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New Annual Festival celebrates Newcastle places and stories

New Annual Festival Director Tory Loudon discusses highlights of her 2025 program.
22 Jul 2025 10:35
Richard Watts
A woman with grey plaits escaping from under a pink bathing cap stares at the camera. Behind her, sitting on the steps of the Newcastle Ocean Baths or standing nearby, are three other actors dressed for a swim or the beach. The ocean and sky meet behind them, in this publicity photo for 'Meet Me at the Baths' at New Annual Festival.

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Whale Chorus and Ang Collins’ ‘Meet Me At The Baths’ has been commissioned for Newcastle Ocean Baths by New Annual Festival. Photo: Lee Illfield.

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New Annual Festival is ‘very much about Newcastle stories and Newcastle talent,’ Festival Director Tory Loudon tells ArtsHub.

‘It is definitely about leaning into the beautiful natural environment of the city, the ocean baths and the rockpools and all of that. And it is very much also about tapping into Newcastle’s musical history and heritage, and really thinking about what makes Newcastle, Newcastle.’

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Richard Watts

Richard Watts OAM is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, a Melbourne Fringe Festival Living Legend, and was awarded the 2019 Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. In 2021 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association. Most recently, Richard received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in June 2024. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts

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