The Lismore Quad is to host a new “freaky festival of fun” over two nights during Science Week next month.

Dark Science is billed as a free event for adults celebrating the intersection between provocative art, performance and the sciences.

“The Northern Rivers region is full of creative, experimental, underground artists and performers who are pushing the boundaries,” said Quad Placemaking Officer Marisa Snow. “Dark Science provides a new platform for those works to be presented.

“It is a free showcase of creative works and experiences that sit outside the mainstream – performance, music, film, visual art as well as many things that defy neat categorization!

“Some of Dark Science will be provocative, even shocking, but it will also be hilarious, awe-inspiring and a lot of fun.”

The lineup for the festival includes:

The Space Cowboy

As the holder of more than 55 Guinness World Records The Space Cowboy is leading the frontier of extreme performance and has baffled doctors and scientists across the globe. The Space Cowboy has created new show especially for Dark Science called ‘Imagination Rules the World’ packed with thrilling stunts, science trickery and mental marvels. Experience him sword swallowing, chainsaw juggling and more as he pushes the boundaries of science and possibility.

Andy Forbes

Splendour in the Grass stalwart Andy Forbes brings his unique style of performance installation to Dark Science with a macabre show set in a vintage caravan. Two gothic characters, Mr Filthy and Professor Pickles, undertake a durational performance over four hours exploring themes of science gone wrong and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein set to an eerie soundtrack of War of the Worlds.

Intergalactic Dub Lab with DJ Wonkytooth and Kellie O’Dempsey

Travel the bass spacewaves with Intergalactic Dub Lab, a live roots dub mix-up with DJ Wonkytooth at the controls of a custom-built sound system while well-known visual artist Kellie O’Dempsey draws large-scale projections in Dark Science’s new venue – The Dub Dome.

Uniglo

Experience the sounds of Uniglo as costumed anti-heroes Zeta von Tack and Percival Sealevel mesmerize audiences with their own blend of uniCore; a fusion of electronic styles, punk, industrial and metal, delivered through loops blended with female vocals, guitars and the occasional slice of live drums.

Dark Shire Choir

Come together on Saturday night to learn a pop song in three-part harmony in a special Dark Shire Choir pop-up singing experience (separately ticketed $10 event). Singers and non-singers all welcome. The suitably dark pop song will not be revealed until the night!

Public Act Theatre

Public Act Theatre will perform ‘The Conduits’ a two-hour interactive performance art piece involving 5 performers and members of the audience combining physical theatre, movement, projection, sound and ‘automatic painting’.

Eve on Tour: Encounter on a Precarious Surface

A new work being created in residence at The Quad - Eve on Tour: Encounter on a Precarious Surface will build sculptures with scaffolding, create rhythms with bodies and objects and dance rapturous choreography to rock songs. Berlin-based Italian born performers Maria Giulia Serantoni and Andrea Parolin join local Kate McDowell to run a daily workshop at The Quad open to all professional and non-professional participants who identify as a woman. Workshop participants will then take part in the performance at Dark Science.

Conservatorium of Music

The dark dungeons’ of the Conservatorium of Music will feature a host of work and installations such as the Dark Museum of intrigue by Cloudbeard and AñA Wojak, animated videos by Karena Wynn Moylan and interactive art and DJ’s from the Social Futures Club House - who’ll be specially opening their doors late. The Lismore Regional Gallery will also be keeping their doors open into the evening so people can experience the Idle Worship exhibition.

Al Khem

Another of The Con’s spaces will be transformed into the Alchemist's Den for Al Khem. Enter in silence for a performance and sound work exploring ancient alchemy and the transmutation of base metal into gold, performed by Galaxy Stone and Luxul, presented by Octopus π.

North Coast Astronomy

North Coast Astronomy will be out in the Quad precinct with their mega powerful telescopes so you can watch the moon rise and see our galaxy up close.

Dark Science is on August 16 and 17 at The Quad, 11 Rural St, Lismore. For more details check out: www.lismorequad.org.au