There’s a growing movement in Maitland that seems to ask ‘Who crowned Newcastle the Hunter’s capital of cool?’.
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Artists, musicians, baristas and chefs are carving out spaces and events in Maitland’s calendar to show off local talent.
I want to bring this sort of stuff that you'd usually see in Newy to Maitland. Because Maitland is getting cooler and more cultured every day.
- Indeah Clark
Major players like Maitland Regional Art Gallery and Bitter and Twisted immediately spring to mind but smaller events like Indeah Clark’s Along Came Jones are contributing to the cultural shift.
Ms Clarke describes Along Came Jones as a day of music, art and cheap burritos at the pub. It’ll be held at the Grand Junction Hotel on May 21.
It promotes a relaxed atmosphere and conversations between artist and audience.
It will feature music from Hank and Ryan, Elwood Myre, Betty and Oswald, Bad Time Boys and James Thomson and the Strange Pilgrims.
Art will be exhibited from Hobo Technics, Krystyan Nowak, Nick Barlow, Melanie Mitchell tattoos, Sushi Tuesday tattoos, Lise Anita, and Tuckers guitars.
It will also feature an “acid room” to fully realise the potential of the more psychedelic installations.
Ms Clark said Maitland was more than capable of the same renaissance Newcastle has spent the last decade enjoying.
“I want to bring this sort of stuff that you'd usually see in Newy to Maitland,” she said.
“Because Maitland is getting cooler and more cultured every day.”
2016 will be the second time the event has run.
Ms Clark said the idea came from a desire to give a platform for local artists.
“I originally started it to help out local creative types to get there stuff into the world without having to go through really expensive admission fees and commissions,” she said.
“And [I want to] make things like this become a regular event around town.”
Ms Clark said her workplace, the Grand Junction supported her idea.
“They have the same ideals and really like what I'm doing and want to help support me,” she said.
More information can be found at bit.ly/20QlAoP
