Felicity Arts

10/03/2023

Join us in celebrating Celestial Gardens receiving the 'Best Film & Digital or Interactive' Adelaide Fringe Weekly Award.

Congratulations to everyone who created the majestic Celestial Gardens and to the audiences who embraced the experience and wonder housed at the iconic Bicentennial Conservatory, Adelaide Botanic Garden. The sensory flood of experience, in and with, nature enlivens and connects.

Our Otanical characters - some pictured here - performed with dance, circus, and song and also presented Otanical VR: once again charming audiences. In this wonderland and world of make-believe, anything is possible - beyond the limits of imagination as we remember how special it is to be fully self-expressed and be in the moment of creation.

Thank you Sacred Resonance & In Search of the Divine for manifesting Celestial Gardens.

A heartfelt thank you to the brilliant Otanical cast of 2023 for your vibrancy at Celestial Gardens:
Cathy Adamek
Chelsea Blake
Emily Hodgkison
Sara Kasirzadeh
Alix Kuijpers
Sam Matthewman
Chloe Moir
Claire Petersen
Nia Phillips
Bridget Tran
Butterfly Queen

______

Photo by Alexander Mitchell of Otanical cast (From L to R: Emily, Nia, Sam, Chloe, Bridget)

Celestial Gardens presented by Sacred Resonance & In Search of the Divine

Otanical created by Felicity Arts

Felicity Arts is an independent Arts Management & Production Company.

We collaborate with artists,

04/03/2023

*** Special Free Event on Today & Tomorrow ***
We are excited about the free to access public event that we are part of this weekend: 7pm - 8pm, March 4 & 5.

Come and visit us outside the Celestial Gardens at the Bicentennial Conservatory Adelaide Botanic Garden where the Otanical characters will be. Step into the wonderful world of nature, dance and storytelling. Everyone is welcome! Enter via Plane Tree Drive.

There's beauty everywhere, when we stop and notice.

——

This is a free public event as part of Celestial Gardens for Adelaide Fringe supported by Sacred Resonance through the City of Adelaide.

Felicity Arts together with the creators and artists of 'Otanical' wish to acknowledge the support of the Suzanne Elliott Charitable Trust for making this event possible. The vision of the Trust is creation of connected, equitable and generous communities. The Trust has been made possible as a result of the generosity and commitment to social justice of the late Suzanne Elliott.

Photo by Alexander Mitchell
Garland Dancers as pictured: Chloe Annalise Moir, Nia Phillips, Amy Gallery

Celestial Gardens presented by:
Sacred Resonance & In Search of the Divine
Otanical created by Amanda Phillips & Alexander Mitchell of Felicity Arts

02/03/2023

One of our Garland dancers discovered these gems as they waltzed through Celestial Gardens... an encounter with light trails; geometries; and projections.

Follow the dance and follow the music until Sunday March 5 at Adelaide's own Bicentennial Conservatory Adelaide Botanic Garden.

To Book:
https://adelaidefringe.com.au/.../celestial-gardens-the...

Garland Dancer: Ben-Hur Winter
Light trails: Sam Matthewman in motion on illuminated poi!
Installation: Sacred Resonance

Photos by Alexander Mitchell

Celestial Gardens presented by:
Sacred Resonance & In Search of the Divine

Otanical created by Felicity Arts

01/03/2023

Today is Donation Day for the Adelaide Fringe Foundation!

Give to the Adelaide Fringe Foundation and directly support artists, audiences and culture.

In 2015 we received an Artist grant to make Otanical VR in 2016 for the Adelaide Fringe. Otanical is a mixed reality production that still delights audiences today. The impact of receiving this grant has been far reaching - allowing us to: create a public artwork with free audience access, test art-technology, and make a difference to others' lived experience by offering a work that leaves people smiling - set within the Barbershop Rotunda at Adelaide Botanic Garden, City of Adelaide

Donate here:
https://adelaidefringe.com.au/shop/donations/adelaide-fringe-foundation
All donations on Donation Day will be matched dollar for dollar thanks to Lumo Energy SA and Novatech Creative Event Technology!

