Madeleine Swain

Madeleine Swain is ArtsHub’s managing editor. Originally from England where she trained as an actor, she has over 25 years’ experience as a writer, editor and film reviewer in print, television, radio and online. She is also currently Vice Chair of JOY Media.

Madeleine's Latest Articles

Image is a blue pencil drawing on paper of three dogs fighting a boar.
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How 65,000 years of culture can inform contemporary questions of identity

Every year the Cairns Art Gallery hosts exhibitions of Indigenous artists to coincide with CIAF. In 2024, a diversity of…

on the move. image is bottom half of person wearing pink trousers and green shirt on a skateboard in a skatepark.
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On the move: latest arts sector appointments

New appointments this week include incoming CEOs at Hobart's Theatre Royal and Geelong Arts Centre, plus a festival favourite signs…

A grey-hair Anglo-Australian man wearing a black suit with a dark red pocket square smiles at the camera. Behind him is a green lawn and trees.
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Richard Watts receives Medal of the Order of Australia

ArtsHub’s esteemed Performing Arts Editor is recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours List for his services to the arts and…

Suddenly Single at Sixty. Image on left is black and white head and shoulders shot of a 60-something Caucasian blonde woman with short wavy hair. She is smiling. On the right is a yellow book cover with an illustration of a hand holding a glass of sparkling wine.
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Book review: Suddenly Single at Sixty, Jo Peck

A splendid and heartfelt response to the oldest cliché in the book – the husband who leaves the writer for…

RISING: A group of three First Peoples and a Caucasian man performing in a rock band with an arch of stage lights behind them. Two are playing guitars, the lead singer is standing on a packing case and one is waving drum sticks.
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Performance reviews: RISING Festival, first weekend

RISING Festival is now off and running. Here is ArtsHub's round-up of the performing arts offerings on the first weekend.

Hornsby Art Prize. Image is of a blond haired white man in his 30s holding a bunch of flowers and standing in front of his painting, which depicts a young woman lying across a red armchair with big gold hooped earrings, rolled up brown trousers, a green and white crop top and high heeled brown and white zebra print shoes, with various hands and arms reaching in from the edges of the frame holding balloons, striking a match, making gestures at her. She looks off to the right.
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The validation of being judged by your peers

The Hornsby Art Prize is a gift for artists, offering so much more than simply the financial rewards, says last…

Painting of Julian Assange looking through a slit, like Ned Kelly, and swathed in blue. His head is the balloon of a hot-air balloon with a basket beneath and the US flag across the bottom.
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Archibald, Sulman and Wynne finalists revealed, along with Packing Room Prize

The finalists for the three high-profile art prizes have now been announced, with the winners due to be revealed next…

A Portrait of Love still.
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A Portrait of Love review: behind every great man there is … another one

Molly Reynolds’ intimate documentary uses the home movies of Roberto Meza Mont to shine a spotlight onto his life with…

arts news. image is a young boy standing in front of foliage with his hands cupping his mouth to shout.
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This week’s arts news and trending topics

Our weekly wrap of the stories our readers loved and those you may have missed.

A young white smiling white man holds up one arm and in the other holds a Harry Potter book.
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Theatre review: Potted Potter, Athenaeum Theatre

Hogwarts inspired mayhem with hilarity and beach balls...

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