inspire and facilitate the artwork. The Centre will also have some felt products available to purchase that are made by the students and parents of the Mary MacKillop Memorial School and are inspired by the influence Mary MacKillop has had on Penola.

After Sell Out Performances at the Melbourne Fringe Festival... Deaf Can Dance
Tuesday, 27th April, 2010
After sold out performances at the Melbourne Fringe Festival ‘Deaf Can Dance’ comes to Penola. Deaf Can Dance is an exciting group of deaf dancers who combine Hip Hop dance with contemporary story telling. The performance and workshop is appropriate for both hearing and hearing impaired. Following the performance a workshop will be held for those who want to learn more about this high energy dance style.Suitable for all ages this performance is a must-see at this year’s festival. For more information please contact Anne Johnson, 0419 770 522. Tickets are on sale from the Penola Coonawarra Visitor Information Centre, 08 8737 2855.

Six weeks of live interviews on ABC Southeast starting this Saturday
Thursday, 1st April, 2010
Listen in to ABC Southeast's Saturday Breakfast Show with Lucy Richards to hear what's going on, on 1161AM between 6am-10am. This Saturday tune in at 6.30am to Fiona Luestner, President of the Festival as she gives a brief overview of what you can expect from this stellar upcoming Festival!
Schedule:
April 3 - Fiona Luestner, President - Festival in general
April 10 - Anne Johnson - Coordinator of the Little Kids, Big Kids Art Zone (kids activities)
April 17 - Ulrich Grey-Smith - Coordinator of the busking and open microphone competitions
April 24 - Simone Kain, Coordinator of the Design Prize and will discuss art workshops and exhibitions and the inaugural Illumination of the South
May 1 -TJ Smith - Coordinator of the Writers Element
May 6 - Fiona Luestner, President - Festival in general - overview of everything.

Creative Galleries Available for Viewing
Friday, 26th March, 2010
Interested in seeing the 2009 entries for the Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival Design Prize or perhaps all of the winning entries over the past 18 years from the John Shaw Neilson Acquisitive Art Prize? You can now view them online!

Programme Launch a Great Success!
Friday, 19th March, 2010
The 2010 Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival programme was launched last night at Koonara Wines cellar door in Penola. The programme is already receiving rave reviews and has been hailed by the Arts Festival President, Fiona Luestner as being the best yet. Photos are available to view from the lauch which was attended by more than 50 sponsors, Friends of the Festival and committee members.

2010 Programme Launch
Friday, 12th March, 2010
Our 2010 amazing line up of artists, workshops, events and activities will be officially launched next Thursday, March 18, 2010 at Koonara Wines cellar door in Church Street, Penola.

Competition Entry Forms Now Available
Wednesday, 24th February, 2010
Entry forms are now available for the John Shaw Neilson Acquisitive Art Prize, Robert Riddoch Rymill Memorial Art Prize, Design Prize and Coonawarra Unearthed. More entry forms and details will be making their way online over the next few weeks.

2010 Website is Launched
Sunday, 6th December, 2009
Welcome to the 2010 Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival website. Each year our website remains consistent in regards to the navigation and where you can find information on the current year's events, workshops and exhibitions, however the look and feel takes on the previous year's Design Prize winning entry. The 2009 Next Byte Design Prize, for the first time, was awarded to a Limestone Coast designer, Bianca Gillin of Mount Gambier. Bianca was awarded first prize out of over 80 entries that were received from across South Australia. If you're a budding artist or designer and would like to enter the 2010 Design Prize, please be sure to check out the Design Prize information page.

2010 Festival Dates All Set!
Wednesday, 8th July, 2009
The 2010 dates have been secured for our next amazing Festival. Please put in your calendar Thursday May 6th - Sunday May 9th 2010. These dates will also co-incide with Mother's Day - so why not think ahead and take your mother out for a day of arts, food and fun as a way to say thank you!