28/02/2023

What did our majestic Otanical Butterfly Princess discover at Celestial Gardens? She followed her song in flight to the plants… and a symphony of voice resounded. Come and listen to the plants sing - until Sunday March 5 at Adelaide's own Bicentennial Conservatory Adelaide Botanic Garden. Truly a magical experience.

To Book:
https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/celestial-gardens-the-secret-sounds-of-plants-af2023

Butterfly Princess: Nia Phillips
Plant sound installation: Sacred Resonance
Photos by Alexander Mitchell

Celestial Gardens presented by:
Sacred Resonance & In Search of the Divine

Otanical created by Felicity Arts

27/02/2023

Our Otanical characters went looking for surprises at Celestial Gardens. Here's what our 'Sprite of Light' found...
Artwork by Anna Couper

Book to Celestial Gardens on until March 5:
https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/celestial-gardens-the-secret-sounds-of-plants-af2023

Celestial Gardens:
presented by Sacred Resonance & In Search of the Divine

Otanical by Felicity Arts
Sprite of Light: Sam Matthewman

photos by: Alexander Waite Mitchell / Alexander Mitchell

23/02/2023

Once again we are part of the exquisite experience that is Celestial Gardens for Adelaide Fringe... Come find us and be part of the secret sounds of plants and enjoy the song, dance and wonder of Adelaide's own rainforest at the Bicentennial Conservatory. This is not to be missed...

On until Sunday March 5.
Book here:
https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/celestial-gardens-the-secret-sounds-of-plants-af2023

Celestial Gardens presented by:
Sacred Resonance
In Search of the Divine

Photo by Alexander Mitchell of Otanical sprites and garland dancers Emily Hodgkison & Amy Gallery

18/02/2023

Watch live today (4pm Adelaide Time) and available On Demand (free access). A terrific art-technology collaboration with our partners at Dance Hub SA and a host of exceptional talent colliding in this one of a kind performance.

Presented by Dance Hub SAExperience X, a real time collaboration between leading South Australian Choreographers, Composers, Musicians and Performers. Divers...

21/12/2022

A moment appears and disappears.... but can stay with us forever.

'Spectral'
Dance
+
Visuals

performance-installation
Live Dance with real-time 3D projection created and performed by
Amanda Phillips & Alexander Waite Mitchell
x
Dancer: Jazz Hriskin
x
Costume: Davis Browne Design

short work version developed for (EM)bodiment (November 11, 2022 Opening Night only).

Photo:
Alexander Mitchell

10/11/2022

The real and the virtual collide in our new work 'Spectral': dance + visuals.

On every hour between 7pm to 10pm, November 11 as part of (EM)bodiment. Free entry. See you there.

(EM)bodiment is presented by:
Sacred Resonance
In Search of the Divine
for Feast Festival 2023.

24/08/2022

Flashback to this studio moment. Magic made by coming together in practice-led research and creative enquiry.

Development of "Storeroom of Dreams" by Amanda Phillips & Alexander Waite Mitchell.

Movement moments for researching a hybrid performance model (multi-view user experience). Directed by Amanda Phillips
Dance Hub SA., 2021, photo by Alexander Mitchell

Artists pictured here:
Alison Currie - making dance / Alison Currie
Felicity Boyd
Jazz Hriskin
Sam Hall

17/06/2022

Congratulations to all involved in this year's Dance Launchpad produced by The Mill. As part of this project, Amanda Phillips was commissioned to create the new dance work 'Loom'.

Amanda says about Dance Launchpad:

"Dance Launchpad fills a unique space in South Australia for our recent Dance graduates. This year, they worked within two different creative processes to realise, shape and perform in two new works. Choreography is an original art form – there is no script or score at the outset of the rehearsal period – and the dancers benefit from being embedded in deep choreographic enquiry. They are also integral to this creative process: the seeds of ideas, delving into exploration and making themes manifest. We are united in the evolution of the performance.

