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A wacky children's theatre production hailed as ‘pure junkyard genius', dance representations of award-winning West Australian novelists' works and a performance featuring internationally renowned clarinettist Ashley Smith are just some of the inspiring events on the menu for this year's WINTERarts festival at The University of Western Australia.

School holiday fun for children includes art workshops in the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery; workshops at the Earth Science Museum inviting children to mix art with a hands-on exploration of the wonderful world of geoscience; a fun, one-off composition workshop at the School of Music; and the children's theatre production, Squaring the Wheel , at the Dolphin Theatre.  The production is described as the perfect inspiration for every young inventor.

Adults can choose from four exhibitions at the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery - p a n o r a m a, Transcending Borders , and Worldwide Backyard - which close on July 12, and the Berndt Museum's Wildflower Dreaming from July 15.

The gallery will also host an exciting performance by internationally recognised clarinettist Ashley Smith, who will perform 20 ^th Century works with the cream of WA's young musicians, interspersed with six new wind duo miniatures commissioned from UWA composers.

The Ochre Contemporary Dance Company will present three performances interpreting excerpts from the writings of literary luminary Stephen Scourfield ( As the River Runs ) and Miles Franklin Award winner, Professor Kim Scott ( That Deadman Dance ).  The company will also team up with Scourfield at the University Club, for a unique evening of readings interspersed with short, powerful dance performances, complemented by a specially designed menu based on Australian bush cuisine.

Literary buffs can take part in a creative writing workshop with Elemental author Amanda Curtin, while UWA Extension will have a course on how to get your work published.  Simone Lazaroo's new book Lost River will also be launched at the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery.

UWA's WINTERarts season, which runs for the entire month of July, extends to the University's Claremont campus, with a range of photography, art and writing workshops through UWA Extension.

Workshops fill quickly so it's best to book early.

The full WINTERarts program of events.

Media references

Pier Leach (Cultural Precinct)  (+61 8) 6488 3613
David Stacey (UWA Media Manager)  (+61 8) 6488 3229 / (+61 4) 32 637 716