Project 66 - The Mullet Festival

Mullet Festival IV: Alleyrats and Sewercats

12 November 2022 6 PM - 8 PM

25 Fryatt Street

The Mullet Festival

Images: Justin Spiers

Property Partner: Russell Lund

The Mullet Festival, a joyful exploration of the performing arts, including music, theatre, dance, comedy, poetry and visual art, swung into the city on Saturday the 12th of November. Alley Rats and Sewer Cats ran from 6 PM to 8 PM in a vacant space on Fryatt street, the former Wharf Hotel, generously provided by owner Russell Lund in partnership with the Dunedin Dream Brokerage. Over the two hours, audiences experienced 14 short performances, followed by shared kai and additional musical entertainment.  

Mullet Festival has been running since 2019 in and around the Warrington beach reserve. “After several years in the wilderness, we decided to move the Mullet Festival to town in order to open it up to new audiences and create new, artistic challenges for our participating artists. Despite this change in location, the Festival's kaupapa remains the same: we seek to foster playful experimentation, diversity, inclusiveness and accessibility for both artists and audiences.” Said organisers Hannah Rouse and Sandra Muller.

The Festival has a strong focus on whanaungatanga, bringing together diverse artists and audiences in ways that foster a sense of intimacy and community. Loosely guided by the Dada tradition, the event encourages artists to experiment with their practices in unusual locations that challenge conventional ideas about performance and performance spaces. Guests were led around the hotel by guides, in order to enjoy different performances and installations.

The event was free to attend, though attendees are encouraged to bring kai to share. Mullets, however, were completely optional.

---