Upcoming Event

A Magical Hotstart

November 26, 2026 6:30 pm — Tickets Free – $25
Powerhouse Parramatta, on Dharug Land

Arts & Cultural Exchange (ACE) presents A Magical Hotstart, a new avant-garde opera by acclaimed Australian artist Justene Williams, created in collaboration with nine neurodiverse musicians from ACE’s Club Weld program.

Commissioned by ACE and Powerhouse, the work will have its world premiere as part of the Powerhouse Parramatta Opening Festival on 26–27 November 2026, with an original score performed by Club Weld artists alongside musicians from the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO).

Drawing inspiration from objects within the Powerhouse Collection, A Magical Hotstart brings together original music, performance, sculpture and fantastical costuming in a world of transformation, connection and emotion.

EVENT DETAILS

Dates: 26–27 November 2026
Duration: 1 hour
Venue: Powerhouse Parramatta, on Dharug Land
Address: Western Sydney University Forum, Level 1 – 34 Phillip St, Parramatta NSW 2150
Tickets:
• Free – Children aged 16 and under
• $15 – Concession
• $25 – Standard

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ABOUT A MAGICAL HOTSTART

Over 12 months, Club Weld artists Jerrah Patston, Sienna Acquaro, Charbel Nehme, Adoni, Chris Stiles, Patrick Li, Nina Gotsis, Jonathan Yung and Tua Hunt undertook research visits to the Powerhouse Collection, using the objects and stories they encountered as starting points for new musical compositions.

Their original music forms the score for A Magical Hotstart, developed through a collaborative creative process with Justene Williams. The work also marks Club Weld’s fourth project with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, following a creative development and performance project presented in 2025.

Named in honour of the powerful act of hot-starting a car – or a museum – the work moves between the everyday and the unexpected, bringing together sound, image, sculpture, costuming and performance to create an otherworldly experience.

ABOUT JUSTENE WILLIAMS

Justene Williams is an Australian artist and academic whose practice spans video, photography, sculpture, installation and performance.

Emerging from Sydney’s grunge scene in the 1990s, Williams has developed an interdisciplinary practice known for combining image, sound, costume, movement and sculptural environments. Her work has been presented nationally and internationally, including at the 20th Biennale of Sydney, and is held in collections including Tate Britain.

A Magical Hotstart also continues a long-running creative relationship between Williams and ACE Executive Director Anne Loxley, who first worked together in 1994.

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