2009 Festival News

2009 Festival a Raging Success!
Tuesday, 19th May, 2009
The 2009 Festival has been hailed the biggest and best yet. The committee would like to extend a large thank you to the Festival sponors, friends and all who attended and contributed to make the four days the spectacle that it was!

Friday Night Rhonda Burchmore Performance - tickets still available
Wednesday, 13th May, 2009
Despite reports from the media, there are still tickets available for Friday night's lively performance of Rhonda Burchmore and her big band with compere Bryan Dawe, at the Poplars, Coonawarra. Over 400 tickets have been sold, but there is still room if your quick! For ticket sales, please contact the Penola Coonawarra Visitor Information Centre on 08 8737 2855.

On the Countdown
Monday, 11th May, 2009
The Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival has arrived for 2009! Join us this Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday for amazing workshops, exhibitions, food, wine and events! Don't forget to download a programme so you don't miss out on anything!

Programme Amendments
Monday, 11th May, 2009
Unfortunately due to unforseen circumstances the following workshops and events have been cancelled: The BMX Trickster from Oz Circus Performance and workshop at 1.30pm on Sunday; Food Pod 3 - Curry my Life at 10am on Saturday and; Food Pod 2 - Grampians and Grapes in the Kitchen at Katnook Estate at 10am on Saturday. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Live broadcast and interviews on ABC Southeast
Friday, 8th May, 2009
Listen in this Saturday morning to ABC Southeast's Saturday Breakfast Show with Alan Richardson (1161AM) to hear various committee members discuss the goings on of this year's Festival! The live broadcast will be taking place at the town square, on the corner of Arthur and Church Streets, next door to the Penola Coonawarra Visitor Information Centre. Stop by and say hi!

Co-Opera Sells Out!
Friday, 8th May, 2009
Co-Opera's 'Pirates of Penzance' performance this Thursday evening at Rymill Hall has been sold out! Thank you for your fantastic support.

Organising Committee's top choices for the 2009 Festival
Wednesday, 6th May, 2009
Working backwards from ten here are the organising Committee’s top choices for the 2009 Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival: 10. How often do you get the chance to get up close to the cooking process and then share lunch with a Chef? Special guest, Lydney Milan. Reserve your spot.
9. Choose one or go to both – the Writers Forums will be entertaining and informative
8. Pirates of Penzance performed by Co-Opera, kicking off the festival Thursday night
7. Find out who won the 2010 Design prize by visiting Hollick Wines
6. Exhibitions galore, wind you way up and down the Riddoch Highway to view over 20 exhibitions on show and don’t forget to drop in on the $5000 John Shaw Neilson Art Prize
5. Lunch with renowned author Peter Goldsworthy
4. Ever been to a world premiere? Iris is being performed for the very first time this festival
3. One for the kids – Ticklish Allsorts on stage at Rymill Hall Sunday afternoon, be there or be a lolly!
2. Wind down Sunday night at the Leconfield Film Night, features both long and short film
1. Rhonda Burchmore Performs with festival patron Bryan Dawe – it will be a lively barrel shed performance

With the festival starting in just over a week the volunteer organising committee are working hard on producing the best festival yet. Ticket sales are strong with both the local community and visitors supporting a wide range of festival events, workshops and performances.

The aim of the festival every year is to be able to bring high calibre talent into the region and give the community the opportunity to have an arts experiences at a reasonable ticket price without leaving home. The other important benefit, the creation of a tourism event. The festival draws visitors from near and far and their spend is more important than ever to the local economy. The Committee are proud to provide the community with their very own arts festival.

Three more weeks of live interviews on ABC Southeast
Wednesday, 29th April, 2009
Listen in this Saturday morning to ABC Southeast's Saturday Breakfast Show with Lucy Richards (1161AM) to hear TJ Smith, Writers' Co-ordinator as she gives a brief run down on the fantastic opportunities for writers' there are at this year's Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival.

