Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre's annual Way Out West (WOW) Festival

Bursting with live performances, interactive installations, incredible outdoor adventures and wondrous workshops, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre's annual Way Out West (WOW) Festival returns this school holidays (18 -21 July 2018) for four days chock-full of crazy and creative family fun.

'From the side-splitting circus antics of the Trash Test Dummies', to virtual reality and 3D scan workshops, and even a performance that takes place inside a giant bubble, the WOW Festival returns in 2018 with a smorgasbord of activities and entertainment to keep energetic kids, and their parents, engaged all day long," said Craig Donarski Casula Powerhouse Director.

'At WOW Festival we encourage artistic explorations in all forms. Theatre, dance, music, literature, food, yoga, workshops and free family fun all come together in this astounding program guaranteed to inspire joy, creativity and curiosity. The 2018 WOW Festival program features over 200 chances to experience 35 events and 33 workshops, spread across 11 spaces in and around the Centre, over four days."

'The Powerhouse believes passionately that art should be accessible to everyone – no matter their age or where they come from. This is why we've curated a festival where the majority of activities are free, so effectively you could come to the Festival pack a lunch, stay for the entire day busy with activities and not spend a cent."

'For the first time ever, older kids can join in on the WOW Festival action with T-Zone, a dedicated space for 13-15 year olds. T-Zone will feature a stack of events including a roller skating rink, live music program, themed selfie space, 80's makeovers… even Parkour workshops." he said.

Here are just some of the highlights of this year's WOW Festival:

Family Shows
In This Will Not Protect You, award winning artists Amrita Hepi, Prue Stent and Honey Long invite audiences to join them inside their big, inflatable, orange bubble for an interactive performance of movement and sound.

Come and party with stars of ABC KIDS Lah-Lah's Big Live Band as they celebrate their 10th birthday at Casula Powerhouse. It's an hour of singing and dancing fun, full of Lah-Lah hits and laughs, and you're invited!

Trash Test Dummies' circus performers will wow with and hour of circus, jaw dropping acrobatics, and side-splitting comedy in their new show Splash Test Dummies.

Winner of 2017 Sydney Theatre Award for Best Production for Young People, Dignity of Risk is a new contemporary performance the fuses movement and dance with the personal stories of young adults to explore way we see ourselves and the perception we have about others.

Join Dr Hubble for a funny and slightly educational journey into the world of bubbles in Dr Hubble's Bubble's. There will be big bubbles, bubbles inside bubbles, square bubbles and even an explodabubble!

WOW Festival will premiere a new piece of work by award winning theatre company Urban Theatre Projects, Talk Show Hypothetical. A group of 12 year olds from western Sydney were selected to be a part of this performance. They have been given a hypothetical situation and must grapple with an abstract concept on stage. Come hear what they have to say.

Interactive Installations
Casula Powerhouse's Turbine Hall is transformed into a chaotic cacophony of colour and sound with artist Rosie Deacon's Moving Forrest. Trees will spin as kids crawl through this wonderful world, discovering creatures and animals in hidden corners and playing with the vines that run from tree to tree.

In the Marsden Gallery exhibition Reflections of Industry & Nature artist Steve Jannar from Liverpool Art Society has painted some of the wonderful natural areas around Sydney. Kids can enjoy the artworks by the talented artist as well as try their hand at guessing which trees and plants are included in the smelling station or which birds are on the soundtrack.

Workshops

Welcome to MAKE: a buffet of collaborative art making for kids and their grown-ups. In MAKE participants are invited to participate in a smorgasbord of activities designed to encourage art and play including, funky felt making, edible jewellery design and giant still life drawing.

Joseph O'Farrell (JOF) in collaboration with Shopfront Arts Co-op welcomes kids and parents to the best dance party ever – but you only have 10 minutes to dance. And dance you will. 10-Minute Dance Parties are a crazy celebration of art and colour, costume and community, and the universal nature of dance!

Experienced home barber Charles Lomu and his team of experienced barbers will take kids through the art of urban style barbering and braiding in a series of workshops called Urban Hair Salon.

Wow also have a range of contemporary art workshops taking place each day of the Festival. Kids can try their hand at clay art, poster making, painting, portraits, drawing and more in these crafty workshops for little ones.

Outdoor Play
Way out West Festival presents FOOD + GARDENING PROGRAM. Casula Powerhouse has its very own garden and since 2017 it has been growing all sorts of vegetables. The garden is loved and looked after by Lauren who invites kids to join her in a fun program of activities including: painting fence paling that will then be erected around CPAC's veggie garden, pot planting and decorating, and even a garden and food making workshop where kids will pick their in season vegies and take them to Bellbird's kitchen to make a yummy dish!

There's also the wonderful WOW Festival outdoor program where young and old can explore, create, imagine and do everything from daily morning yoga classes, to enjoying story time and playing in a pop-up play space provided by Reverse Garbage!

This is just a tiny taste of a program bursting with creativity and play. So come one, come all to experience this most wondrous event out west, as Casula Powerhouse is transformed into an artistic playground packed with crazy and creative fun, explorations to embark on and brand new learning experiences.

Tickets will be available via www.wayoutwestfestival.com.au
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