Arts and Culture
Tamworth city has become a well-known arts and cultural hub and reguarly hosts national touring-art exhibitions.
Tamworth is a well established arts and cultural city which takes delight in producing diverse music, galleries and many historic buildings and parks.
Tamworth has become a well-known arts and cultural hub with the Tamworth Regional Gallery acting as a regular venue for national touring-art exhibitions. Weswal Gallery at the top of town offers art and giftware from local and national Australian artists coupled with a great café. All of this culture is in addition to a number of smaller art and craft boutiques around the area.
The Tamworth Regional Craft Centre housed in a huge tin shed in the west end of Peel Street, showcases the creative efforts of local artisans from painting to quilting, embroidery, woodturning and blacksmithing.
There are several commercially run galleries in and around the city with some having café's attached to add to the enjoyment of the experience. Your stay in Tamworth might coincide with one of the well supported art competitions of the region which encourage work in a range of media. Entries included works from local artists and further afield.
Tamworth has a rich history with many noteworthy buildings. Land marks in the city include Tamworth's first residence Calala Cottage, the railway station built in 1878, and the former Britten's Brewery and the Victorian classical stuccoed brick post office designed by James Barnet and built in 1883-86.
The Power Station museum is a unique tribute to the area as Tamworth was the first municipal shire to have electric street lighting; the museum also offers an extensive look back at the changes and advancement in electronics and other technologies. Wander along the heritage walk through the city's CBD precinct or undertake the heritage drive extending across the North, East and South suburbs to immerse yourself in the heritage of the town.
Visitors can rev up their life with a visit to the Powerhouse Motorcycle Museum where there are more than 50 motorcycles from the 1950's through to the 80's. All have been restored to concourse condition and include models from Ducati, Triumph, Honda, Velocette, Lavender and more. There is also the extremely rare limited edition F4 MV Augusta Serie.D.Oro which has never been ridden. The museum is open daily.
Tamworth has a couple of theatrical organisations; the Dramatic Society and the Tamworth Musical Society. The Capitol Theatre in the Centrepoint Arcade will expand Tamworth's cultural identity adding to the venues that offer a stage for local and travelling musical, theatrical and other general performances. The venue seats approximately 400 people and has professional theatre lighting, full sound system, dressing rooms, orchestra pit, fly tower and is fully air conditioned. It will be a significant addition to the existing cultural facilities in the region and will provide an ideal forum for live theatre including dance, drama, music, educational activities, conferences and community events.