We head to three of Australia's summer arts festivals in Adelaide, Perth and Sydney, before we unpack the idea of 'art-washing': when organisations, individuals and even countries use art to distract from negative actions.

Summer Arts Festivals, Art-Washing

Namila Benson

Zoe Norton Lodge

Dean Cross x Sidney Nolan, Eucalyptusdom

Season 1

We meet Sidney Nolan by way of artist Dean Cross, visit Powerhouse Ultimo's exhibition Eucalyptusdom, as it interrogates colonial narratives, and find out about the playful self-portraits of textile artist Adrienne Doig.

Namila Benson explores the Lorne Sculpture Biennale, and Eloise Fuss the 23rd Biennale of Sydney. Daina Sgarioto explains how she got into hand-tufting and we discover the timely story of 91-year-old artist Tamara Bekier.

Lorne Sculpture Biennale, Biennale of Sydney

We stop by "world music" festival WOMADelaide, and an augmented reality exhibition in Melbourne. We meet artist Alex Seton, who makes sculptures out of marble, and Punjabi Australian musicians Parvyn and her father Dya Singh.

WOMADelaide, Alex Seton, Parvyn Singh

We talk to Australia's representative at the Venice Biennale, Marco Fusinato; hear Aussie comedians talk politics; see Louise Coghill's photographs of the WA bushfires; and enter Frida Las Vegas's colourful "Frida-verse".

Marco Fusinato, MICF, Louise Coghill

We visit the new Bundanon Art Museum plus Aretha Brown and Emma Donavan talk album covers. Graeme McCullough speaks to us about the disappearing art of signwriting and we explore the food and art exhibition, Simmer.

Bundanon, Aretha Brown x Emma Donovan

We check out Somali Australian exhibition AQAL, and First Nations drone art event Sky Song. We unearth comedian David Quirk's unexpected day job, meet composer Caitlin Yeo, and learn about art therapy from Lissette Endacott.

AQAL, David Quirk, Caitlin Yeo, Sky Song

We head to the National Indigenous Art Triennial in Canberra, this year titled Ceremony. Then we meet artist and film photographer Sammy Hawker, and get the lowdown on the latest in film and TV from critic Keva York.

National Indigenous Art Triennial

We chat to artists using novel methods and materials: Safa El Samad, who uses embroidery to upcycle clothes; and Jordan Benson, who works with stained glass. We also meet comedian Gabbi Bolt and Bigambul poet Uncle Wes Marne.

Safa El Samad, Gabbi Bolt, Jordan Benson

We visit the Venice Biennale to catch up with Marco Fusinato, and Parrtjima in Alice Springs. Artist Deborah Kelly invites us to join her religion, and artist Christopher Zanko shares how he combines woodcarving and painting.

Venice Biennale, Deborah Kelly

We witness the power of art therapy with Lissette Endacott. Artist Katie West shares how she uses weaving techniques and found fabrics in her work.

Tamworth Country Music Festival

Namila Benson meets some of Australia's leading authors at Sydney Writers' Festival: Chelsea Watego and Clementine Ford, Eliza Hull and Debra Keenahan, and Tony Birch. We also talk to Nils Frahm ahead of his Australian tour.

Sydney Writers' Festival, Nils Frahm

We meet fashion designers Nicol & Ford, artist Dylan Mooney and recorder virtuoso Alicia Crossley. We catch new Tassie dance company Great Southern Dance's debut, before ABC Classic's Dan Golding shares his fave soundtracks.

Australian Fashion Week, Dylan Mooney

We catch up with Luca French, one of the youngest artists exhibiting at Vivid Sydney. Namila talks to Amani Haydar about art grief and healing. We walk through Cut N Polish, Carriageworks car boot art sale in Sydney.

Luca French, Amani Haydar, Cut N Polish

We head along to Melbourne's Rising festival. Zeina Thiboult shares the art of hair sculpture and Luke Arnold talks about creating change on social media through art. Richard Tognetti explains Bach's classical music mastery.

Rising, Luke Arnold, Is Bach the best?

Sampa The Great shares how returning from her home in Zambia has guided her music. We get an in depth look into 'Still Lives' at Rising Festival. Ben Law and Vanessa Alexander unpack how filmmakers depict reality on screen.

Sampa The Great, Reality to Screen

We flash back to some great First Nations stories. Meet Dylan Mooney and see Eucalyptusdom. Emma Donovan and Aretha Brown do Art of the Cover. We meet Katie West, and finish at the National Indigenous Art Triennial.

NAIDOC Week: Dylan Mooney, Eucalyptusdom

We revisit some great stories from the regions. Meet artist Christopher Zanko, photographer Sammy Hawker and sign-writer Graeme McCullough. Plus, we head to Bundanon Art Museum and Parrtjima festival in the Red Centre.

The Regions: Christopher Zanko, Bundanon

We visit Dark Mofo to watch Alex Podger combine art, fire and ritual; Rising for a new work of dance and drums; and Sydney to check out an intimate music venue; and look at Naomi Hobson's photos of young people in Cape York.