Dance Launchpad is a commission that supports the future of Dance in Australia through a vital two-way exchange and the presentation of new Australian work."

photo: Alexander Mitchell.Pictured: L to R Jess Minas; Amelia Walmsley; choreographer/director Amanda Phillips (sitting centre); Amelia Watson; Isobel Stolinski

26/02/2022

The Bicentennial Conservatory is the Celestial Gardens.
After you have wandered through the meditational and magical path of the singing plants, Otanical VR is presented as a one-to-one immersive experience as part of this awe-inspiring production - 'Celestial Gardens: The Secret Sounds of Plants'. The Otanical characters look forward to sharing this much loved fairytale with you at Adelaide Botanic Garden...

Amanda Phillips, Director of Felicity Arts says,
“Once again we look forward to sharing the enchanting world of Otanical with audiences of all ages. The virtual reality work was created for the 2016 Adelaide Fringe and is a portal to dive into and connect with the transportive magic that only a mirror can reveal. There is so much to have gratitude for if we stop, look, reflect and see. Otanical and other surprises within the Celestial Gardens invite us to do just that and during these times it is vital to reconnect, remember and reframe our place in this world.”

Celestial Gardens on this weekend:
https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/celestial-gardens-the-secret-sounds-of-plants-af2022
Sacred Resonance
In Search of the Divine

Thank you to City of Adelaide for supporting Otanical.

25/02/2022

Have you heard the plants sing? We have...
The rainforest of the Bicentennial Conservatory at Adelaide Botanic Garden, is the 'Celestial Gardens' by Sacred Resonance & In Search of the Divine. Let the plants communicate with you and find the magic... including the magic of our Otanical world that comes to life with the sounds of nature, pockets of art and the mesmerising path of discoveries that leads you through the interactive performance-installation.

This weekend only:
https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/celestial-gardens-the-secret-sounds-of-plants-af2022

Photo credit: Alexander Mitchell as he wandered through...

24/02/2022

Arts & Culture is the heart of society. Thank you to the Adelaide City Council for sponsoring Otanical this weekend at the 'Celestial Gardens: The Secret Sounds of Plants'. You can come and see us for no charge out the front of the Bicentennial Conservatory at Adelaide Botanic Garden at 7:45pm and have a photo with the characters, or purchase tickets for the Celestial experience from 8pm - 10pm on until Feb 27 and held inside the glasshouse.

Otanical produced and created by Felicity Arts

Celestial Gardens presented by Sacred Resonance & In Search of the Divine for Adelaide Fringe

Otanical sponsored by:
City of Adelaide (City of Adelaide) www.twitter.com/cityofadelaide () www.instagram.com/cityofadelaide ()

Photo by Alexander Mitchell

-

23/02/2022

We have answered the call of the singing plants in amongst the majestic rainforest of the Bicentennial Conservatory Adelaide Botanic Garden. You will find us here - Otanical VR and roving characters - as part of the memorable 'Celestial Gardens: The Secret Sound of Plants'. On tonight Feb 23 through to Feb 27 inclusive 8pm - 10pm - stay as long as you like.

Event presented by:
Sacred Resonance
In Search of the Divine

Photo by Alexander Mitchell

21/02/2022

Felicity Arts is thrilled to be part of the interactive 'Celestial Gardens: The Secret Sound of Plants' where the plants come alive and sing. We bring you the magical 'Otanical'. Come and meet the characters and experience the VR world at the Bicentennial Conservatory, Adelaide Botanic Garden on again this week Wednesday 23 to Sunday 27/2 from 8pm - 10pm each night - stay as long as you like.

Celestial Gardens is presented by Sacred Resonance & In Search of the Divine for Adelaide Fringe with a host of guest artists including us.

More information here:
https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/celestial-gardens-the-secret-sounds-of-plants-af2022

[Photo by Alexander Mitchell of Cathy Adamek as Jasmine in the roving Otanical]

18/01/2022

Sound on! How's your 2022 been so far?
We're sharing some insights here into the collaborative project for the Opening work of the Youth Dance Festival 2021. As digital creators, Amanda created a storyboard on the Festival's theme of "Digital Dystopia Utopia" and Alex animated known visual cues and alluring imagined cyber objects that feed off the music.