Six weeks of live interviews on ABC Southeast starting this Saturday
Tuesday, 7th April, 2009
Listen in to ABC Southeast's Saturday Breakfast Show with Lucy Richards to hear what's going on, on 1161AM between 6am-10am. This Saturday tune in to Fiona Luestner, President of the Festival as she gives a brief overview of what you can expect from this stellar upcoming Festival!
Schedule:
April 11 - Fiona Luestner, President - Festival in general
April 18 - Kerrie McCarthy, Coordinator of the Chefs in the Kitchen Element (food workshops)
April 25 - Simone Kain, Coordinator of the Design Prize and will discuss art workshops and exhibitions
May 2 - TJ Smith - Coordinator of the Writers Element
May 9 - Anne Johnson - Coordinator of the Little Kids, Big Kids Art Zone (kids activities)
May 16 - Fiona Luestner, President - Festival in general - overview of everything

Programme Amendment
Wednesday 15th April, 2009
Pages 11 and 12 of the Programme details two children's events - The BMX Trickster and The Ticklish Allsorts performing on Saturday. Both acts are performing on Sunday, May 17 as indicated on pages 26 and 27.

Programme Launch Photos
Monday 30th March, 2009
The launch of the 2009 programme was a fantastic success. Click here to view photos from Friday evening.

Festival Launch
Friday 27th March, 2009
The 2009 Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival will be officially launched this afternoon at Koonara Wines at 5pm with the unveiling of the comprehensive and rather large programme. The 2009 festival is the biggest and most comprehensive yet, now over four days and nights and featuring the return of the writer’s element with special guest Peter Goldsworthy, the fourth instalment of the food component featuring Lyndey Milan, a detailed and participation based family programme ‘Little Kids Big Kids’ and Rhonda Burchmore headlining the event. Plus of course the numerous exhibitions, art prizes and workshops throughout the district’s cellar doors and galleries.

The full programme will be available both in a printed format and on the festival website, artsfestival.com.au from today. “The festival committee has invested a great deal of time and energy into producing a detailed website alongside the development of the programme. By releasing the full programme on the web we are encouraging people to visit the website and gain a better understanding of the complete festival experience” says Fiona Luestner President of the festival committee. Click here to download the President's speech.

The programmes have arrived!
Tuesday 24th March, 2009
Our fabulous 40 page full colour programmes have just arrived hot off the press! Look out for the green and black jazz man sitting on counters near you! You won't believe the full line up we have instore for 2009. Click here to download the programme as a PDF document.

Don't forget to enter in the fabulous competitions available!
Wednesday 18th March, 2009
John Shaw Neilsen Acquisitive Art Prize, Design Prize, Photographic Acquisitive Art Prize, Non-Acquisitive Viniculture Prize, Coonawarra Unearthed, Opshop to Opulence, Body Art Challenge, Busking & Open Microphone. Registrations close soon for some! Fantastic prizes up for grabs!!

Design Prize call for Expressions of Interest
Monday 2nd March, 2009
The annual design prize has opened once again with the call being made to creatives to design the 2010 festival identity. All entries will be exhibited this year at Hollick Wines with first prize winning a $1000 voucher from Next Byte Apple Centre and two runners-up each being awarded a wonderful wine pack from Hollick Wines. The committee would love to see your bold and beautiful designs. Download the expression of interest and the design prize guidelines and entry form.

Busking & Open Microphone Competition Announced
Tuesday 24th February, 2009
Share in $500 worth of prizes when the busking competition returns and the new competition - Open Microphone - is introduced at Heywards Hotel on the 16th and 17th of May, 2009. Click here to download the competition registration form, or email Ulrich at busker@artsfestival.com.au for further information.

Website updated with 2009 graphics
Tuesday 10th February, 2009
The Penola Coonawarra Arts Festival website has been updated with the 2009 winning design prize entry. What do you think of our new look?! Click here to send us some feedback and keep an eye out for updated information on what's happening during 2009!