The “two fires” are arts and activism, the fires that motivated and consumed Judith Wright for most of her life.  There is a very strong arts component this year with many talented artists and performers contributing to a veritable feast of entertainment throughout the three day program.

 The featured performing artists this year will be Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter together with members of their band.  Archie is a singer, songwriter and guitarist who has become a powerful voice for indigenous Australians for more than twenty years.  His partner, Ruby Hunter, has forged a reputation as a leading performer and was the first Aboriginal woman to release a solo album in Australia. The support artist is South Coast hip hop performer, Warren Foster. Their concert will be held in The National Theatre on Saturday night, March 28, commencing at 8 pm.  

South Coast artist Cheryl Davison will exhibit at Braidwood’s Numbawan Café over the weekend. In September 2008 Cheryl exhibited at the Australian Consulate in New York, one of the highlights of her career.

Braidwood resident David Jones has collected political posters over many years and on Saturday “Politics on Paper” will be on display in the Braidwood Times Office.

An exhibition of photographs from “Sorry Day” together with a display of Judith Wright publications can be viewed at the Braidwood Library on Friday and Saturday, while the Braidwood Museum’s Portrait Gallery (open Friday, Saturday and Sunday) will display Terry Milligan’s photographs, including that of Judith Wright, and a tribute to the poet which includes the pens and typewriter with which she wrote all her life.   

On Saturday afternoon, the Two Fires Festival program will offer a three and a half hour Indigenous Film Festival featuring four films.  There will also be a dance theatre performance “Reading the Threads” by Terpsichore Aunts with composer and cellist Helen Way.  The performance will feature the words of six inspiring Australian women including Judith Wright, Elizabeth Cameron Dalman and Rosalie Gascoigne.

Add to this the “Incidental Art” exhibitions in Braidwood Cafes, Johnny Huckle singing and giving a songwriting workshop, a Friday evening Twilight Community Concert, the Chorus of Women and Wayfarers’ Choir, the creating of a mural by children guided by Noel Butler, a Zine Fair, open mic entertainment, the exhibition of a young people’s art competition with entries from around Australia and many poetry and literature sessions, there is a festival and a half to entertain you.