The content needed to be captivating and reflect the mood and energies we are drawn into on social media. The visuals were projected behind live action-packed dance choreographed by Debora Di Centa and performed at Canberra Theatre Centre.

In terms of process:
Alex had previously also composed and laid down the awesome track so Debora could choreograph with, and on, the dancers - and then the choreography was mostly done over zoom (with dancers across the ACT) because of lockdowns.

A strong vision for creating across Australia (SA & ACT) to make art and the work come to life:
Amanda Phillips
Alexander Mitchell
Debora Di Centa
Thanks to the commissioning body Ausdance ACT & Director of Ausdance ACT Cathy Adamek/ Adamek Productions

19/11/2021

It was great to create with the 2021 Youth Dance Festival team and Ausdance ACT for the Festival's Opening work at Canberra Theatre.

Set to the Festival theme of Digital Dystopia / Utopia, we created motion graphics as a backdrop to reflect the dramatic arc of the performance. Congratulations to all involved. It came together and is premiering this weekend - link to tix over on the Ausdance ACT page.

Visuals for Opening work: Felicity Arts
Music: Alexander Mitchell of Felicity Arts
Choreographer: Debora di Centa
Photography: Andrew Sikorski from Art Atelier Photography

13/11/2021

Alex has been busy installing the projection system and computer/technical desk for the State of the Art Planetarium as part of the Space Academy at Hamilton Secondary College.

The future is exciting with the application of this immersive fulldome space, and accompanying education that ventures across the field of astronomy and also into visualisation, technology, software, art, film, media and gaming.

Alexander Mitchell would like to acknowledge and thank Professor Paul Bourke for the opportunity to implement this project on the ground due to border restrictions that have prohibited travel into South Australia.

South Australian school students will be inspired to shoot for the stars with construction of the state’s second permanent planetarium, the first in Adelaide’s southern suburbs, now complete.

03/07/2021

It's happening! A Dance Hub SA project devised and facilitated by Amanda Phillips (Dance) & Alexander Mitchell (Music). The call out is open for X: a catalyst for performance that chooses the unknown by working in real-time and improvising together in creative / artistic exchange. There are four livestreamed events (August; October, Feb, May).

Apply now to be a collaborating choreographer, dancer or sound creator / composer-instrumentalist. More information at Dance Hub SA's website.

Be part of X - a livestreamed improvisatory performance between Dance & Music that chooses the unknown by working in real-time and improvising together in creative / artistic exchange. Selected artists work in agreed frameworks with our Artistic Director Amanda Phillips (Dance) and Alexander Mitchell (Music) with the music and the dance 'scores and rules' unknown to each other before the start of each event. Yes - this breeding ground for creativity is happening right here in Adelaide.

All selected artists are paid for each iteration of X thanks to ArtsSA / Department of the Premier and Cabinet Arts Recovery Funding.

X is a livestreamed event: August, October, Feb, May.

Read more and apply through a short online EOI to be in the creative pool....

*Choreographers & those Choreographers who also want to be considered as a Dancer/Performer - apply here: https://bityl.co/7VrJ

*Composers & Sonic Artists - apply here: https://bityl.co/7VrJ

*Dancers - apply here: https://bityl.co/7cDX

29/04/2021

A reason to Dance!
It's International Dance Day today. Check out the link to access free online online content from around the world. Thanks for the soul food: www.international-dance-day.org

Who loves a celebration? We do! It's International Dance Day and Australian Dance Week!

Enjoy over 3-hours of international content online at: www.international-dance-day.org
[Videos will be available at 18h00 Paris Time from 29 April]

We also love the energy of this photo of celebration at the end of Dance Hub SA's Young Artist Program 2020 with The 2020 Mentor Alison Currie (in the middle) and our Artistic Director, Amanda Phillips centre back with (from left to right): Mimi; Chloe; Petra; Sam; Jazz; Cayleigh; Andrew and Jacinta.

Great photo moment: Alexander Waite Mitchell / Alexander Mitchell