The Burning, Naomi Hobson, Manifesto

We head to Brisbane Street Art Festival, and find out about Jess Ribeiro's day job. We talk to theatre group Second Echo Ensemble about their latest show Outside Boy, before Miles Brown teaches us how to play the theremin.

Brisbane Street Art Festival

We meet the award-winning Back to Back Theatre; slow fashion designer Noah Johnson; and Koori artist S.J Norman, who takes us through his language reclamation work. We also visit experimental art and music fest Soft Centre.

Back to Back Theatre, Soft Centre

It's Arts Week on Art Works! We check out a new stage adaptation of Looking for Alibrandi; head to Minjerribah to see Megan Cope build an oyster reef on Country; and explore National Gallery of Victoria's Queer exhibition.

Arts Week: Looking for Alibrandi, Queer

We meet 80-year-old artist and furniture maker Gay Hawkes, and learn how artists like Abdul Abdullah work at the nexus of art and tech. We head to Queensland for a film fest in the outback and the opening event of BLEACH*.

Gay Hawkes, Tactical Space Lab

Artist Kathryn Del Barton talks about her debut feature film Blaze; we meet the now-Australia-based Zahra Elman, the first woman to win Afghan Star; and Sarah L'Estrange unpacks the winner of this year's Miles Franklin Award.

Blaze, Zahra Elham

Hear from the creator of the Aussie musical about fandom that has fostered its own devotees; a Canberra coin designer; and amateur musicians who performed with the WASO, as well as poems from the National Poetry Month Gala.

Fangirls, National Poetry Month Gala

Learn how Sydney Theatre Company created their latest work of "cine-theatre"; how sheds have been turned into unique music venues; about the art underpinning freestyle football; and about Indian classical dance Bharatanatyam.

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

A fashion designer makes a suit for Joan as Policewoman. A First Nations play shows queer teen love during colonisation. An artist plays a piano that is on fire, before another invites people to cure their ailments with art.

Anna Cordell, Whitefella Yella Tree

Namila heads to McClelland to meet Fiona Foley; a musician turned molecular biologist finds inspiration in the coronavirus genome; portraits of country pub patrons; and a visit to Broome Performing Arts Co.

Fiona Foley, COVID sonification

We visit Light at ACMI; meet graphic artist and activist Sam Wallman; go behind-the-scenes with Somebody's Daughter, the theatre company supporting women in and out of prison; plus, Fiona Hall & AJ King's MONA collaboration.

ACMI, Somebody's Daughter, Fiona Hall

Steph Tisdell visits Brisbane Festival; meets artist Olana Janfa; Club Weld and River City Voices collaborate; plus the Tennant Creek Brio.

Brisbane Festival, Club Weld

We get a pint-sized perspective on Waru, Bangarra's new show for kids; learn more about Janice Wong's delicious art practice; meet Nadurna's Ryhia Dank; and visit restaurateur and art enthusiast Ben Nguyen.

Waru, Janice Wong, Nadurna, Ben Nguyen

This week, Virginia Gay's Cyrano finally takes the stage; acclaimed virtuoso William Barton collaborates with his mum; we meet terrazzo master David Humphries; and explore a Handmade Universe at the State Library of Victoria.

Cyrano, William Barton, David Humphries

Namila meets dancer Rodney Bell at disability arts festival Alter State; we experience Tasmania with Rooke Circus; art meets science at Tarrawarra; and sculptor Luke Whitten honours Country, melding old and new materials.

Rodney Bell, Rooke Circus, Luke Whitten

The ballet basics explained; theatre designer Jonathon Oxlade shares insights into his craft; rapper Tasman Keith takes us home to Bowraville; and critic Keva York chats Korean cinema and true crime adaptations with Namila.

The Australian Ballet, Tasman Keith

This week, a Shakespearean classic gets a musical makeover; we meet painter Kurt Boseke and photographer and costume-maker Gerwyn Davies; and we head to Western Sydney's Mt Druitt for community arts festival FUNPARK.

Bell Shakespeare, Gerwyn Davies, FUNPARK

This week, musicians play the songs of the pied butcher bird at Liveworks Festival of Experimental Art; we meet martial arts movie star Maria Tran and calligrapher Gemma Black; and head to Unpopular at the Powerhouse Museum.

Maria Tran, Night Songs, Unpopular

This week, we go on Country in the Kimberley with Bangarra Dance Theatre; take a deep dive into AI Art; and meet neo-classical pianist Rose Riebel and experimental, multi-instrumentalist Matt Hsu and his Obscure Orchestra.

Bangarra, AI Art, Matt Hsu, Rose Riebel

With in-studio segments, behind-the-scenes stories, interviews, playful explainers and deep-dive field reports from locations across Australia, this docuseries puts the spotlight on creativity as an overlooked but inherent part of our everyday lives.

Summer Arts Festivals, Art-Washing

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