The best of Blak Country, free art, & new music by Flume: AGNSW delivers a killer series of events for VOLUME

The AGNSW has unveiled a stellar lineup for this year’s Volume, featuring free events & new work by Jonathan Zawada & Flume

The Art Gallery of New South Wales is set to come alive this July with Volume, a groundbreaking music series that is set to push the boundaries of sound and live performance.

Running from July 5 to 21, this free program features a diverse lineup of over 30 local and international artists, alongside a rich offering of musical experiences.

One of the program’s standout events is Blak Country on July 10, celebrating Aboriginal Australian country music with Frank Yumma, Jarrod Hickling and Kathryn Kelly. This event, coinciding with NAIDOC Week, will feature legends like Roger Knox and rising stars such as Kyla-Belle Roberts and Loren Ryan. The evening will also premiere a unique playlist from the Songbirds project, highlighting the powerful tradition of music within incarcerated First Nations communities.

Volume will also present Extasis on July 17, an evening curated by Lawrence English that showcases leading experimental musicians. Artists like Jim O’Rourke, Eiko Ishibashi, and Carl Stone will perform, promising an immersive experience of ambient, neo-classical, and electronic sounds.

Weekends will see the Art Gallery hosting performances by musicians from the Asylum Seekers Centre, who will respond to artworks in the collection. This initiative, Play on, play again, play forever, extends the Gallery’s commitment to fostering artistic expression among asylum seekers.

Adding to the excitement, the Tank space will host Every dull moment (EDM), an installation by Jonathan Zawada and Flume. This site-specific work will feature dynamic sequences of sound and visuals, showcasing their collaborative history at EDM festivals.

Volume’s opening weekend includes Future tilt, an afternoon of live music featuring innovative artists like salllvage and DeepFaith, blending experimental pop and electronic drone.

Director Michael Brand emphasizes that Volume’s free events bring together Aboriginal country music stars, experimental musicians, and rising local talent for unique, one-off experiences. Curator Jonathan Wilson highlights Volume’s aim to challenge traditional performance structures, fostering deeper connections between artists and audiences.