2,000 artists claim Parramatta

Sydney’s biggest divide remains between east and west. An increasingly stylized, gentrified inner city often says: “Culture stops at Leichardt.”  “Westies” are often perceived negatively -- common and lacking in highbrow expression.

But theatrical, visual art and multi-media movements in the regional capital, Parramatta, have shown that a gritty urban upbringing in the greater west creates unique art perspectives.

No longer can inner city types get away with saying: “Parramatta doesn’t matter.”

Some of the area’s 2,000 artists registered at www.artfiles.com.au are going to legally “squat” in unused office space in the business district –- thanks to a local government initiative, “Pop-up Parramatta.”

The decaying Macquarie House, an upper floor of a heritage bank and the under-utilized Connect Arcade are all now open to creatives.

Along with the Riverside Theatre, the Information and Cultural Exchange (ICE) and the Parramatta Artists Studios –- which both houses and exhibits artists –- Pop-up Parramatta is a continuation of the area’s cultural upsurge.

This already includes the Arab Film Festival and Parramasala – a festival of South Asian arts.

Long perceived as an impoverished cousin, Parramatta is now demonstrating its deep urban experience. Its honesty is providing a globally interesting, multicultural version of Australian existence.

Artists studios behind a church

The arts boom is taking shape in the most unlikely places. Behind a heritage church, 15 artists gather in a building in Sydney’s deep west – a train or a boat ride from any harbor views – at Parramatta Artists Studios. Designer shoes turn into dirty sneakers. People talk slower and drawl more.

“Western Sydney has two parts,” says studio coordinator Michael Dagostino. “It’s always perceived as a secondary place – but it’s also aspirational. It’s this schizophrenic nature that’s interesting, and almost self-defeating.”

“We include people from everywhere, but don’t want to classify artists as indigenous, Italian or Arabic,” he says. “Stereotypes limit the artist. We don’t want to ghetto-ize them.”

“There’s not a western Sydney style, but experience."

Tom Polo, a 26-year-old with an Italian background in Smithfield who's been exhibiting at the studio’s gallery, is a case in point.

“There are a lot of ideas about success and failure in my work -- what it means to be a winner,” he says.

His art is portraits and also mock-ups of local sayings such as “More better,” “Alright Already,” and “No can do.”

He says the work is influenced by childhood experiences -- waiting a few Christmases for a BMX bike -- and traveling on public transport in the west.

“Just listening to what people say around here gives me ideas,” he says.

Parramatta Artists Studios, 45 Hunter St. Parramatta, +61 0(2) 9687 6090

Theater troupe takes over arcade – and more will follow

“It’s hard to generalize, but there’s all kinds of suburban references coming out of migrant experiences,” says Arnaldo Giordano, of Circus Solarus.

Giordano has been dressing up as a life-sized zebra puppet and bringing theatrics to western suburbs streets for decades with his partner, Tricia Cooney.

They’re based in the under-used Connect Arcade of Church St. Mall. The Riverside Theatre uses adjacent rooms for rehearsals. The building is now opening up to more of the area’s up-and-comers.

Like Lucia Scurrah, who migrated to Australia from Peru when she was 15 years old. Now 34, she’s ready to move into Parramatta’s CBD to create her political textile work.

“You need collaboration – artists can't get anything done by themselves,” she says.

Andrew Simms is a young artist who's stopped doing train-based graffiti. “It’s not worth the trouble – I’m bringing all my work onto canvas,” he says.

He now is readying for a less transient art base, painting on balconies and office walls. “People on the street and in the office buildings could see work in progress and that would create interest,” he adds.

Multi media and hip-hop at ICE

The Information and Cultural Exchange (ICE) has been hosting local multimedia artists for the last two years, creating a home in the west. A collaboration of local artists is producing digi-films, megaphone slams and new generation, intensely visual installations.

“It’s a transient space and has grassroots community projects,” says Kristie Mayhew, of ICE.

The area has workshops and performance space and hosted the cross-cultural “East London, West Sydney” hip-hop gig.

Similar cross-cultural exchanges (with no admission fee) will focus on the west’s two main genres: hip-hop and multi-media.

Canadian voicebox Narcissist will join local MC Tray on May 14, and be accompanied by Canadian “Sunda” giving multi-media classes.

ICE, 8 Victoria Road Parramatta +61 (2) 9897 5744, www.ice.org.au

‘True West’ at the Riverside

The Riverside Theatre has boomed in recent years and now hosts 900 events a year –- as many as the Opera House.

A new initiative, True West, is open for applications until April 29, and offers funding to eight plays that are either produced locally or comment on local issues and which will be produced at the theatre this year and next. Theater-goers can expect a local, grungy and confrontational art direction.

“Western Sydney has been creating for a long, long time,” says Camilla Roundtree, producer of Riverside Productions. “The difference is, before it didn’t have the support and it either didn’t get noticed or it was taken to the city.”

“But now the area’s had a complete transformation,” she says.

The ranks of restaurants on “Eat Street” (Church Street) serve authentic food from the Middle East, Asia and South America.

Once just an arts scene to appease locals, Parramatta’s artistic emergence is proving it is an authentic entertainment alternative to the City of Sydney.

Riverside Theatre, Cnr Church and Market Streets Parramatta NSW, + 61 (0) 2 8839 3398, www.riversideparramatta.com.au

Getting there:

Rivercat services depart Circular Quay every hour until 7 p.m.

Regular express trains operate between Central Station and Parramatta, via Strathfield